Yosemite

Air pollution that is transported into Yosemite may be deposited in pristine mountain ecosystems far from its source. Nitrogen oxides are components of air pollution that can both acidify lakes and act as ‘fertilizer’ by providing an important limiting nutrient, yet aquatic ecosystems harbor microbial communities that can remove these pollutants. This project is examining potential effects of nitrogen pollution on microbial communities present in selected lakes and streams in Yosemite. Our research involves identifying locations that may be at risk, sampling and measuring microbial community composition and activity in these systems, and exploring potential microbial responses through controlled experiments. We are beginning to explore several questions, including: can we use microbes as a sensitive bioindicator of nitrogen pollution? How does nitrogen deposition affect carbon turnover and transformation by microbes—i.e., are they accelerated? And which microbial groups are present in the park, and how does their diversity and community composition vary in space, time, and in relation to environmental variability?

More information on nitrogen deposition in the park is available from the National Park Service:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/airquality.htm

Wilderness conditions in the park:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildcond.htm

Current conditions, including road closures and links to weather forecasts and webcams:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

(C) MICHAEL BEMAN | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED