Category: Earth and Environmental Science
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Analysis of Total and Bioavailable Concentrations of Trace Metals in Surface Soils and Environmental Equity in Fredericksburg, Virginia
By Anna Velardi, Faith Jones, Audrey Turner Faculty Mentor: Melanie Szulczewski Abstract Investigation into the presence of heavy metals in soil samples from a survey conducted around Fredericksburg using a variety of analysis techniques. Texture, pH, as well as organic matter content and metal concentrations in the soil were determined at 20 different locations throughout…
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Coral reconstruction of the last 200 years climate in the central Pacific
By Ainsley Lord Faculty Mentor: Dr. Grothe Abstract The central tropical Pacific is a major driving force for global climate variability due to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, it is unclear how this region is responding to human-induced climate change, which is critical to understand considering how this region may drive future impacts…
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Tridacna spp. clams as Potential Paleoclimate Indicators on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island
By Kate Green Faculty Mentor: Pamela Grothe Abstract Tridacna spp. clams, also known as giant clams, are the largest living marine bivalves and have been theorized to be reliable indicators of paleoclimate (Yan et. al., 2020). The Tridacna gigas is commonly found throughout the tropical Pacific, and has potential to supplement high-resolution paleoclimate archives from…
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Solar Farms and the Heat Island Effect: A study of Local Temperature Changes at Virginia’s Largest Solar Farms
By Rhane Elder Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Grothe Abstract With the growing urgency to move away from fossil fuels, renewable energy has started to rapidly expand. Large-scale solar farms are increasingly being proposed, and often they face backlash from community members on the potential impacts it could have. Spotsylvania County, Virginia is home to the…
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Reconstructing ENSO and Climate Variability at the 4,200 yr B.P. abrupt climate event from central Tropical Pacific Corals
By Avery Duncan Faculty Mentor: Pamela Grothe Abstract The shift from the mid-to-late Holocene 4 thousand years ago (4 kyBP) is marked by major hydroclimate anomalies and megadroughts leading to ancient civilization collapses. Currently, the cause of this major climate disruption is unclear, although more evidence supports an underlying role of the tropical Pacific, some…
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Beyond Porites corals – evaluating the geochemistry from large skeletal architectural corals from the central tropical Pacific as reliable archives for climate change
By Jessica Oberlies Faculty Mentor: Pamela Grothe Abstract The central tropical Pacific is a key region for studying climate change because it modulates global climate variability, such as through the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, there is a lack of climate records prior to the mid-1950’s from this region, making it difficult to quantify…
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Why is Shark Tooth Island Disappearing?
By Kate Stoneman Faculty Mentor: John Tippett Abstract A poster presentation on the disappearance of Shark Tooth Island. How climate change has impacted the island.
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Assessing the potential interactions between climate change and trace metal toxicity in the embryonic Seminole ramshorn snail (Planorbella duryi)
By Joseph Gasink Faculty Mentor: Tyler Frankel Abstract Based on projected modeling, increases in surface water temperatures due to climate change will pose a host of new challenges for poikilothermic aquatic organisms. Additionally, little is known about how this added stressor will interact with the impacts of known environmental contaminants. As such, this study was…
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The presence, concentration, and potential ecological impacts of trace metal contaminants in the James River near a coal ash repository (New Canton, VA)
By Summer Orledge Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tyler Frankel Abstract Industrial coal combustion residuals (CCRs) are rich in trace metals that infiltrate surface waters via accidental spills, authorized discharges, and leaching from lined or unlined impoundments. Several of these have been shown to act as neurotoxins, hepatotoxins, and/or carcinogens in a variety of vertebrate species. Existing…
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Reconstructing ENSO and Climate Variability at the 4,200 yr B.P. abrupt climate event from central Tropical Pacific Corals
By Avery Duncan Faculty Mentor: Pamela Grothe Abstract The shift from the mid-to-late Holocene 4 thousand years ago (4 kyBP) is marked by major hydroclimate anomalies and megadroughts leading to ancient civilization collapses. Currently, the cause of this major climate disruption is unclear, although more evidence supports an underlying role of the tropical Pacific, some…
