51°F
weather icon Partly Cloudy

UNR researcher focused on Earth’s ‘critical zone’

The layer of earth where life exists, from the top of the tallest trees to the bottom of the groundwater table, is called the “critical zone.” What happens to this zone in the face of natural and human disturbance and climate change, can affect our ecosystems and natural resources, including water.

The University of Nevada, Reno’s Adrian Harpold is part of two five-year, multistate, interdisciplinary research projects recently funded by the National Science Foundation to shed more light on water in the critical zone and its fate in mountain forests.

“As scientists, sometimes we’ve been siloed in our own areas of study, or geographic areas,” said Harpold, a natural resources and environmental science assistant professor with the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology &Natural Resources. “The National Science Foundation believes we can make major breakthroughs in critical zone research by working across disciplines and across state lines, and I certainly agree.”

Harpold’s work in the two projects was funded at about $1.2 million combined. Being part of the projects will allow him to offer some of his graduate students hands-on, real-world research experience and world-class collaborations in some of the earth’s most pressing issues.

The first project, funded at $3.2 million and led by the University of Vermont, aims to combine computer science with earth science to better understand and predict critical zone resilience in the face of multiple natural and human disturbances. The ultimate goal is to use our understanding of the critical zone to make better decisions about how to manage natural resources in the face of increasing disturbance.

As a collaborative effort with researchers from multiple universities, the project will combine data from thousands of locations so that scientists can investigate and compare ecosystem recovery times. Researchers will then use the patterns observed in the data to perform more in-depth field studies on areas experiencing disturbances from wildfire, acidification and extreme storms.

The second project, funded at $6.9 million and led by the University of Colorado at Boulder, looks at how climate change is affecting the availability and movement of water stored underground. Specifically, they’re investigating how the water movement and storage of five watersheds in Colorado and California affect how trees grow and how rocks weather and become soil. The goal of this project is to better understand how Earth will respond to future climate changes and how people can prepare for those responses.

For his part of the project, Harpold is leading research efforts at University of California, Berkley’s Sagehen Field Creek Field Station near Truckee, California. Previous snowpack research performed by Harpold and others indicates that due to rising temperatures, the Sierra Nevada Mountains are seeing less snowfall and more rain. With more unfrozen water, Harpold and his team want to know how the water will be stored. For example, it could be stored underground, where it will likely be used by the vegetation and may not reach the reservoir. Or, it could move into the streams and reach the reservoir, which could affect how these reservoirs are managed for floods.

Harpold says the Sagehen Field Creek station stores a lot of groundwater and releases cold water all year long, making it an ideal location for practical applications for the results, such as native fisheries.

“The idea is that we get to collaborate with these folks from around the country at a field station in our backyard,” Harpold said. “There are people doing soil work, tree root work, geophysics and other research using tools to look at what’s underground in the critical zone.”

Harpold says that over the next five years he hopes to connect more students to critical zone science through field experience, teaching, and outreach to his sites in the Sierra Nevada.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Upcoming quilt show to be a feast for the eyes

The Shadow Mountain Quilters will be bringing the 2024 Pins and Needles Quilt Show to the valley next weekend and anyone with an appreciation for the fiber arts will not want to miss out on this dazzling display of color and design.

Beatty Clinic gets tons of help with new a/c

BEATTY — The Beatty Foundation, an affiliate of AngloGold-Ashanti (AGA), did tons of good at the Beatty Clinic on March 22. Nine tons, exactly.

11th Annual Chili Cook-Off brings tempting tastings and festival fun

The 11th Annual International Chili Society and Silver State Chili Cook-Off took over Petrack Park this past weekend for three days filled with savory tastings, fun and activities and of course, some intense culinary competition.

Pahrump homeschoolers dance the night away

Pahrump Valley’s homeschool youth were whisked away into the Enchanted Forest this month, with local Moose Lodge #808 hosting a night of dancing and revelry in honor of an age-old adolescent right-of-passage, prom.

Looking for some family fun for Easter? Hop over to Simkins Park

Anyone looking for a fun, family-friendly festivity to enjoy this holiday can hop on over to Simkins Park to join the Mills family as they celebrate Easter Sunday with worship music, free food and an enormous 14,000-egg hunt that is sure to bring a smile to hundreds of faces.

Campground fees to increase at Death Valley National Park

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — Visitors to Death Valley National Park can expect a slight increase in entrance fees for various campgrounds beginning on May 1.

Clerk staffer Cori Freidhof appointed interim leader

Nye County Clerk Mark Kampf’s time in office officially comes to a close on March 31 and deputy clerk Cori Freidhof has now been selected to assume that vacated seat. Freidhof will take over the office as of Monday, April 1 and fulfill the unexpired term ending Jan. 1, 2027.

Gaming can have impact on us

When does gaming cross the line from recreational relaxation to problematic behavior? How do video games and gambling relate? What resources are available for those who find themselves struggling to control their relationship with video games and gambling?

County eyeing impact fee increases

The cost to develop in Pahrump could go up, with a public hearing on a proposal to raise local impact fees set for next month.