SGER: Hydrology of Water Pools near African Villages

水文学在形成非洲疟疾传播动力学方面起着重要作用。导致在非洲村庄附近形成水池的水文过程是自然环境变化与疟疾传播动态之间的关键联系。拟议研究的长期目标是开发可靠的计算工具，可用于（1）设计基于当地水文环境管理的干预技术;以及（2）预测气候变化对水池水文和相关疟疾传播的影响。拟议的项目是实现这一目标的第一步。在拟议的研究过程中，一名研究生将被介绍到这一重要的研究领域。该项目将有助于正在进行的非洲季风多学科分析国际研究项目，拟议项目的目的是提高我们对确定非洲水池水文的因素的认识。将开发一个新的自然环境模型，重点是水池的水文学。我们将确定当地环境条件如何导致这些天然水体的形成，从而提供适合亚成体蚊子的栖息地;我们将尝试预测这些水池对季节性和年际气候变化的反应。在尼日尔的一个实地考察点将作为这项活动的重点，将探讨几个重要问题：当地环境条件（降雨、土壤、地形和植被）和小气候条件（根据辐射、温度、风和湿度定义）在决定作为蚊子种群栖息地的水池的动态方面起什么作用？当地水文条件的相对作用是什么，如流域内的位置和地下水位的深度，在形成水池？我们能预测这些水池对非洲季节性、年际和长期气候变化的反应吗？土地利用变化对这些水池的空间覆盖和持久性有何影响？一组具体的假设将进行研究：（一）一个显着的部分村庄之间的蚊子丰度的变化可以解释的地下水位相对于表面的位置的变化;（二）暴雨的时间分布是一个重要因素的形成和持久性的水池，作为蚊子的栖息地。

Hydrology plays an important role in shaping the dynamics of malariatransmission in Africa. The hydrologic processes that lead to the formation of water pools near African villages represent a key link between variability in the natural environment and the dynamics of malaria transmission. The long-term goal of the proposed research is to develop credible computational tools that can be used to (1) design intervention technologies based on environmental management of the local hydrology; as well as to (2) predict the impact of climate variability on the hydrology of water pools and the associated malaria transmission. The proposed project represents the first steps toward this goal. In the course of the proposed research, onegraduate student will be introduced to this important field of research. This project will contribute to the ongoing international research project on African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis(AMMA).The objective of the proposed project is to improve our understanding of the factors that define the hydrology of water pools in Africa. A new model of the natural environment, with a focus on the hydrology of water pools, will be developed. We shall determine how local environmental conditions lead to the formation of these natural water bodies and hence provide habitats that are suitable for sub-adult mosquitoes; and we shall attempt to predict the response of these pools to seasonal and inter-annual climate variability. A field site in Niger will serve as the focus of this activity.Several important questions will be addressed: What is the role of local environmental conditions rainfall, soil, topography, and vegetation) and microclimatic conditions (defined in terms of radiation, temperature, wind and humidity) in dictating the dynamics of the water pools that serve as habitat for mosquito populations? What is the relative role of local hydrologic conditions, such as location within a watershed and depth to the groundwater table, in shaping the water pools? Can we predict the response of these water pools to seasonal, inter-annual, and longer term climate variability in Africa? What is the impact of land use change on the spatial coverage andpersistence of these water pools? A specific set of hypotheses will be studied: (i) A significant fraction of the variation in mosquito abundance between villages can be explained by variation in the location of groundwater table relative to the surface; (ii) The temporal distribution of rain storms is a significant factor in the formation and persistence of the water pools that act as habitat for mosquito.