Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Long Distance Microbial Transport In Air: Global Change Implications, Bradley J. Davey, J. C. Bruckner, Jenny C. Fisher, Duane P. Moser

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The first manifestations of global change will most likelv be observed in the Earth's atmosphere. Changing wind patterns, for example, may effect the long distance dispersal of microor-g anisms. The overall objective of this research is to correlate molecular assessments of microbial community structure from cloud water and snow samples, obtained from DRI's Storm Peak Laboratory atop Mt. Werner in Colorado, with atmospheric data and calculated air mass back trajectories. Our activities for summer of 2009 will be a focused proof-of-concept exercise to determine if intact microbial DNA and viable cells can be recovered from cloud water and alpine snow …

Point And Nonpoint Source Analysis Of Nutrients, Metals, And Pathogens In The Sediment And Water Column In Las Vegas Wash, Christine Simmons, Kumud Acharya

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Formerly an ephemeral watercourse, Las Vegas Wash is now a perennial system due to urban runoff and wastewater treatment plant (WWP) effluent. Las Vegas Wash flows into Lake Mead, where the discharge point is only a few miles upstream of Las Vegas’ main water intake. This small water cycle establishes the necessity to evaluate water quality especially due to non point sources pollution, wherein my research lies. Several points along Las Vegas Wash upstream and downstream of WWP have been chosen to represent different landuse types such as commercial, residential, wastewater treatment plants, etc. At each location, parameters including arsenic, …

Researching Nitrite Oxidation At High Temperatures, Dolores A. Huang, Jeremy A. Dodsworth, Brian P. Hedlund

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

15N-nitrate (NO3 -) pool dilution experiments show that ammonia (NH3) is oxidized to nitrate in geothermal springs up to at least 85C; however, nitrite (NO2 -)- oxidizing microorganisms are only known to grow up to 66°C. We hypothesize that thermophilic microorganisms oxidize nitrite to nitrate at high temperatures. Alternatively, it is possible that nitrite is oxidized abiotically. We propose to test these hypotheses by setting up microbial enrichments designed to grow thermophilic nitrite oxidizing bacteria by varying incubation temperature (50, 65, 80°C), oxygen concentration (20% and 5%), and cultivation media. A negative control consisting of filtered spring water (0.1 μm) …

Baseline Microbial Characterizations Of An Imperiled Aquatic Diversity Hotspot: Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Jessica Newburn, Jim Bruckner, Jenny C. Fisher, Duane P. Moser

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Located in the discharge zone of the Death Valley Flow System, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a spring-fed desert oasis and biodiversity hotspot about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. These critical wetlands are potentially threatened by groundwater pumping, exotic species invasions, and climate change. Although a major component of the lower food web, very little is known about the microbial makeup of this ecosystem. As a first step towards understanding the microbial and biogeochemical aspects of this system, a detailed molecular-based characterization of microbial communities, baseline chemistry, and physical characteristics of various springs of Ash Meadows will be …

Afternoon Concurrent Track 1: Sustainability In The K-16 Classroom, Ellen Ebert, Rebecca Reichenbach, Nick Pretasky, Dale Walsh

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 1: SUSTAINABILITY IN THE K-16 CLASSROOM Moderator Gale Sinatra Student Union Room 207 Ellen Ebert – Using the STS/EEE Model in 6-12 Curriculum to Understand the Sustainability Issues Related to the Colorado River System Abstract: Beginning in 1982, the National Science Teachers Association called for curriculum designers to develop materials that demonstrate the interconnectedness among science, technology and societal issues while presenting both positive and negative influences. This session will focus on using the STS/EEE learning model to design curriculum for secondary science that emphasizes sustainability issues focused on the Colorado River system. The presentation will outline …

Afternoon Concurrent Track 2: The "State" Of Climate Change Education, David M. Hassenzahl, Michael Collopy, Scott Mensing, Paul Buck, Donica Mensing, Hans-Peter Plag, Jen Huntleysmith

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 2: THE “STATE” OF CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION Moderator Scott Mensing Student Union Room 211 David Hassenzahl, Michael Collopy, Scott Mensing – NSHE EPSCoR Climate Infrastructure Grant Education Component Abstract: The Nevada System of Higher Education has received funding from the National Science Foundation EPSCoR program to develop climate change research infrastructure. This session will present information on what the Education Component is doing and plans to do, and solicit ideas on future climate education efforts for NSHE. Education is one of six components of this grant, and will support NSHE efforts on: Undergraduate research. Each school year …

Morning Concurrent Track 3: Weathering Climate Change In The Curriculum, Andy Jorgensen, Amy Northrup, David M. Hassenzahl, David E. James, Thomas C. Piechota, Jeff Jablonski

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 3: WEATHERING CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE CURRICULUM Moderator Barbara St. Pierre Schneider Student Union Room 213 Andy Jorgensen – Creating a Learning Community for Solutions to Climate Change Abstract: The Climate Solutions Committee of the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD) has proposed the creation of a learning community that will develop curricular content on solutions to anthropogenic climate change by drawing on the best available research on the phenomenon, coupled with the most effective pedagogical methods. The goal is to transform academic education about climate change from the current emphasis on physical and biological science …

Morning Concurrent Track 1: What Does It Mean For K-12 Students To Think About Sustainability In The Western U.S.?, Ellen Ebert, Rebecca Reichenbach, Allison Brody, Amy Page, Marcel Parent, Signa Gundlach

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 1: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR K-12 STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WESTERN U.S.? Moderator Kent Crippen Student Union Room 207 Ellen Ebert - Using the STS/EEE Model in 6-12 Curriculum to Understand the Sustainability Issues Related to the Colorado River System (repeats Afternoon Concurrent Session #1) Abstract: Beginning in 1982, the National Science Teachers Association called for curriculum designers to develop materials that demonstrate the interconnectedness among science, technology and societal issues while presenting both positive and negative influences. This session will focus on using the STS/EEE learning model to design curriculum for secondary …

Morning Concurrent Track 2: Creation And Correction Of Myths About Global Warming, Matthew S. Lachniet, Gale Sinatra, Carolanne Kardash, Gita Taasoobshirazi, Doug Lombardi, E. Michael Nussbaum

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 2: CREATION AND CORRECTION OF MYTHS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING Moderator Robert Futrell Student Union Room 211 Matthew Lachniet – Global Warming Misconceptions and Myths: Barriers and Opportunities for Communicating Climate Change Science to a Non-scientific Audience Abstract: Opinions on an anthropogenic influence in global warming abound. Within the non-scientific public, the strength of one’s opinion commonly seems to be in inverse proportion to their knowledge of climate science. One reason for this disconnect between reality and opinion is the persistence of many climate change myths in popular knowledge of global warming. These myths are regularly propagated in …

Keynote Address: Climate Change And Sustainability: The Reality And Impacts Of Global Warming, Roberta M. Johnson

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Keynote address & Keynote speaker biography Abstract: -What determines the Earth’s climate? -What’s happening to Earth’s climate today? -What do models tell us will happen in the future? -What is sustainability and why does it matter? -What’s happening nationally regarding K- 12 climate change and sustainability education?

Monitoring Water Quality On Tributary Inflows To Lake Mead And On A Transect Of The Overton Arm, Jorge Arufe, Robert Burrows

Lake Mead Science Symposium

The USGS, in cooperation with the NPS and BOR (Bureau of Reclamation), is collecting water quality data to determine the temporal changes and spatial distributions of natural and anthropogenic compounds entering the Overton Arm of Lake Mead. These efforts and others already underway on the lake by BOR, USGS, and SNWA will aid in the development of a reservoir model of the lake. The effects of the flood flows on the water quality of the Overton Arm are largely unknown and necessary for model development and verification.

Water quality physical parameters are continuously monitored near the mouth of the Virgin …

Strategic Data Mining And Database Development For Research Projects At Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona Usa, James Pollard, Gretchen M. Andrew

Lake Mead Science Symposium

“Water 2025” is a Department of Interior initiative designed to guide the management of scarce water resources in the American West. As an important Colorado River reservoir, Lake Mead is a fundamental component of Water 2025. For Water 2025 to achieve its goals, comprehensive knowledge is needed of historic and current Lake Mead water quality data. A task agreement between the National Park Service and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas provides for a strategic data mining project to identify research and monitoring projects on Lake Mead that have been conducted in the past, prioritize relevant projects, and ensure data …

Surface Water Monitoring For Fecal Indicator Bacteria In High-Use Sites Of The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Patricia Cruz, Vanessa Stevens, Jessie Rinella

Lake Mead Science Symposium

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area incorporates 1.5 million acres, including Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. The abundance of recreational activities on Lakes Mead and Mohave can impact the contaminant levels in the water, potentially affecting the health of individuals in contact with the water. The purpose of this study was to review and synthesize information obtained for projects conducted by partner agencies from the Water 2025 Conservation Initiatives, specifically bacterial concentration in high-use areas. Surface water samples were collected between May and September, at 9 high-use sites from 2003 to 2007. Culture analysis was performed to determine the concentration …

Diversity Of Estrogen Degrading Microorganisms In Las Vegas Wash And Lake Mead, Nevada, Usa, Susanna Blunt, Jim Bruckner, Jenny C. Fisher, Duane P. Moser

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a subject of intense research as more studies reveal their persistence in the environment and detrimental effects on wildlife. Steroid hormones, including the natural and synthetic estrogens estrone (E1), 17-beta-estradiol (E2) and 17- alpha-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), are among the most bioactive and have been detected at low concentrations in waterways downstream from wastewater treatment plants. Las Vegas Wash, a stream flowing into Lake Mead and fed primarily by treated wastewater, provides a unique experimental system in which to study the role microorganisms play in the fate and dispersal of these compounds in surface waters.

Assessment Of Endocrine And Gonadal Condition Of Male Largemouth Bass From Lake Mead, Nevada, Reynaldo Patino, Steven L. Goodbred, Erik Orsak, Jill A. Jenkins, Michael R. Rosen

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Las Vegas Bay (LVB) of Lake Mead receives combined flows of tertiary treated wastewater effluent, urban runoff, and groundwater from the Las Vegas metropolitan area. This study examined the potential for endocrine disrupting effects of these anthropogenic inputs on male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Adult male bass were collected at two sites within Lake Mead: Overton Arm (OA, reference site), and Las Vegas Bay (LVB). Post-spawn fish were collected in July 2007 (n = 6-10 per site) and pre-spawn fish in March 2008 (n = 13 per site). Post-spawn fish were characterized by regressed testes whereas pre-spawn bass had full-grown …

History Of Contaminant Inputs Into Lake Mead Derived From Sediment Cores, Michael R. Rosen, Peter C. Van Metre, David Alvarez, Kathy R. Echols, Steven L. Goodbred

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Assessing the changes in contaminant inputs (both organic and inorganic) over time is important in determining sources and sinks of these inputs. Variations in contaminant input were assessed in four sediment cores taken in 1998 from three different parts of Lake Mead (two from Las Vegas Bay and one from Overton Arm and Virgin Basin). Sediments were analyzed for major and trace elements, radionuclides, and organic compounds. Anthropogenic contaminant concentrations are greatest in Las Vegas Bay reflecting inputs from the Las Vegas urban area, although concentrations are low compared to sediment quality guidelines and to other USA lakes. One exception …

Lake Mead Symposium Plenary Schedule, Kent Turner

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Preliminary schedule for the symposium.

Lake Mead Science Symposium, January 13 An 14, 2009, Las Vegas, Nevada: Program, Kent Turner

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Conference program for the 2009 Lake Mead Science Symposium. Includes abstracts of presentations, registration packet, exhibitor and sponsor information.