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GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH NEWS #18: SYMPOSIUM SESSION ON "GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC CHANGE"
Citation:
Scheraga, J. GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH NEWS #18: SYMPOSIUM SESSION ON "GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC CHANGE". 2000.
Description:
A session on "Understanding and Managing Effects of Global Atmospheric Change" will be held at the Fifth Symposium of the U.S. EPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory. The Symposium topic is "Indicators in Health and Ecological Risk Assessment." The session will take place on Wednesday, June 7 and Thursday, June 8 in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. This session was organized by Dr. Walker of the Atlantic Ecology Division in ORD's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL). Dr. Walker will chair the session. The primary goal of this session is to discuss and advance integrative indicators that help characterize health and ecological risks associated with anthropogenic changes in the global atmosphere, and effectively communicate information on these risks to catalyze appropriate and timely societal responses. Examples of human-caused changes in the atmospheric include: increases in UV-b radiation (resulting from release of ozone-depleting compounds), global climate change (resulting from increases in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere), and changes in the flux of reactive nitrogen (particularly to watersheds and coastal receiving waters). Each of these anthropogenic changes has created coherent temporal patterns of variability in stressors to the environment and human health that can be documented at global and regional scales. Yet, due to varying ecosystem and human health sensitivities, there can be considerable spatial and temporal variability in adverse effects related to these changes. The session will examine biotic responses to these changes in both terrestrial (e.g., forest) and coastal marine (coral reefs and estuaries) ecosystems, environments where natural and anthropogenic components of change often operate on different spatial scales and frequencies. Historical and paleontological reconstructions will help provide context for consideration of current and future ecological and health risks. Examples will highlight effective use of indicators to document changes in atmospheric stressors, adverse health and ecological effects of these stressors, and measurement of societal responses. Additional information about the Symposium can be found on the internet at: http://www.nheerl.epa.gov/symposium/index.html Registration for the conference is free. Registration info can be found at https://www.lcgnet.com/epasymposium/registration.asp