Research Notes: Mercury Fluxes and their Relation to Global Warming

Over the course of 2005 and 2006, Clarkson University researchers studied the flux of gaseous mercury from the forest floor of the Adirondack Mountains. The study revealed that the flux of mercury was elevated during times of raised temperature, as well as periods of direct solar radiation. The researchers concluded that:

The developed model can be used to examine how these Hg fluxes may be impacted by global warming. For example if the temperature increased a uniform 1 °C throughout the growing season (period when the ground is not covered by snow) the Hg emission flux is predicted to increase by 6.4%. Additional increases in fluxes from the ground would occur if the length of the growing season increases.

In turn, their results could also be used to better predict how these mercury fluxes will influence the ecosystems of the Adirondack forest. Findings were published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Environmental Pollution.

Research Notes: A study indicates that garlic mustard is rapidly spreading and altering forests across the east

Researchers from Boston University and Harvard University recently completed a study exploring the ecological implications of the invasion of Alliaria petiolata – better known as garlic mustard – in the Northeast. Not only is the species spreading at a rate of 6400 square kilometers per year, according to this study it is also leading to detrimental changes in the ecosystems of the Eastern forests in terms of biodiversity and soil composition. Garlic mustard, because of its adaptive capabilities and unique characteristics, seems to be right at home in the forests of the east, and could potentially lead to dramatic changes in these ecosystems.
An abstract, as well as a link to the publication, is available at: http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1641/B580510.

Call For Papers

16th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks
Community Sustainability

May 20-21, 2009, High Peaks Resort, Lake Placid, NY

The Adirondack Research Consortium (ARC) invites research papers to be presented at the 16th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks. This far reaching program will explore the latest information and research on such topics as community development and infrastructure, forest management, trends in private land development, findings of the Adirondack Assessment Project, GIS collaborations, green farming, energy technologies, the impacts of climate change, and opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint. The ARC invites and welcomes research on these and other topics including natural sciences, social sciences, and the arts and humanities relevant to the future of the Adirondack region.

To be considered, please complete the 2009 Abstract Submission Form, which is available on the ARC webpage at adkresearch.org. An ARC conference committee will review all submissions to determine acceptance for presentation at the conference. The ARC expects that all presenters will register for the conference.

The ARC Invites Paper Presentations and Posters

Paper Presentations: Papers will be presented in panel discussions of two or three participants that run throughout the conference. Talks must be limited to 20 minutes for the presentation and question/answer period. Your audience may have lay persons who, although they might have a keen interest in your research and results, may not be fully conversant with the jargon of your science. We encourage you to use plain language. Slide, overhead, and digital projectors will be available in all meeting rooms.

Poster Presentations: Posters will be prominently displayed throughout the conference. Posters must be mounted on a rigid backing. The ARC will accept them at a designated time at the beginning of the conference. Conference staff will aid in affixing and removing the poster in the display area. An opportunity for conference attendees to meet the poster presenters will be formally scheduled during the conference.
Note: Students must submit name of faculty sponsor for presentations.

For more information, please contact the Adirondack Research Consortium at 518-564-2020 or by e-mail at info@adkresearch.org. The submission deadline is April 1, 2009. The ARC will make its final decisions by April 15, 2009 and notify all applicants shortly thereafter. Please be sure to submit early and include your e-mail contact information!

Please share this announcement with colleagues and friends!