Hello again! It's been a while since my last post, but I've been so busy with a lot of really awesome opportunities and classes at UC San Diego that I've had to wait until I had a free moment to post again! I wanted to give a quick update on the expedition I will be participating in to Hólar, Iceland in August. As you may recall from the last post, I have the opportunity to conduct climate change research with a group of UC San Diego students, UC San Digeo Associate Professor Dr. Carolyn Kurle, and several others on this 10-day expedition. Our group started meeting weekly at the beginning of this quarter, and we have been working on setting goals for the trip and getting to know each other's identities and work habits. Soon we will be meeting with Dr. Kurle to learn the intertidal zone field research techniques we will be using on the expedition!
Most of what I have gathered about the research we will be conducting is that it involves terrestrial ecology, which means that we will be spending a lot of time outdoors surveying land and doing environmental work. With the proper funding, we may even have the opportunity to take a zodiac, or small inflatable boat, into the water for more organic matter collection. Part of the terrestrial segment will consist of long hikes through Iceland to survey the vegetation lines present. By comparing where vegetation existed in the past and where it is when we survey it, it could suggest the rate of climate change and how it affects the growth of plants in specific terrestrial ecosystems. If plants start dying at lower elevations due to increase in temperatures, habitats and animals will shift to higher elevations, which can cause problems with ecosystem balance.
Our group will begin fundraising soon. We are thinking of creating apparel (dad hats, woo!) to raise money for the cost of our flights, housing, food, and scientific materials. In addition, I have been applying for lots of financial support to fund my participation in this project; I have applied to 11 grants and 20-25 scholarships in the last 2.5 months (fingers crossed)! I am the group's unofficial blogger, so stay-tuned for more updates on the progress of our team!
Go science!
-Emily
