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Researchers focus on warming climate, declining bird and bee populations, dying forests and lands polluted by mine tailings

By Lori Stiles, University Communications
November 13, 2008

Five University of Arizona graduate students whose research tackles major concerns in ecology and environmental science will give public, non-technical talks about their work during a lecture series that begins Nov. 15 at UA's Biosphere 2.

The five are the first Biosphere 2 "Science and Society Fellows," a select group chosen both for the quality of their science and for their eagerness to communicate science beyond academia.

"We're tremendously excited about how these Fellows can advance the outreach mission of Biosphere 2," said Matt Adamson, Biosphere 2's program coordinator for education and outreach.

"Explaining science that has major impacts on society in terms the public can understand is really important because the public, now more than ever before, must make scientifically sophisticated decisions," Adamson said.

Talks will begin at 2 p.m. and are part of the Biosphere 2 Science Saturdays program, which is included in the price of admission.

The schedule:

Nov. 15: "Climate Models: What They Are and What They Do," by geosciences graduate student Stephanie McAfee. Scientists figure that Earth will warm between 2 degrees and 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century. McAfee will talk about the climate models scientists use in making such predictions. She will discuss what climate models are, what future scenarios the models predict, who runs the climate models, what kinds of computers are used to run the models, and how to tell if the climate models are doing a good job.

Nov. 22: "Not Your Ordinary Dirt: Mine Tailings and Metal Contamination in the Environment," by environmental sciences graduate student Richard Rushforth. If the nation's 50 billion tons of mine wastes on federal lands were dumped at one site, they would cover 2,400 football fields up to a mile high. In Arizona, mine tailings on federal lands are contaminating downstream waterways and threatening native flora and fauna in places like the scenic Aravaipa Creek Wilderness Area. Rushforth will talk about public health hazards posed by mine tailings, how wind and water carry metal contaminants from tailings for miles, and effective, low-cost remediation technologies scientists are developing to address the problem.

Nov. 29: "Native Bees in Your Backyard: The effects of urbanization on pollinators," by entomology graduate student Anna Howell. Scientists estimate that one third of the world's food crops and four-fifths of its flowering plants depend on some form of insect pollination, mainly, bee pollination. They are alarmed by the rate at which honeybees and native bees around the globe are declining and often cite pesticides, parasites and nutrition as factors in the decline. But very little is known about the biology of most of the 20,000 described bee species. Howell studies how urban growth around Tucson and other desert communities affects bees here in the Sonoran Desert, which is home to about 1,500 native bee species and the most diverse region for native bees in North America. Howell will also talk about ways to promote bee populations in backyards.

Dec. 6: "Think Spring! Breeding Birds and Changing Vegetation," by School of Renewable Natural Resources doctoral student Kathi Borgmann. Ecologists have been monitoring a decline in many bird populations throughout North America in recent years. Borgmann is among those who are trying to understand why. Changes in vegetation can affect birds during breeding season, Borgmann says. The breeding season is an especially important time for birds because it's their opportunity to add to their species by raising young. Producing young can be difficult for birds, and vegetation is a big factor in bird reproductive success. Borgmann's presentation includes a video presentation and science activities.

Dec. 13: "Woodland Forensics: Discovering Patterns of Tree Death and Birth in an Ancient Pinyon/Juniper Woodland," by Troy Knight, doctoral candidate in geography and the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research. When drought, fire or pests ravage forests leaving a wake of dead trees, should we be alarmed? That depends, Knight says. In some ecosystems, mass mortality is just the beginning of the renewal process. In other cases, mass mortality could be unprecedented and catastrophic for woodlands. Knight studies long-term growth and climate change in tree rings to discover what is happening in an ancient pinyon/juniper woodland in eastern Utah. His results will be important to grasping the wider picture of what's happening to forests in the West.

Science Saturday events are included in the cost of Biosphere 2 admission. Admission costs $20 for adults, $13 for children ages 6 and older and is free to children 5 and younger. UA CatCard holders are admitted at half price. UA students who accompany their parents also entitle their parents to admission at half price. All admission fees fund Biosphere 2 research. Individual and family memberships are available also.

For more information before planning a visit, call 520-838-6200 or check the Biosphere 2 Website.