University of California Merced
Sierra Nevada Research Institute
Annual Report
July 2008- June 2009
Roger Bales, SNRI Director
Eric Berlow, Wawona Field Station Director
Liying Zhao, Environmental Analytical Laboratory Director
Draft of October 27, 2009
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Table of contents
Background ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Membership .................................................................................................................................... 3
Research highlights ......................................................................................................................... 3
Grants.............................................................................................................................................. 6
Yosemite Field Station at Wawona ................................................................................................. 6
Environmental Analytical Laboratory ........................................................................................... 17
Planning and development. .......................................................................................................... 21
Operations and budget ................................................................................................................. 22
Priorities for next year .................................................................................................................. 22
2
Background
THE MISSION of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute (SNRI) at UC Merced is to discover and
disseminate new knowledge that contributes to sustaining natural resources and promoting
social well being in the Sierra Nevada-Central Valley region, and related regions worldwide.
SNRI accomplishes its mission by:
– Fostering interdisciplinary research that focuses on the Sierra Nevada eco-region,
including the Central Valley and other adjacent areas.
– Facilitating synergistic links between science, the arts, education and natural resource
management
SNRI was part of the original 1997 Academic Plan for the UC Merced campus, and UC Merced’s
first partnership with resource managers, Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks,
were formed that same year. The founding Director of SNRI (S. Traina) joined UC Merced in
2001; additional faculty and research scientists joined SNRI in 2003. R. Bales became SNRI
Acting Director in 2007, and Director in 2008. SNRI has maintained its inaugural focus and the
regional identity envisioned in its original prospectus. In 2007 SNRI became UC Merced’s first,
and still only, UC Organized Research Unit (ORU). SNRI adopted bylaws in May 2008 (Appendix
A).
Membership
During adademic year 2008-09, 27 UC Merced faculty were members of SNRI, and 15 research
scientists affiliated with SNRI. The faculty have affiliations in the three Schools, and with seven
of UC Merced’s nine graduate groups and programs. Faculty members for 2008-09 were:
Andres Aguilar
Roger Bales
David Ardell
Asmeret Berhe
Elliott Campbell
Yihsu Chen
Martha Conklin
Michael Dawson
Benoit Dayrat
Teamrat Ghezzehei
Henry Forman
Caroline Frank
Stephen Hart
Kathleen Hull
Qinghua Guo
Tom Harmon
Lara Kueppers
Valerie Lepppert
Peggy O’Day
Jason Raymond
Wolfgang Rogge
Michael Sprague
Samuel Traina
Christopher Viney
Anthony Westerling
Roland Winston
Jeff Wright
The membership committee consisted of H. Forman, T. Harmon and M. Conklin. The SNRI
advisory committee, appointed by the Executive Vice Chancellor, consisted of S. Hart (chair), A.
Westerling, K. Hull, T. Harmon, H. Forman and one outside member, David Graber (National
Park Service).
Research highlights
SNRI faculty and researchers published over 80 papers in 2008-09; and at the May 2009
graduation 2 Ph.D. and 2 M.S. students received degrees. Some highlights of work published
during the 2008-09 academic year follow. Note that SNRI faculty and researchers have projects
and publications focused within the Sierra Nevada and surrounding valleys and in other areas.
– Peggy O’Day and colleagues showed that aquifer sediments have a limited abiotic capacity
to oxidize As(III), which under 30% of the total amount of As sorbed. In the presence of
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–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
dissolved Fe2+, the precipitation of Fe(III) hydrous oxides will be an effective mechanism for
As scavenging only if there is sufficient dissolved oxygen in groundwater to oxidize Fe.
Dissolved Fe2+ may compete with As(III) for the limited abiotic oxidation supplied by
sediment Mn-bearing phases. (Environmental Science and Technology, Jun 2009).
Elliott Campbell and colleagues showed that greater transportation energy and greenhouse
gas offsets result from using land for crops that produce bioelectricity rather than ethanol.
Bioelectricity produces an average of 81% more transportation kilometers and 108% more
emissions offsets per unit area of cropland than does cellulosic ethanol. (Science, May
2009).
Andres Aguilar studied diversification in two native California minnows, and found that
hybridization may obscure some phylogenetic/phylogeographic information from DNA
analysis in this group. However, results suggest that differentiation in this group occurs at
the river basin level and that the genetic entities studied constitute distinct units and should
be conserved as such. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution , May 2009).
Henry Forman and colleagues showed that proteins that are responsible for drug resistance
of lung cancer cells are increased in response to substances present in air pollution and
cigarette smoke. As the same proteins are used in the elimination of these toxic substances,
it is not surprising that the increase occurs through the Nrf2/EpRE signaling systems that is
normally associated with protection against those substances. (Free Radical Biology &
Medicine, April 2009)
Roger Bales and colleagues developed an updated snow accumulation map for the
Greenland Ice Sheet, based on 39 new ice cores and a reanalysis of coastal precipitation
data. The much lower accumulation estimated for the southwestern portion of the ice
sheet and the much higher accumulation in the southeast mean that long-term mass
balance in both catchments is closer to steady state than previously estimated. (Journal of
Geophysical Research, Atmospheres, March 2009).
Eric Berlow and colleagues showed how dynamical models of ecological networks in which
pair-wise consumer-resource interactions scale to the 3/4 power as suggested by metabolic
theory, the effect of losing one species on another can be predicted by simple functions of
variables easily observed in nature. Their model can predict interactions dominated by
trophic effects and indicate the sign and magnitude of important nontrophic interactions.
(Proc. National Academy of Sciences, January 2009).
Yihsu Chen and colleagues examined the short-run implications of CO2 trading for power
production, prices, emissions, and generator profits; and found that the rates at which CO 2
costs are passed through to wholesale prices are affected by market competitiveness, merit
order changes, and elasticities of demand and supply. They also showed that in the market
studied, emissions trading results in large windfall profits, much but not all of which is due
to free allocation of allowances. (Journal Of Regulatory Economics, December 2008).
Elliot Campbell and colleagues developed carbonyl sulfide as a global indicator or
photosynthesis. Quantitative relationships between carbonyl sulfide and photosynthesis
activity enable using carbonyl sulfide gradients in the continental growing season as a
measurement-based photosynthesis tracer. (Science, November 2008).
Research Scientist Fengjing Liu, working with Roger Bales and Martha Conkin, Combined
diagnostic tools of mixing models and endmember mixing analysis to show that streamflow
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in two mountain basins was controlled by mixing of three endmembers: near-surface
runoff, subsurface flow and groundwater, with a third catchment dominated by subsurface
flow alone. During snowmelt and at catchments with higher near-surface runoff
contributions, nutrient concentrations in streams were found to be higher, as a result of
nutrient leaching from the upper organic-rich soil horizons by near-surface runoff. (Water
Resources Research, December 2008).
Additional research highlights that were published in latter part of the prior academic year,
but not previously reported give a further indication of the breadth and depth of SNRI research.
– Celine Bonfols and Laura Kueppers carried out collaborative research showing the long-term
climate effects of irrigation on temperature and heat index extremes in California, with the
latter representing a combined measure of temperature and humidity. Both observations
and a regional climate model indicate that irrigation cools temperature on the hottest days
of the year by a similar magnitude as on an average summer day. The heat index is also
reduced by irrigation, but by a much smaller magnitude than temperature because of the
higher humidity above irrigated surfaces. (Geophysical Research Letters, May 2008).
– Research scientists Celine Bonfils, Philip Duffy and colleagues used nine different
observational datasets to estimate California-average temperature trends during the
periods 1950-1999 and 1915-2000. Comparing observed results to trends from a suite of
climate model simulations of natural internal climate variability.show that warming of
Californian winters over the twentieth century is associated with human-induced changes in
large-scale atmospheric circulation. The lack of a detectable increase in summertime
maximum temperature arises from a cooling associated with large-scale irrigation, which
may have, until now, counteracted summertime warming induced by increasing greenhouse
gases effects. (Climatic Change, March 2008).
– Anthony Westerling statistically modeled wildfire risks for California under six climatic
change scenarios as functions of climate, hydrology, and topography. He found the largest
changes in wildfire tended to occur in forested areas of Northern Calfornia, while property
damages under the climate change scenarios increased most in wildland/urban interfaces
proximate to major metropolitan areas in coastal southern California, the Bay Area, and in
the Sierra foothills northeast of Sacramento. (Climatic Change, March 2008).
– Michael Dawson drew on recent advances in biogeography to identify two pairs of
biophysically similar marine and terrestrial settings i) aerial and marine microplankton and
ii) true islands and brackish seawater lakes that have similar geographies of evolution.
Commonalities at these scales, the largest and smallest biogeographic scales, delimit the
geographical extents that can possibly characterize evolution in the remaining majority of
species. They found that the geographies of evolution therefore differ statistically, not
fundamentally, between marine and terrestrial systems. (Journal Of The Royal Society
Interface, February 2008).
– Robert Root, a Ph.D. graduate working with Peggy O’Day, showed that reductive dissolution
of the sorbent iron phase is the primary mechanism for release of sorbed arsenic to solution
in a water reservoir along the Los Angeles Aqueduct. To reduce arsenic in this water supply
upstream of the reservoir, the city adds ferric chloride and a cationic polymer coagulant to
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the aqueduct, forming an iron-rich floe that scavenges arsenic from the water. (Geochimica
et Cosmochimica Acta, December 2007).
– Wolfgang Rogge and colleagues found selective biogenically derived organic compounds to
be suitable markers of fugitive dust from major agricultural crop fields in the San Joaquin
Valley. Using these tracers offers the opportunity to differentiate the importance of various
potential dust sources at receptor sites. (Atmospheric Environment, December 2007).
Grants
SNRI faculty and researchers continue to be very productive in obtaining grants, largely
from federal and state agencies. Several of the research projects are collaborative with
colleagues from other campuses and government research organizations, significantly
expanding the impact of SNRI. Following is a summary of awards by year.
Table 1. Grant amounts for FY 2007-08 and FY 2008-09
Amount, million
Category
FY 07-08
ICR, millionc
Percent
FY 08-09
FY 07-08
FY 08-09
FY 07-08
FY 08-09
Extramural grants
$16.4
$14.2
Research grantsa
$11.3
$14.0
100
100
$3.4
$4.2
$6.2
$3.5
55
25
$1.9
$1.1
Research grants to
SNRI facultyb
aExtramural
bSee
funds less grants for education, small business, etc. to non-faculty
https://snri.ucmerced.edu/snri/people/html
cdAssumed
to be 30% of grant amount; may be higher.
Yosemite Field Station at Wawona
The mission of the SNRI-Wawona field station is to facilitate multiple synergistic links among
science, education, resource management, and the arts. For example, the educational value of a student
doing science is likely to be greatly enhanced if that project has immediate applications to resource
management, and the management contribution of an academic research project is likely to be more
effective if the results are creatively visualized and communicated to a general audience.
To achieve this mission, the SNRI Wawona field station provides logistical support (office space,
internet access, lab and classroom space, and housing) for research, education, and collaborative
workshops inside Yosemite National Park. It also provides programmatic support by acting as a liason
between the university and the science and education divisions of Yosemite.
The Wawona Field Station functionally opened its doors in March 2006 with the arrival of its first
Station Director. At that time it consisted of a renovated office building that was minimally furnished
and had not phone or internet service, a station director’s residence and two guest houses. The latter
three were in disrepair and violated fire and safety codes. Today the facility has expanded to include a
renovated classroom/meeting space, a renovated station director’s residence, four renovated houses
that can accommodate 35-40 people, and a tent camp with showers for 10 more students. Together
these facilities now support a critical mass of students (high school, undergraduate, and graduate),
researchers, and artists to create a vibrant learning community in Yosemite.
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In March2009, the UC Natural Reserve System governing committee approved the addition of the
Sierra Nevada Research Station, Yosemite Field Station as a Natural Reserve. The final step is approval
by the Board of Regents, scheduled for November 2009.
Staffing. In response to UC Natural Reserve System inquiries, the UCM Chancellor has affirmed in
writing long-term staff funding to manage and operate the SNRI Wawona field station. Current positions
include:
– Field Station Director – In March 2009 the position was increased from 0.75 to 1.0 FTE, as a Step II
Project Scientist. Duties of the station director, as outlined in the December 2005 offer letter,
include: 1) serving as a liaison between the SNRI Director and Yosemite National Park staff, 2)
providing daily management for the field station facilities in Wawona, 3) developing budget and
standard operating procedures for station operations, 4) working with researchers to facilitate
research in Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks, 5) assisting in the coordination of
outreach programs of SNRI in cooperation with outreach professionals at Yosemite National Park
and UC Merced, 6) assisting the SNRI Director in preparing extramural proposals for the
enhancement of station facilities, and 7) conducting research under the auspices of the SNRI.
– Facilities Maintenance Coordinator – funded at 0.5 FTE, this position reports to the SNRI Building
Manager on campus and is responsible for coordinating and/or performing periodic maintenance
functions, basic repairs, and minor improvements on the facilities’ structures, mechanical systems,
equipment and furnishings. This position is also responsible for assuming the weekly custodial
responsibilities for the facilities.
Facilities. The field station buildings are inside Yosemite National Park and belong to the National Park
Service. They are managed by UC Merced under special use permits, which require that UCM
rehabilitate and maintain the structures and use them only for the research, education, and outreach
purposes outlined in the permit. UCM is allowed to charge a nominal fee to help support the operations.
Before 2008, the SNRI facilities at Wawona included:
– Office building – This historic building (built in 1934) has office space for 8 people and additional
temporary space for 2-3 more. It also houses a small laboratory space, and a communal kitchen. It
was rehabilitated before being turned over to the UCM through a $170,000 Yosemite Fund grant.
– Detached garage – This historic stable/garage was in disrepair and used primarily for storage.
– Station director's residence – This 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath house was refurbished in the spring/summer
of 2006.
– Vincent house – This house was the only functional guest house. It has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and
was refurbished and furnished in the spring/summer of 2006.
– Livingston house – This house required major renovations to be safe and habitable (see below).
By July 2008, SNRI’s Wawona facilities were expanded to include:
– Classroom/meeting room – The western half of the detached garage was renovated to create
class/meeting room space that can accommodate up to 20 people. It has wireless internet
connectivity and can be used for additional temporary office space.
– Livingston house – Major renovations of this house were completed in May 2009. The house now
has 16 beds, 3 bathrooms, is fully furnished, and has phone and internet access. (Figure 1b)
– Joyce house – This 3 bedroom, 2 bath house that sleeps 9 was acquired by UCM under an
amendment to our existing Special Use Permit in the spring of 2009. It is fully refurbished and
furnished and has phone and internet access.
– Dull house – This 3 bedroom, 2 bath house that sleeps 9 was acquired by UCM under an amendment
to our existing Special Use Permit in the spring of 2009. It is fully refurbished and furnished and has
phone and internet access.
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–
River Rd. cabin – This 1
bedroom cabin was
acquired by UCM under
an amendment to our
existing SUP in spring of
2009. It is in need of
minor repairs and
furnishing to be
habitable.
– Bruce Rd. cabin – This 1
bedroom cabin was
acquired by UCM under
an amendment to our
existing SUP in spring of
2009. It is in need of
minor repairs and
The eastern half of the detached building at the Wawona Field Station was
furnishing to be
renovated to create a classroom / meeting room.
habitable.
In total, during 2008-2009, the housing capacity of SNRI Wawona Field Station increased from 4 beds to
38 beds, not including the Station Director’s residence or the two small cabins that are not yet
furnished. When those cabins are finished, there will be up to 42 beds.
Other resources affiliated with the field station include those of partner organizations:
– Through a partnership with the Yosemite Association, the Wawona Field Station has access to one
additional two bedroom house in Wawona that is designated for student use.
– For larger gatherings (e.g., lectures), SNRI has access to the Wawona Community Center, which can
accommodate ~80 people.
Station use.
aStation
Annualb
use has increased
has grown
steadily each
year. Total user
days in the 20062007, 2007-2008,
and 2008-2009
Fiscal Years (FY)
were 2,511, 4372,
and 4512
respectively.
Average monthly
user days were
224, 364, and 376
for FY 06-07, FY
07-08, and FY 0809, respectively.
The Livingston house underwent extensive renovations and now sleeps 16 people.
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march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
User Days
Use levels consistently
1200
Figure 2.
SNRI Wawona Station
peak in June, July and
Monhtly
Use Trends 2006-2008
August, and this peak
1000
1 Jul 2008 - 30 Jun 2009
has increased each
Total User Days = 4512
year (Figure 1). Non800
peak season use is
highest in September
600
and May. This shoulder
season use is primarily
workshops, academic
400
retreats, and class field
trips. With the new
200
housing added in 2009,
we anticipate that Fall
0
and Spring use from
campus (for classes,
workshops, and
retreats) will increase.
In FY 2008-2009, the
2006- 2007
2007- 2008
2008- 2009
field station was used
Figure 1. Monthly visitor use at Yosemite Field Station at Wawona.
for research,
education, writing
retreats, and lab retreats. It was used by researchers, students, and other professionals from a
wide variety of organizations and institutions:
Universities
Public agencies
UC Merced
Merced Union High School District
UC Berkeley
US Geological Survey
UC Davis
US Forest Service
UC Santa Cruz
National Park Service
UC Santa Barbara
California Department of Water Resources
Stanford University
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Naval War College, Monterey CA
Agricultural Research Service
Oregon State University
Organizations
York University, Toronto, Canada
Yosemite Association
Universidad Católica, Santiago, Chile
Adventure Risk Challenge
Utrecht University, The Netherlands
New York Times
Macquarie University, Syndey,
Pacific Ecoinformatics & Computational Ecology
Australia
Lab
Educational programs. While the Wawona Field Station was originally intended to be primarily
a physical space that facilitates investigator-initiated projects or class field trips, we have
established the several funded programs to encourage K-12, undergraduate, and graduate
education and research at SNRI. The broader vision for these educational programs is an
integrated, intergenerational youth leadership program that creates a pipeline of students at
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different stages from early high school to recent graduates and graduate students. High School
programs in AY 2008-09 include:
– Adventure, Risk, Challenge (ARC) – ARC is a year-round educational outreach program that
partners UCM and Yosemite with public high schools and underserved communities of the
Central Valley to engage English language learner (ELL) high school students. A 6-week
immersion summer course at the field station integrates a rigorous curriculum of outdoor
education, leadership training, English literacy, and science. ARC addresses the needs of atrisk ELL students and enables them to be successful high school students, highly competitive
college applicants, and ultimately our next leaders. ARC is supported by the Toyota
Foundation and Yosemite National Park. The program continues with outreach throughout
the students’ school careers to create a ladder for motivated students to develop academic
and life skills.
– Yosemite High School (Oakhurst, CA) AP Environmental Science program – This partnership
with Yosemite High School is funded by the school district and has been supplemented by a
Toyota Tapestry Grant. The AP Environmental Science class is conducting a long-term fire
ecology study to investigate the effects of prescribed fire on forest soil and invertebrates.
SNRI and the park fire ecologist assist with the study design and the research permitting
process.
– Environmental Science Academy (Merced Union High School District, MUHSD) – This
program is funded by MUHSD. 25-35 high school students come every summer and study a
range of topics inside Yosemite. Classes are provided by park scientists and resource
managers as well as by UCM SNRI scientists. Already, some of the graduates of the program
have gone on to UCM and have returned to Wawona as summer interns and as seasonal
park rangers.
– Robert Fore Fellowship (Merced Union High School District, MUHSD) – This program is
provides training workshops in Yosemite for 16 high school science teachers in the MUHSD.
The teachers learn about ongoing research by SNRI, USGS, and Yosemite National Park
researches. They discuss issues at the interface of science and conservation, and share ideas
about how to incorporate new material into their lesson plans.
Undergraduate programs in AY 2008-09 included:
– Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP) undergraduate summer internship – Funded by Toyota,
the Doherty Fund, Morgan Stanley, and other donors, this program provides UC Merced
undergraduates with diverse internship opportunities in Yosemite that range from serving
as bilingual interpretive rangers leading tours of the giant sequoias, to managing invasive
weeds in the park, to saving lives as part of the Yosemite Search and Rescue team. Students
are provided housing, park uniforms, books, a small stipend, and a $2500 scholarship. The
YLP internship in Yosemite fulfills one requirement of the 2-year extracurricular
environmental leadership certificate program on campus. YLP interns are required to do an
independent project that contributes something unique to the park branch in which they
are working. This project then serves as a seed for the ‘capstone legacy project’ required for
their environmental leadership certificate.
– Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program – Funded by the National Science
Foundation, this program complements the YLP non-science internships by providing
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opportunities for undergraduates to conduct independent research projects at the interface
of science and natural resource management. Most of the students are co-mentored by a
UCM professor and a park or USGS scientist. REU student projects are serving as a catalyst
for collaborative research between UCM and the park. 2009 research projects include:
1. Tracking and predicting the path of smoke plumes from wildfires and prescribed
burns originating within Yosemite National Park (Mentors: Wolfgang Rogge, UCM
& Lee Tarnay, NPS). — One student will work on 1) a historic assessment of
movement and impact area of smoke originating from wildfire and prescribed
burns that started within the Yosemite National Park, and 2) generating guidance
to the Yosemite Park rangers and scientists for the most suitable meteorological
conditions for prescribed burns that would impact the least nearby towns as well
as the San Joaquin Valley. The research will use online meteorological data
together with the HYSPLIT computer model to calculate forward trajectories of the
smoke plume. The project will also include field work in cooperation with park
rangers and scientists.
2. Riparian Ecology of the Tuolumne River (Mentors: Steve Hart, UCM & Jim Roche,
NPS). — One student will examine the coupling between changes in stream flow
and water stress in riparian plants along the Tuolumne River (e.g., Tuolumne
Meadows, and downstream of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir). Student will learn
techniques for measuring water stress in plants and methods for describing
riparian plant community structure. This research project will involve collaboration
with Jim Roche, NPS, Yosemite National Park scientist.
3. Assessing the impact of climate change on the Yosemite Toad in Yosemite National
Park (Mentors: Eric Berlow, UCM & Steve Ostoja, USGS). — We will revisit
meadows within Yosemite National Park that have a record of historical (before ca.
1950) and recent (ca. 1990 to present) breeding populations of Yosemite Toads
(Buca canorus) to assess the effect that a changing climate, and other potential
stressors, may have had on the decline of this sensitive species. Sampling will be
done at sites that span gradients in annual snowpack, elevation, and packstock use
levels. At each meadow site, we will record the presence of Yosemite Toads (egg
masses, tadpoles and/or adults), as well as physical and vegetative indicators of
the hydrologic condition of each site (e.g., does the site rely on snowpack or
ground water for seasonal moisture?). Note: The student conducting this project
will be required to spend significant time backpacking/hiking to remote sites in
moutainous terrain throughout Yosemite National Park, with a heavy pack (>
50lbs) for 10-15 miles/day. Prior experience with backpacking, field data
collection, field ecology, and Geographic Information Systems is desirable.
However, students who have not had this kind of opportunity before, but are up
for the challenge, are strongly encouraged to apply.
4. Population structure and demography of giant sequoias (Mentors: Andy Aguilar,
UCM & Gus Smith, NPS). — One student will sample a few leaves of individual
sequoias from Yosemite National Park to tackle the genetic structure of Yosemite
populations. Additional sampling may be involved in Sequoia National Park. This
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research will also involve molecular lab work at UC Merced. This project will be comentored by Gus Smith, NPS, Yosemite National Park scientist.
5. Effects of wildfires on spotted owls (Mentor: Susan Roberts, USGS). — Fire is an
inherent ecological process and although animals inhabiting the fire-prone forests
of the west evolved with fire, we know very little about how fire severity affects
their occupancy, reproduction, or patterns of use across the landscape. One
student will be investigating how fire effects spotted owls in Yosemite National
Park through locating and observing spotted owls in burned areas throughout the
park. Note: The student conducting this research project would need to be very
savvy in the wilderness and have experience with hiking, backpacking, and
camping in rugged terrain (student will be hiking off-trail through the forest at
night to do much of this work and needs to be able to keep up as it is attempted to
follow flying owls through the forest).
6. Investigating heat and geochemical dynamics of stream pools on the South Fork of
the Merced River (Mentors: Martha Conklin, Sarah Martin & Ryan Lucas, UCM). —
The goal of this project is to gain insight on heat and geochemical dynamics in a
series of pools on the South Fork of the Merced River. The student will be looking
for temperature stratification and ground water inputs in 3-4 pools. Field activities
will include surveying the pools, measuring stream velocities, measuring
temperature, dissolved oxygen, and electrical conductivity profiles of the pools,
and sampling for radon-222, nitrate and major ion concentrations and/or water
isotopes. The pools will be located up and/or downstream of Wawona. Students
must be comfortable hiking 2 to 3 miles over uneven terrain with a pack. Most of
the student’s time will be spent in Wawona with 3 to 4 day trips to Merced for
water sample analysis.
7. Environmental DNA barcoding of Yosemite freshwater invertebrates (Mentor:
Benoît Dayrat, UCM). — Freshwater macro-invertebrates will be sampled from
several localities of the Tuolumne and Merced watersheds in Yosemite National
Park. One of the objectives of this year's collecting efforts is to evaluate the effect
of seasonal factors (e.g., water flow, temperature, etc.) on overall species diversity
and invertebrate communities. Two students will collaborate to collect and
analyze data, each student focusing on different aspects of the overall project.
Research could potentially involve molecular work at UC Merced (DNA extraction
and sequencing) as well. The long-term objective of the project is to develop a
reference library of DNA sequences that can be used for future rapid and reliable
identification of Sierra Nevada invertebrates, and evaluate the impacts of climate
change on communities of freshwater invertebrates as well as mountain stream
health. Note: The two students conducting this research will have to spend
significant time backpacking/hiking to remote sites throughout Yosemite National
Park, with a heavy pack (~50lbs) for 10-15 miles/day. Prior experience with
backpacking is desirable, although students who have not had this opportunity
before, but are up for the challenge, are strongly encouraged to apply.
– Science Friday Seminar – Both YLP and REU students have the opportunity to enroll in this 2credit summer seminar. This seminar includes: 1) weekly lectures by university and park
12
researchers on topics that focus on the role of science in natural resource management. 2)
weekly readings and discussions about topics at the interface of science and wilderness
management. and 3) independent projects that lead to a final paper and presentation at a
SNRI Student Symposium in Yosemite Valley that is open to the public. Combining the YLP
and REU students in this weekly seminar helps integrate science and non-science issues and
creates a diverse ‘learning community.’ Students in the YLP and REU programs have
included African American (6%), Hispanic (31%), Asian (25%), Jordanian (6%), and low
income Caucasian (31%). A large majority are the first in family to attend college.
The main graduate educational program was the SNRI Scientific Visualization Fellowship
(SciViz). This $3,500 fellowship provides 3 months of free housing and a $1500 stipend to
support an art student interested in applying his/her skills to help creative visualization and
communication of scientific information In 2009 there will be three fellows: One scientific
illustrator will worked with scientists and Yosemite’s exhibit staff to create visitor displays along
Tioga Pass Road. The musician will create compositions of recordings from Yosemite’s meadows
to characterize the wilderness soundscape. One filmmaker will explore research related to
climate change impacts to Yosemite. Work from the 2007 SciViz fellow will be used in a new
Ecosystems of California textbook (by Hal Mooney and Erika Zavaleta).
Research. The following research projects now use the Wawona field station as a base for part
or all of their work:
– Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project (SNAMP) – a long-term collaborative project
among UC Merced SNRI, UC Berkeley, UC Davis and the US Forest Service to evaluate the
ecological and environmental impacts of fire control thinning practices.
– Sierra Nevada Hydrologic Observatory – a Sierra-wide, UC Merced SNRI-led initiative to
improve understanding of the hydrological dynamics that determine much of the water
supply for California.
– Effects of Prescribed Fire on Spotted Owls – A joint UC Davis and USGS project to
understand how management fires in Yosemite influence the food base and breeding
success of the endangered California spotted owl.
– Conservation Ecology of Great Gray Owls – Two projects based out of Humboldt State
University and the US Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station (USFS PSW) that
are trying to protect this endangered species, which breeds in the Wawona area.
– Climate Change and Yosemite Toad decline – A new collaboration among UC Merced SNRI,
Yosemite National Park, the USGS, and the US Forest Service to understand the relative
importance of climate and other impacts to the breeding success of Yosemite toads (Bufo
canorus), a threatened species endemic to the Sierra Nevada.
– Risk Assessment of Packstock Impacts to Wilderness Meadows – A collaboration among UC
Merced SNRI, Yosemite National Park, and the USGS to a) develop the first integrated
meadow spatial database for Yosemite and b) to develop efficient protocols for monitoring
and modeling packstock impacts to wilderness meadows.
– Evaluating the Ecosystems Services of Wilderness Meadows – A collaboration among UC
Merced SNRI, Yosemite National Park, and the US Forest Service, this project attempts to
quantify the water storage value of healthy meadows in they Sierra Nevada.
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– Yosemite Invertebrate Biodiversity – This work by UCM Assistant Professor, Benoit Dayrat,
uses DNA ‘Barcoding’ techniques to help quantify and characterize for the first time the
broad scale patterns of aquatic invertebrate biodiversity in Yosemite.
Outreach. Multiple activities took place in the outreach area:
– UCM Admissions: The UC Admissions program for developing relations with high schools
and colleges is bringing high school and community college counselors to SNRI Wawona
field station to encourage minority student recruitment to UCM. The Wawona field station
and YLP interns are used as ‘poster children’ for UCM to illustrate the unique educational
opportunities available at UCM.
– UC AGEP and BA STAR Programs -- UC Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professorate,
and the Basic and Advanced Science and Technology Academics of Research programs are
using the SNRI Wawona field station as part of their summer program to increase the
recruitment of minority students into graduate programs in science.
– UCM courses that used the SNRI Wawona field station in 2008-2009: Mountain Hydrology
(Bob Rice), Ecology (Steve Hart), ESS 198 Science Fridays (Eric Berlow).
– Earthdance Environmental Film Festival – SNRI Wawona field station facilitated a screening
in Yosemite of this “Short-Attention-Span” Environmental Film Festival, curated by the
Oakland Museum of California. http://earthdancefilms.com/
– Dandelion Dance Theater – Dandelion is a post-modern dance group based in San Francisco
that used SNRI Wawona field station as a base for an environmental dance workshop and a
public performance in Wawona. http://www.dandeliondancetheater.org/
Other 2008-2009 accomplishments. Facilities improvements include:
– Finished renovating detached classroom
– Acquired Special Use Permit for 4 Houses: Joyce, Dull, River Rd Cabin, Bruce Cabin
– Installed phone and internet service at all houses.
– Finished renovating and furnishing the Livingston House (16 beds). Renovations included:
fix roof vent leak, contain asbestos in ceiling and floors, replace old light fixtures, replace all
sink faucets and traps, replace one water heater, fix thermostat, replace one entire shower
stall, install sprinkler system, new wood laminate flooring and carpeting, paint interior,
demo downstairs ‘in-law’ unit, new kitchen appliances, new island counter, completely
furnish entire house, including kitchen, install phone/internet. Finished installation of
seamless backup power at the SNRI office building (propane), Installed solar backup power
at station director’s residence
Administration. A recharge plan for the Wawona field station was approved starting in January
2009. As part of this we initiated an online reservations and invoicing system, and developed
an invoicing and tracking procedures in cooperation with Facilities Management.
The field station was approved as a new addition to the UC Natural Reserve System, named
the Sierra Nevada Research Station, Yosemite Field Station. Related accomplishments linked to
this process include a campus commitment of 1.0 FTE for managing operations, and a Yosemite
National Park commitment to pursue 25-year Cooperative Agreement in addition to the existing
renewable 5-year Memorandum of Understanding and renewable 5-year Special Use Permits
Public relations. Healthy working relationships around mutually beneficial activities are an
important component that SNRI helps to nurture. Some recent activities included:
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– Improved UCM-Yosemite relations by developing collaborative student projects that
address immediate high priority park needs.
– Facilitated the provisioning of UCM Affiliate Accounts for Yosemite staff and the Wawona
Library to enable online access to the California Digital Library – provided training sessions
to park and community members.
– Hosted SNRI Open House and Wawona Community Barbeque at theWawona Field Station.
– Increased awareness on campus of SNRI research and education programs by organizing
and hosting SNRI retreats at SNRI, increasing the visibility of YLP student interns on campus,
and regularly sending news/updates about SNRI research and programs to the UCM media
department.
These efforts led to a series of ‘spotlight’ articles about our summer programs:
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/spotlightdetail.asp?spotlightid=145
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/spotlightdetail.asp?spotlightid=146
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/spotlightdetail.asp?spotlightid=144
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/spotlightdetail.asp?spotlightid=141
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/spotlightdetail.asp?spotlightid=142
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/spotlightdetail.asp?spotlightid=149
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/spotlightdetail.asp?spotlightid=143
and UC Merced blog and podcasts about our summer programs
– http://www.ucmerced.edu/connection/
– http://ucmparksconnection.blogspot.com/
There was also a visit by Newsweek photographers to the field station to cover the REU
program, and positive press about UC Merced in a Fresno Bee article about an REU student
project (“Checking a precious resource – Yosemite Valley may hold clues to the future of our
water,” 8/03/08).
Programs and Research at the field station formed the basis of the Chancellor’s Medal
given to Yosemite National Park by UC Merced on May 16, 2009. This is the first time the
Chancellor’s Award has been given to an organization, rather than an individual. The award was
given to Yosemite National Park for excellence in collaborative partnership of several programs
offered at UC Merced designed to inspire academic leadership, field study, and experimental
learning in Yosemite National Park.
In the education area, SNRI added in 2009 the Adventure Risk Challenge program for High
School students in Merced County. (See “IV Description of Current Programs”) – this process
involved:
– Securing collaborative funding from the Toyota Foundation and Yosemite National Park.
– Creating a new “Curriculum Development Specialist” position in the Education Branch of
Yosemite. This process took 6 months of paperwork to revise the Organizational Chart of
the Branch.
– Developing a partnership with the Wawona Elementary School to establish a tent camp for
the program in the field behind the school, and to use the school as a classroom and
cooking space.
– Furnishing the school with portable showers and a new refrigerator.
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– Together these developments allowed the Wawona Field Station to expand capacity for the
educational program without compromising space for research at the facility.
Recharge. A recharge plan was approved by campus business officials in spring of 2009, 2.5
years after submitting; this allows us to invoice users starting January 2009. From this date until
30 June 2009, we anticipated recovering $12,635. With known long-term office and housing
commitments for the next year, as well as already scheduled retreats and classes, we anticipate
recovering at least $20,000 FY 2009-2010.
One limit to recharge income is that we have prior agreements with some user groups for
either in-kind housing contributions or a SNRI partner discount. For example, the Yosemite
Leadership Program and the ARC program contributed over $87,000 of Toyota funds for
renovations of the houses that they use. In exchange for this contribution, we agreed to apply
this contribution towards program housing.
Priority needs. Facilities needs include both office space and renovation of two small cabins
that provide housing. In 2008-2009 housing space for station guests was markedly expanded
from 4 beds to 38 beds to facilitate a critical mass of station guests that include high school,
undergraduate, and graduate students, and researchers at the same time in order to create a
vibrant interactive community and to facilitate interdisciplinary links.
With the increase in available housing comes an increase in demand for work space. To
accommodate this demand, we have established wireless internet access at every guest house,
and also converted the detached garaged into flexible office/classroom space. However, this
space is of limited use in part because it is not well insulated and thus is either too cold in late
fall/winter/early spring, or too hot in summer.
In addition to supporting the programs and researchers using the field station, there are
additional demand to provide work space for Yosemite and USGS researchers. While we are
under no obligation to provide space for these partners, having the ability to do so would
greatly facilitate research collaborations that are at the core of SNRI’s broader mission.
Thus, there remains a problem of limited office space and meeting space at the SNRI office
during periods of peak use. To meet this demand, we are submitting a proposal to the National
Science Foundation’s Academic Research Infrastructure Program: Recovery and Reinvestment
(NSF ARI-R²) to fully renovate the entire detached garage into a year-round Informatics and
Data Visualization Center. The proposed renovations will revitalize a historic (ca. 1932) building
into an energy-efficient, networked, data center that embodies integrative computational
science of the 21st century. All proposed renovations and energy efficiency upgrades will
conform to historic architecture guidelines and codes. Energy efficiency renovations include
replacing and insulating the roof, tightening the entire building envelope, adding blow-in
cellulose insulation throughout, replacing windows with historically appropriate low-e double
pane windows, replacing stable doors with historically appropriate insulated ones, adding
thermal mass to the floors and solar radiant floor heating. Cyberinfrastructure upgrades will
include upgraded electrical wiring, parallel high speed internet connections to the UCM campus
for remote data storage and processing, and high resolution large format video capacity for
virtual conferencing and data visualization.
The two remaining 1-bedroom cabins that were acquired in 2009 require minor repairs,
aesthetic improvements, and appliances/furniture to be functional. If it is not cost-prohibitive,
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we will also establish phone/internet connectivity as well. Below is a list of high priority work
for these two cabins:
– Bruce Rd. Cabin: new electrical meter and weatherhead, establish propane service and
leased tank, add fridge and stove, repair carpet (or replace), interior painting, thorough
cleaning, furnish, internet/phone (if possible).
– River Cabin: deck demo, ant infestation removal, confirm absence of rats, gut downstairs to
remove mold, fridge, thorough cleaning, furnish, internet/phone (if possible).
Addition of GIS laboratory space will address programmatic needs. While there are clear
obstacles to conducting experimental studies in Yosemite National Park, there are enormous
opportunities for investigating large-scale questions using remote sensing, GIS, data synthesis,
observational field sampling. The proposed renovations of the detached garage will help meet
these needs by creating an Informatics and Data Visualization Center.
The priority staffing need involves increasing the scope of the facilities maintenance
position from 0.5 to at least 0.75 FTE. A longer term need is for a data specialist.
– Facilities maintenance. With the rapid increase in station housing (and the associated
increase in use), it is imperative that we expand the position of our maintenance
coordinator from 0.5 FTE to at least 0.75 FTE. The full time position would be responsible
for coordinating and/or performing periodic maintenance functions and basic repairs on the
facilities’ structures, mechanical systems, equipment and furnishings. Other duties would
include overseeing weekly custodial functions for the research/workspace facilities,
responding to emergencies and maintaining the facilities grounds. The position could also
be redefined to include responding to reservation/scheduling inquiries, and serving as an
on-site point of contact for station users.
– Data Specialist. Even if we are successful at acquiring renovation funds to create a data
center, its success will depend on supporting a part-time data specialist who would excel
not just in data management, but also in data synthesis, spatial statistics, data mining, and
data visualization. It is essential that we begin discussions about how best to fund such a
position. This will ensure that the SNRI will stand out as a leader in data integration and
analysis in addressing critical large scale environmental questions in the region.
Environmental Analytical Laboratory
Mission. SNRI’s Environmental Analytical Laboratory (EAL) is a multi-user university centralized
research facility that provides essential analytical resources in support of interdisciplinary
research and education in environmental, earth systems and ecological sciences and
engineering. The core facility houses a number of state-of-the-art major instruments and
related supporting sample preparation and separation devices that cover a wide range of
analytical needs for major and trace elements, organic and inorganic compounds. The EAL
mission is to provide expertise in analytical applications and instrument training to facilitate
research and education programs and foster inter- and multi-disciplinary collaboration among
campus researchers. To achieve this mission, the EAL provides full supports in lab equipment
access, instrument use, user training, and equipment maintenance and upgrades to make
expensive, but frequently needed multipurpose equipment available to all campus researchers.
The EAL, a campus-wide multi-user facility, serves essential analytical resources and plays a
critical role in support of research and education programs in environmental, biological, earth
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systems, and ecological sciences and engineering. The mission of the EAL is to provide expertise
in analytical applications and instrument training to facilitate research and education programs
and foster inter- and multi-disciplinary collaboration among campus researchers. The following
are three major functions of EAL are providing: a) Offer full support to campus wide research
and education activities: manage and oversee laboratory daily operation, train and supervise
users in instrument operation, laboratory protocols and safety, instruct lab section courses,
create standard operation protocols and training materials, set up website and provide
comprehensive information about facility analytical capabilities; b) Oversee facility
management and development: including instrument maintenance and upgrades, management
of work flow and inventory of supplies/consumables, develop recharge system, and develop
and implement an operation model for appropriate and successful management of advanced
instrumentation, and build up experience to expand facility’s capabilities; c) Serve as a platform
to facilitate and foster inter- and multi-disciplinary collaboration among campus researchers by
providing technical expertise in new applications and new analytical method developments.
Capabilities. The EAL initially houses 7 state-of-the-art major analytical instruments and a
number of related sample preparation and separation devices in Castle Building 1201 suite 930.
In 2009, one more major instrument was added through faculty-generated funds.
EAL instrumentation and equipment have been proven to meet a wide range of analytical
needs and to become a truly multi-functional core facility to serve campus wide researchers.
The following is a list of the major instruments and their capabilities:
1. Agilent 7500ce ICP-MS. The Agilent 7500ce Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer
with an Octopole Reaction Cell to eliminate polyatomic interferences for high performance,
reliability and sensitivity in environmental trace element analyses.
2. Perkin-Elmer Optima 5300 DV ICP-OES. The Perkin-Elmer Optima 5300dv with concentric
nebulizer and cyclonic spray chamber Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission
Spectrometer features lower detection limits in mid-ppb range with wide major and minor
element analyses.
3. Pekin-Elmer AAnalyst 600 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The Pekin-Elmer AAnalyst 600
Atomic Absorption Spectrometer with AS 800 Autosampler provides general use with wide
major and trace element analyses.
4. Varian Saturn 2200 Ion Trap GC-MS. Varian Saturn 2200 Ion Trap MS coupled with CP 3800
Gas Chromatography and CP 8400 Autosampler is used for quantification and
characterization of small molecular organic compounds.
5. Shimadzu TOC-Vcsh Dissolved Carbon Analyzer. The TOC-Vcsh system is a standalone, highsensitivity model used to measure dissolved carbon content in water samples. With SSM5000A Solid Sample Module and TNM-1 Total Nitrogen Measuring Unit, solid based samples
and nitrogen contents can also be analyzed.
6. Lachat QuikChem 8500 Flow Injection Analyzer. Lachat’s QuikChem 8500 Flow Injection
Analysis System features high sample throughput and simple but rapid method changeover.
The QuikChem 8500 maximizes productivity in determining ionic species in a variety of
sample types, from sub-ppb to percent concentrations.
7. Dionex ICS-2000 Ion Chromatograph (two sets, one for anions and the other for cations).
Dionex ICS-2000 Reagent-Free Integrated Ion Chromatography System provides powerful
analytical capabilities for major anion and cation analyses.
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8. LGR DLT-100 Liquid-Water Isotope Analyzer. DLT-100 Liquid-Water Isotope Analyzer uses
tunable, off-axis integrated-cavity laser spectroscopy developed by Los Gatos Research, Inc.
to measure hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O and δ2H) in liquid water
samples.
Additional sample preparation and separation devices include:
9. Anton Paar Multiwave 3000. The Multiwave 3000 is a versatile and powerful microwave
sample preparation system that meets many sample preparation needs such as Drying,
Evaporation, Acid Digestion, UV-Digestion, Oxygen Combustion, and Solvent Extraction.
10. Millpore ELIX 10 and Mill-Q A10 Water Purification System for high quality deionized water.
11. Airclean 3000 Workstations for ultra clean sample preparation.
12. Other accessories include analytical balance, oven, centrifuge, sample freezer &
refrigerator, etc.
Lab move. As one of major facilities operated by SNRI, and a centralized research facility
serving as a multi-user core facility dedicated to support campus-wide research and education
programs, EAL would be in her best interest to be moved to campus and integrated into the
university’s research and instructional mission when the campus was started in 2005. However,
EAL has been split between campus and Castle during the past two years from April 2007 to July
2009 until it was completely moved to campus Science and Engineering Building Lab 201
(partial space) in August 2009. Great efforts have been taken from SNRI director and SNRI
faculty to achieve this goal. Less than a month after the move, EAL has become a functional
campus facility that makes its operation and management more effective and sustainable.
As a centralized, shared resource and a center of interdisciplinary research that relies on
frequent, easy access by graduate and postdoctoral researchers and faculty, it is vital for EAL to
be housed close to its users who are mainly located on campus by saving time and resources for
trips and sample/chemicals transportations between Castle and campus. In its new location and
to its full operation, EAL instrumentation will be utilized for their fullest potential to support
both research and instructional activities. In addition, state-of-the art equipment housed in EAL
will also greatly enhance undergraduate educational experience by participating in
undergraduate class instruction and integrating students into EAL routine operation.
Operations. Developing an efficient operation model for appropriate and successful
management of advanced and expensive instrumentation is critical to establish a sustainable
and financial sound facility in further support of research, education and outreach activities. A
recharge proposal with dual recharge rates (hourly and per sample) was submitted to the
university in early 2007. In March 2009, we have made progress to have tentative rates
approved by recharge committee. Before recharge approval, EAL operating budget has been
absorbed almost entirely by SNRI budget during the past two years. With the new recharge
approval, EAL is able to generate recharge income to offset the EAL operation and maintenance
costs and build up revenues for its sustainable development. Rates are posted online.
Fiscal year 2008-2009 observed dramatic increase of instrument use in both instrument
running hours and new users from a variety of research groups. Use levels for a number of
instruments were more than double that for previous 2007-2008 year.
Research and education activities. EAL was used in support of research by faculty, graduate
students and research scientists, and in support of undergraduate education:
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– Supported more than 15 faculty members’ research projects funded by federal, state and
university grants. The research projects that heavily depend on EAL analytical service
include: “The biogeochemical transformations of arsenic in the subsurface” funded by NSF;
“Studying the controls of contaminant mobility of trace elements As, Se, Cd, Hg etc in
flooded sediments” funded by NIEHS; “Core measurements at Summit, Greenland
Environmental Observatory” funded by NSF; “Center for Embedded Networked Sensing”
funded by NSF; “WATERS Network Testbed” supported by NSF, and “Nitrogen Monitoring
Technology Development”, supported by Agriculturalists for Scientific Environmental
Research (AFSER); and “Ground Water Contributions to Baseflow in the Merced River:
Progresses, Flow Paths, and Residence Times” supported by California Energy Commission,
etc, to name a few.
– During year 2008-2009, three major instruments including ICP-OES, ICP-MS, and GFAA have
each kept more than 200 instrument running hours (it equals to more than ten thousands of
sample runs). Four graduate students whose research projects are heavily relied on the
above instrumental capacities are or will be graduated in 2009. Two IC systems alone have
analyzed more than 3000 samples. In addition, four research groups have been using GC-MS
as an important tool for compound identification and quantitation in the field of
environmental engineering and nanoparticles research.
– Over 20 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers have been trained for use of
multiple instrumentation tools in applications to their research projects and achieve their
research goals. Particularly, graduate students from environmental systems graduate
program have become intensive users, as their dissertation/thesis depends heavily on EAL
analytical service. Among them, four graduate students are now completing their
dissertation/thesis and will graduate this year. EAL user training covers not only details of
instrument operation and standard protocols, but also related important topics from
sampling and storage protocols, sample preparation, quality assurance/quality control
protocols, as these practical details are extremely important to ensure good data quality,
but easily overlooked during class teaching.
– EAL offers great opportunities and financial supports to undergraduate education.
Undergraduate students are regularly hired as Research Assistant to help faculty research
and EAL routine operation. It has proven to be very successful as students get financial
support for college education while gaining research and laboratory experience even when
they are junior or freshmen. Meanwhile, it helps facility to reduce operation cost and save
faculty research grants. In addition, EAL has also supported a number of projects conducted
by REU students (Research Experience for Undergraduates) sponsored by NSF.
– EAL has also supported under/graduate laboratory section instruction crossed listed in Earth
Systems Science and Environmental Engineering. Advanced Analytical instrumentation
course and Environmental Mass Spectrometry application course, as well as Intensive
Instrument Training courses could be offered based upon request.
Facility management and development. Several administrative actions were completed:
– Recharge rates. Developed a recharge mechanism with dual recharge rates in preparation
to transfer to a full service recharge facility. The recharge rates were finally approved by
campus recharge committee in March 2009s.
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– EAL move. Organized, coordinated and performed EAL moving from Castle to campus.
Designed new lab layout and disassembly/ re-installation of most instruments. Great efforts
have been taken to ensure a smooth transition without interruption of users’ research
activities.
– Facility resources. Developed facility safety and instrument training policy, tracking systems
for instrument use, chemicals, supplies and consumables ordering and inventory, and
instrument maintenance and part replacement records. Developed standard operating
protocols for all instruments within the facility and synthesized comprehensive materials
used for user training or course teaching.
– EAL website. The EAL website contains important policies and forms for facility users and
educational information for public and for promoting awareness of the facility’s resources.
The website will be updated continually and new features such as online instrument
reservation system will be added soon.
– Expanding capacities. A Water Isotope Analyzer from LGR, Inc. has been added as part of
EAL instrumentation through faculty contribution. A new C/N/S Elemental Analyzer will also
be added to become EAL shared instrument soon. With the new addition, EAL is expanding
its capacity providing a wide range of analytical service from trace elements, major ions,
nutrients, total carbon/nitrogen in both solid and liquid samples, oxygen/hydrogen isotope
ratios in water samples, to volatile organic compounds. In addition, a number of computers
have been upgraded. More sample preparation devices are acquired.
Technical support. We helped faculty with grant proposal writing and method development for
new projects. The EAL, as the only core facility providing analytical service to campus wide
researchers of all three schools, has offered technical expertise to facilitate research and
collaborations by providing technical consultation to researchers who plan to use facility, but
not experts in instrumental and analytical chemistry. Through in-depth knowledge and
extensive skills in a broad variety of instruments, EAL director has been able to work effectively
with diverse groups of students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty members to provide
technical expertise in identification of appropriate analytical methods, preparation of method
section of a number of grant proposal writing, preparation of preliminary results for potential
funding opportunity, and development and verification of a few new methods and applications,
and With rapid development of educational programs, research projects and interdisciplinary
partnerships at UCM, EAL will continue playing critical roles in the future research and
education program campus wide.
Priority needs. EAL will continue on achieving its mission by expanding its user base and its
instrument analytical capacity with support from faculty and campus researchers. New
recharge system would allow us to generate income to help EAL transition to a self-support
recharge facility. EAL will continue working closely with SNRI affiliated faculty on NSF major
research instrument proposals to add analytical equipment to the EAL.
Planning and development.
A strategic plan for a 6,000-acre Campus Reserve Site to be used for research,
education and conservation activities is is in preparation. Faculty from UC Merced and
other campuses have contributed to the plan, which will be completed in late 2009.
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We continued development of a field station in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park,
and through agreements with the Park and the park concessionaire (Delaware North),
make use of two buildings at Wolverton.
We continue to plan for NSF’s NEON investments in research infrastructure at the
San Joaquin Experimental Range, Kings RiverExperimental Watershedsand other locations
in the southern Sierra Nevada.
SNRI’s Development Director and Director had a number of meetings over the year
with potential donors and supporters of SNRI. These meetings included scheduled
meetings of the UC Merced Foundation Trustees, Chancellor’s Associates meetings, and
2-3 individual meetings per month.
The SNRI director also worked closely with UC Merced’s government relations staff to
promote SNRI research and potential infrastructure investments with elected officials at
the state and federal levels. The SNRI director also participated in frequent meetings with
officials in multiple state and federal agencies around research and potential
infrastructure investments in the SNRI region.
SNRI also supports multi-investigator proposals for research support, and made
frequent use of the grant writer in the UCM Office of Research.
Operations and budget
SNRI staffing consist of an administrative assistant, Yosemite/Wawona Field Station
director (0.75 FTE), EAL manager and SNRI director. Recruitment is underway for a
management services officer. Discussions are underway to upgrade the Wawona Field
station maintenance manager position from 0.5 to 0.75 FTE and to make SNRI responsible
for that salary. The laboratory director is currently 0.5 FTE on university funds and 0.5
FTE on an NSF grant for initiating the laboratory. SNRI employs a part-time
undergraduate assistant, who works in both the EAL and the SNRI office. One
development officer (0.75 FTE) works on opportunities and priorities for SNRI.
The SNRI budger is growing through recharge, which will cover additional costs at the
field stations and analytical laboratory. Note that this revenue source just became
available in early 2009, coinciding with field station and analytical laboratory resources
becoming available for recharge. It is expected that recharge income will grow gradually
over about a 5-year period, as demand for SNRI resources increases.
SNRI continues to be responsible for 8 vehicles, 7 of which are used on a recharge
basis and one assigned to the Wawona Field Station director. One of the recharge
vehicles is assigned to the Critical Zone Observatory field hydrologist. The vehicles
include:
2009 Subaru Forester: 100803
2007 Toyota Tacoma extended cab: 100706
2007 Honda Element: 100621
2007 Toyota Tacoma crew cab: 100709
2008 Nissan Xterra (CZO): 100801
2007 Nissan Frontier crew cab: 100708
2006 Honda Element (Wawona):
2003 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab:
100619
100504
Priorities for next year
Priorities for next year include:
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Wawona Field Station:
– Complete NRS process for Sierra Nevada Research Station, Yosemite Field Station.
– Work out staffing, including level of maintenance manager required for
operations, within available funds.
– Make additional high-quality research space available to field station users,
through recharge.
– Build up non-summer use of facility, and maintain levels of summer use; continue
to grow recharge income.
– Upgrade two recently acquired houses.
Environmental Anayltical Laboratory:
– Upgrade laboratory director’s position to 1.0 FTE on university funds
– Build up facility use and grow recharge income.
SNRI operations
– Complete recruitment of MSO.
– Complete backlog of budget transfers and development of procedures.
– Expand ability to support research grant administration for faculty and research
scientists, by addition of administrative staff.
Campus Reserve
– Complete strategic plan and gauge interest in use of the facility
– Hire staff member to develop reserve; engage an SNRI faculty member to be the
faculty lead for development of the reserve.
– Consolidate finances and budget for the reserve, to allow SNRI to take
responsibility for the lands, and continue development activities.
Wolverton Field Station
– Consolidate management functions and budget of existing facilities
– Continue development activities to build up field station
NEON-Southern Sierra Transect
– Continue NEON planning, in anticipation of infrastructure investments beginning
in 2011-12.
– Expand development activities for research space at Dinkey Mill
Tulare basin
– Continue to work with Tulare Basin Wildlife Partners
– Explore development opportunities for Tulare Basin research and long-term
presence
SNRI on campus
– Better serve needs of SNRI faculty through administrative support for research
and one-time grant opportunities
– Expand development activities around fellowships and other research support
– Continue to explore financing for an SNRI building
– Develop a strategy for SNRI naming opportunity
– Continue to work with schools and graduate groups for strategic growth of UC
Merced
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