Undergraduate Research Opportunities Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Program (UROP) 2010

Aug 3rd, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Similarity of climate change data for Antarctica and Nevada

Corbin Benally University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Shahram Latifi University of Nevada, Las Vegas, [email protected]

Karletta Chief Desert Research Institute

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Part of the Climate Commons, and the Desert Ecology Commons

Repository Citation Benally, Corbin; Latifi, Shahram; and Chief, Karletta, "Similarity of climate change data for Antarctica and Nevada" (2010). Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). 5. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cs_urop/2010/aug3/5

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This Event has been accepted for inclusion in Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Similarity of Climate Change Data for Antarctica and Nevada Corbin Benally1, Dr. Shahram Latifi1, Dr. Karletta Chief2 1University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 2Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV

Abstract Results References The correlation between temperature and carbon dioxide Throughout the duration of the research, data was readily 1. Dave Reay and Michael Pidwirny. “Carbon Dioxide.” In: concentration in the past one hundred years is studied. Separate available for Vostok, Antarctica. Graphs for Vostok, Antarctica Encyclopedia of Earth [Internet]. Washington, D.C.: graphs containing data from Vostok, Antarctica and the Mojave (figure 2) were a little more tedious to find. Information Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for desert/mountain west (Nevada region) are presented. Using data regarding carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature records Science and the Environment; 2006 [cited 2010 July 21]. Available from: http://www.eoearth.org/article/carbon_dioxide obtained from these graphs, an attempt is made to explain the for the state of Nevada is a lot more difficult to find, as it was not readily available using online sources and literature in the 2. Jonathan Cowie. Climate Change: Biological and Human Aspects. results and investigate the similarity of these results for Antarctica New York (NY): Cambridge University Press; 2007. 4 p. and Nevada. The importance of this study lies in the fact that if university library. However, information from the Antarctica 3. Petit, J.R. et al. Four Climatic Cycles in Vostok Ice Core. Nature. data show the same trend in the two regions, many findings for research station demonstrates peaks of warmth approximately 1997; 387: 359-360. climate change in Antarctica may readily be validated and every 100,000 years. Could we be fluctuating through a cycle as 4. Paul Przyborski. Paleoclimatology: The Ice Core Record employed for Nevada. opposed to nearing climate change or even global warming? [Internet]. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, MD: NASA; 2005 [cited 2010 July 21]. Available from: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Paleoclimatology_IceCo Introduction res/ Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas 5. Robert H. Webb, Lynn F. Fenstermaker, Jill S. Heaton, Debra L. produced by human behavior, primarily through the incineration Hughson, Eric V. McDonald, David M. Miller, editors. The of fossil fuels1. Not all carbon dioxide(figure 1) are produced by Mojave Desert: Ecosystem Processes and Sustainability. Reno human activities, carbon dioxide also naturally occurs through (NV): University of Nevada Press; 2009. 9, 33, 34, 40, 49 p. cycles. Among these naturally occurring gases are water vapor 6. J.T. houghton , Y. Ding, D.J. Griggs, M. Noguer, P.J. van der 2 Linden, X. Dai, K. Maskell, C.A. Johnson. Climate Change 2001: (H2O), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) . It is originally The Scientific Basis. Cambridge (UK): Cambridge University perceived that samples of these chemicals can only be collected Press; 2001. 183-239 & 525-583 p. in the atmosphere. However, through ice-drilling in East 7. Jake F. Weltzin, R Travis Belote, Nathan J. Sanders. Biological Antarctica, detailed climate records can be accessed and Invaders in a greenhouse world: will elevated CO2 fuel plant analyzed. Climate records from these ice-cores can be traced back invasions?. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2003; 1(3): over 400, 000 years. This unprecedented length of time can only 146-153. be obtained the further down the ice is acquired. In January 1998, Figure 2 8 This graph is based on ice cores drilled in Vostok, Antarctica. It illustrates 8. Scientific Steering Committee. Global Warming Facts and Our changes near the South Pole, which were more extreme than middle latitudes. the Vostok project yielded the deepest ice core ever recovered, Future [Internet]. Washington, DC: National Academy of 3 Sciences; 2010 [cited 2010 July 21]. Available from: reaching a depth of 3,623m . Although Nevada does not http://www.koshland-science- incorporate ice core data, carbon dioxide levels and temperature Discussion museum.org/exhibitgcc/historical02.jsp levels still exist and are available. The consequences of climate change are important. Although more research is imperative before any conclusions can be made, much can still be said about the effects of climate change in the Acknowledgements Nevada region. Changes in the temperature can dramatically I would like to thank Dr. Shahram Latifi for allowing me this opportunity Figure 1 4 affect vegetation in the Mojave Desert, causing native species to to study and learn in hopes that I will broaden my knowledge in applied Ice core drilling become obsolete and making way for new nonnative vegetation research. A special thanks to Dr. Karletta Chief for working with me to appear more often on the land. Thus, essentially changing personally throughout the project and answering any particular questions ecosystem processes 5.Global climate models predict the that came up. Lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude to my family doubling of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere will and friends, who have continuously supported me throughout the considerably amplify both winter and summer rainfall, or summer keeping me focused and determined when I would be become possibly just summer rainfall, in the southwestern desert region discouraged. This project was funded by the NSF Nevada ESPCoR 6,7. research program Track I. It is calculated that carbon dioxide levels will continue to elevate Table 1 5 Potential ecological effects of climate change in the Mojave Desert for at least the rest of the century, reaching 550 ppm (part per External variable Functional response Potential new regime For further information million) by 2050 and700 ppm; approximately doubling today’s Elevated CO2 Greater plant production More productive desert concentration levels 5,6. Carbon dioxide is one of the raw Increased plant invasion Increased fire frequency If you have any questions or would like more information, the authors may Higher Temperature Species range shift Community disequilibrium be reached at: [email protected] and [email protected] . substances of photosynthesis because it increases distribution Altered Precipitation Wetter winter Greater production of exotics Increased fire frequency rise of CO into the leaf. Elevated sustained rates of Wetter summer Greater production of Semiarid ecosystem type 2 Drier bunchgrasses Species poor system photosynthesis should associate higher growth and plant Increased mortality 5 Increased Nitrogen deposition Reduced Nitrogen-fixation Loss of Nitrogen-fixing species production . Greater plant production More productive desert