Grantee Research Project Results

Human Activities and a Changing Climate in Louisiana

EPA Grant Number: R829420E01
Title: Human Activities and a Changing Climate in Louisiana
Investigators: Dagg, Michael
Institution: Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: June 10, 2002 through June 9, 2004 (Extended to June 9, 2006)
Project Amount: $74,534
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (2001) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)

Description:

Global change will affect Louisiana in numerous ways, including: enhancement of sea-level rise and the associated changes in coastal ecosystems; changing patterns and amounts of fisheries production; changing patterns, amounts and quality of drainage from land to sea; changes in weather and climate: wind patterns; storm frequency and intensity; and long term shifts to non-hydrocarbon energy sources. The Objectives of this project are to develop a coordinated, multi-institutional research and education program addressing aspects of global change most relevant to Louisiana and to enhance Louisiana's capability for understanding and predicting the effects of climate change on state ecosystems, culture, and economy. Three SEERs (Science and Engineering Environmental Research) were selected via a competitive process to address aspects of the broader Global Change (see following abstracts).

Approach:

Specific SIP activities that will be accomplished in support of the SEERs and to develop a broad-based statewide capability for responding to global change issues include: a seminar series, a scientific workshop, partial support for a science writer, development grants for students and postdoctorals, a summer internship program for students from any of Louisiana's universities, travel grants for non-SEER faculty and students to attend national meetings relevant to our Global Change theme, and the teaching of a two week summer course on Climate Change and Human Impacts in Louisiana, to be presented as part of LUMCON's university education program.

Expected Results:

The proposed SIP activities will significantly enhance the more focused activities proposed by the SEERs by providing several means of cross-SEER interaction and activity, and will enhance awareness throughout academia. In addition, we will attempt to reach beyond the scientific community to engage an interested public, a public that will face potentially serious impacts brought about by climate change.

Supplemental Keywords:

global climate, coastal ecosystems, coastal fisheries, wetlands., RFA, Air, Scientific Discipline, Geographic Area, Ecological Risk Assessment, State, Atmospheric Sciences, Hydrology, climate change, Environmental Monitoring, Global Climate Change, aquatic ecology, coastal ecosystems, global change, global warming, climate variability, fish habitat, land and water resources, wetlands, Louisiana (LA)

Progress and Final Reports:

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.