Julia Mason – Undergraduate – Environmental Science
How Does Climate Change Affect the Freshwater Aquaculture and Management Strategies in Bangladesh?
Climate change is a threat that many countries are struggling to deal with. In Bangladesh, freshwater aquaculture is very important to the economy and to the people, with fish being the second most valuable agricultural crop in Bangladesh. However, with Bangladesh ranking seventh among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index, this could increase the risks to aquaculture from drought, including increased salinity levels that would harm aquaculture. These, among other impacts, are cause for concern among fish farmers and local farming communities that are struggling with food insecurity. In this project, I examine the risks the people of Bangladesh face and how climate change will affect the country's aquaculture industry now and in the future. I also examine mitigation measures that offer the potential for long-term protection of water quality and aquaculture operations.
Abby Olsen – Undergraduate – Environmental Science
The Impacts of Water Quality and Human Health From E-Waste Recycling: A Case Study from Guiyu, China
This paper examines the impacts that e-waste recycling has had on freshwater sources in Guiyu, China because of contaminated runoff. Guiyu, China is a traditional rice-growing village in southeastern China. This site was turned into an electronic waste recycling site, leading to high amounts of toxic chemicals seeping into groundwater, surface water, and soil water. Since these chemicals have led to the contamination of groundwater, there has been a high contamination rate of water consumed by humans, such as water used from reservoirs, water used for fishing, and water used for agricultural use. For more than 20 years Guiyu, China has been one of the leaders in e-waste recycling, but this has come with significant health risks for the people who live there, such as cataracts, kidney and liver damage, and jaundice, as well as cancer. The main source of these contaminants is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which come from electronics and seep into water runoff and get carried away by the freshwater sources around Guiyu, such as the Lian River. The people of Guiyu are highly reliant on water for their food production, such as rice-growing and fishing, and contaminated water sources from e-waste recycling significantly deplete these resources and the residents' quality of life. By understanding the studies done on this issue, we can better understand the connection between e-waste recycling, water, and human health issues.
Anna Scudder– Undergraduate - Environmental Science & NevadaTeach
Analyzing Lake Shrinkage in the Mongolian Plateau
What are the major factors contributing to lake loss on the Mongolian Plateau?"The Mongolian Plateau is made up of the Inner Mongolia of China and the Republic of Mongolia. Lakes are one of the biggest resources for neighboring communities. In order for them to survive, they almost completely rely on these lakes. Unfortunately, after decades of climate change and intensive human activities, lakes have been shrinking. There were almost eight hundred lakes in the Mongolian Plateau and by 2010 it went down to 577. Mongolian scientists studied the shrinkage of these lakes, starting by looking at the lakes and how much water they were losing per kilometer. They also found through statistical analysis that precipitation is a huge driver for the shrinking lakes. One of the possible causes of lake shrinkage is mining. In Mongolia, they dig for a variety of different minerals like coal, gold, and even copper. The problem with mining is that it kicks up a lot of sulfuric acids, killing off fish and other wildlife. Another possible issue is agricultural irrigation as there are a lot of fields and farms in Mongolia, meaning there are a lot of sprinkler systems, crop production, and pasture production. What this means for the communities is less access to water and there are a lot less fish.
Ashlyn Tanghal – Undergraduate - Forest Management & Ecology
Forests, the Straws of the Earth: Linking Latin American Tropical Montane Cloud Forests with Water Security
As the progression of climate change and land-use change looms over Latin America so does the risk for challenged water quantity and quality. Land and water managers as well as regional governments have taken it upon themselves to plan for these threats to water resources. One of the least explored solutions is found with the conservation and restoration of tropical cloud forests. This exploration sets the stage for potential nature-based solutions for water management and exemplifies the importance of forest ecosystem services. This presentation focuses on the tropical montane cloud forests of Latin America, including case studies from Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico. Through these case studies management of cloud forests will be looked at as a way of addressing water quality and quantity with Payments for Watershed Services (PWS) for hydropower, fog precipitation for groundwater recharge, and Payments for Hydrologic Services (PHS) for downstream users.
Leah Madison - Graduate - Geography
Towards a More Inclusive Drought Plan: A Mixed Methods Needs Assessment Among Federally Recognized Native American Tribes in Nevada
To inform the revision of the Nevada’s Drought Plan, the University of Nevada, Reno Extension is working to improve access to drought resources through better communication and inclusion of Nevada’s population. This thesis will support the information collection for this revision by focusing on outreach to federally recognized tribal groups in Nevada. As droughts become more frequent, longer and more intense, it falls upon local governments to identify the needs of their populations during a drought and use that information to mitigate the effects of drought. The 2015 Nevada Drought Forum, designed to inform the next state drought plan, lacks a detailed management plan, and only focuses on a few water stakeholders, mainly water managers. A major flaw is that it does not address the needs of the general public or minority populations. Native American communities, being constrained to their reservation lands and the complicated laws surrounding resource management, are some of the most vulnerable to major environmental changes. This research aims to answer the question of what information and support needs exist for Nevada’s tribal populations around drought issues in Nevada, and how Extension can be used to support information access. To include the representation and perspective of Nevada’s indigenous stakeholders, guidance will be sought from the Nevada Indian Commission and Intertribal Council to identify tribal groups to work with.