RUI: Collaborative Research: Network Cluster: Dust in the Critical Zone from the Great Basin to the Rocky Mountains

自然和人为干扰改变了干旱气候中稀疏的植被景观，极大地增加了可用于风蚀的细粒沉积物的丰富程度。这种物质以尘埃的形式在大气层中广泛传播。这些尘埃沉积在顺风向的山区生态系统中，改变了地表水的化学成分，促进了土壤的形成，为植物提供了重要的养分，并改变了积雪融化的时间。该项目将对美国西南部从源头到下沉的整个沙尘系统进行调查，研究地点从内华达州南部的沙漠到落基山脉。结果将使人们能够评估沙漠和山区环境的相互关联性，并将对土地管理机构和政策制定者有用。来自历史上在科学领域代表性不足的人群的本科生将通过与现有项目的合作得到支持。盐湖城学区和犹他州女童童子军等社区合作伙伴将在盐湖社区学院之外为中学女生组织一项科学推广计划。这一课程将包括实地经验，科学家、研究生和本科生将担任内容专家和榜样。该项目还将确定负责将粉尘输送到盐湖城市区的大气条件，为粉尘暴露频率建模提供必要的信息。该项目将建立一个临界区专题组，以调查干旱地貌产生的尘埃如何影响顺风向山区生态系统的临界区。在从内华达州南部沙漠到犹他州北部山区的研究地点，六名研究人员将领导互补项目，旨在阐明1)控制粉尘排放的因素；2)导致粉尘运输的大气过程；3)粉尘源区粉尘和地表物质的地球化学性质；4)粉尘沉积对冬季积雪的影响；5)山区粉尘沉积随时间和整个景观的变化；6)长期粉尘沉积对山区土壤发育的影响；以及7)粉尘营养物质在山区生态系统中的生物有效性、命运和作用。这些研究地点的选择是基于先前工作的坚实基础、已建立的监测网络和独特的多年数据集。在粉尘排放地点安装监测设备，继续运行雪研究地点，以及扩大和维护现有的粉尘收集网络，将加强收集关键环境变量的有形基础设施，以更好地照亮CZ过程。该项目旨在为学生在各个级别的参与提供多种途径。来自历史上在科学领域代表性不足的人群的本科生将通过与现有项目的合作得到支持。盐湖社区学院将为中学女生组织一项科学推广计划。为确定向盐湖城市区输送粉尘的大气条件而进行的观测和建模工作将为粉尘暴露频率建模提供必要的信息。结果将以一种可用于规划的格式传回适当的土地管理机构和政策制定者。该奖项由关键区合作网络计划、物理和动态气象计划以及地貌和土地利用动态计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Natural and human disturbances that alter sparsely vegetated landscapes in arid climates greatly increase the abundance of fine-grained sediment available for wind erosion. This material is transported widely through the atmosphere as dust. Deposition of this dust in downwind mountain ecosystems alters the chemistry of surface water, contributes to soil formation, delivers significant nutrients for plants, and changes the timing of snowpack melting. This project will investigate the entire dust system in the southwestern US from source to sink at an array of study sites from the deserts of southern Nevada into the Rocky Mountains. Results will allow the interconnectedness of desert and mountain environments to be evaluated, and will be of use to land management agencies and policymakers. Undergraduate students from populations historically underrepresented in the sciences will be supported through collaborations with established programs. A science outreach program for middle school girls will be organized out of Salt Lake Community College with community partners including the Salt Lake City School District and Girl Scouts of Utah. This program for will include field experiences, with scientists, graduate students, and undergraduate students serving as content experts and role models. The project will also identify atmospheric conditions responsible for delivering dust to the Salt Lake City urban area, providing the information necessary for modeling dust exposure frequency. This project will establish a Critical Zone Thematic Cluster to investigate how dust derived from arid landscapes impacts the Critical Zone (CZ) in downwind mountain ecosystems. At study sites from the deserts of southern Nevada to the mountains of northern Utah, six researchers will lead complementary projects designed to illuminate 1) the factors that control dust emission; 2) the atmospheric processes responsible for dust transport; 3) the geochemical properties of dust and surficial materials in dust source areas; 4) the effects of dust deposition on winter snowpack; 5) the variability of mountain dust deposition through time and across the landscape; 6) the impacts of long-term dust deposition on mountain soil development; and 7) the bioavailability, fate, and role of dust-derived nutrients in mountain ecosystems. Selection of these study sites is grounded on a solid foundation of previous work, established monitoring networks, and unique multi-year datasets. Installation of monitoring equipment at dust emission sites, continued operation of sites for snow research, and expansion and maintenance of an existing dust collector network will enhance the physical infrastructure for the collection of key environmental variables to better illuminate CZ processes. The project is designed to offer numerous avenues for student involvement at all levels. Undergraduate students from populations historically underrepresented in the sciences will be supported through collaborations with established programs. A science outreach program for middle school girls will be organized out of Salt Lake Community College. The observation and modeling work to identify atmospheric conditions responsible for delivering dust to the Salt Lake City urban area will provide the information necessary for modeling dust exposure frequency. Results will be transferred back to the appropriate land management agencies and policymakers in a format intended to be of use in their planning. This award is co-funded by the Critical Zone Collaborative Network Program, the Physical and Dynamic Meteorology Program, and the Geomorphology and Land-use Dynamics Program.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.