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By: Cameron Cornellier Summary. California is the origin for many of the large wildfires that have been dominating headlines in the past few years. While the impact of these wildfires on the ecosystems where they occur can be devastating, new research is always being done to completely understand the effects of the fires. One of the newer wildfires, known as Caldor Fire, has been burning in California since August of 2021 and has had larger ramifications than simply burning through forests. The smoke and ash from the Caldor Fire has blown into the Lake Tahoe basin, which has polluted Lake Tahoe. The lake, which is famous due to its clarity, has become murkier due to particles of ash and ember that have fallen into the lake a result of the fires. As a popular tourist attraction, losing the famously clear water could potentially harm business around the lake. Additionally, the biological effects on the lake from the smoke is not fully understood, and the lake is being used as a case study to further understand how smoke, ash, and other particles impact the lake. Many endangered species call Lake Tahoe home, and the particle pollution in the lake could cause the natural ecosystem to become altered. Sunlight is being blocked by the smoke that hangs above the lake, which could kill plant life that needs photosynthesis to survive. Unfortunately, harm to Lake Tahoe will not stop after the forest fires are extinguished as rain in the region will cause ash-filled runoff into the lake, further filling it with particles. As more wildfires occur due to the changing of the climate, the problem that is occurring in the Lake Tahoe basin could happen to other lakes of the world. By understanding the effects that ash and smoke have on a body of water, we can prepare ourselves better when wildfires occur in other parts of the world. Why we should care? As the climate of the world gets hotter, more wildfires will occur. By understanding how wildfires alter the ecosystem of a lake, we can better prepare ourselves in the future.  Photo Credit: CNN, https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/210825013655-lake-tahoe-air-quality-0824-exlarge-169.jpg Example Article. https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-travel-mountains-fires-environment-and-nature-eb56661ee9a13ba8078d9774e4952600 This article is interesting because it describes the scientific process that is being done on the water of Lake Tahoe in detail. By using marbles to filter the ash particles from the water, the researchers can determine the quantity and size of the particles. I think the article does a good job describing the entire situation as well as describing the research that is being done on the lake. It also touches on the League to Save Lake Tahoe, which is a group of people who focus on maintaining the clarity and cleanliness of the lake. I feel like they are an important group to bring up due to their prior understanding on how the ecosystem of the lake functions and it will be interesting to see what conclusions they come to after the experiments on the lake are finished. Science in Action.
Dr. Sudeep Chandra is the Director of the Ozmen Institute for Global Studies, as well as the Director of the Global Water Center at the University of Nevada, Reno. Sudeep Chandra is leading the team that is collecting the samples of ash falling into Lake Tahoe. He studies the restoration of declining aquatic ecosystems as well as the conservation of aquatic ecosystems, which would explain why he is leading the research on the Lake Tahoe wildfires. He also has experience working with the management of native and non-native species of animals, which is relevant to the aquatic ecosystem of the Lake Tahoe basin. Another key point of his research background is that he has an understanding on how water quality is altered when land changing events like mining, new human urbanization, and wildfires occur.
9 Comments
Jackson Gifford
10/11/2021 12:37:35
I think that the Caldor Fire goes to show that natural disasters can have a long-lasting effect on the ecosystems they disrupt. Even when the danger that may directly threaten life has subsided, there are many other elements of the environment that will continue to be impacted for years, most likely changing that ecosystem forever. As global warming continues, these phenomena will only become more prevalent.
Riley
10/11/2021 20:06:35
It is really sad to hear that a lake famous for its clear water has now become murky and dull because of the wildfires. This is just one of the many harmful effects these wildfires are having on the environment. As climate change continues to increase the amount of forest fires we're having, we will continue to see how the environment around us is impacted.
Jackson Vosburg
10/11/2021 21:09:26
It's crazy that so many wildfires are occurring in California and all of the chaos they are causing on the environment. This pattern of wildfires is not sustainable and will only get worse as time goes on, and could possibly lead to desertification. I think it is also important to mention all of the climate refugees that could be created by the droughts and increase in water prices that will inevitably come further down the line. As global warming worsens, we will see more ecosystems fall into disarray just like the Lake Tahoe Ecosystem.
Emma Cockerill
10/12/2021 10:39:54
Jackson, I have never heard the term climate refugees before. This is a very valid term to be applied to future generations (even current populations in more extreme areas) of California in particular. Especially if there is no water available to support the population.
alexandria simpkins
10/11/2021 23:10:36
In my environment and ecology class we have recently disgusted natural experiments in which a natural event acts a manipulated variable to understand its effects. Its a sad and depressing situation to conduct research under but can hopefully help us prevent further destruction from said event and eventually total prevention of it. While it is extremely devastating to hear about this event, the results should at least point us in a better direction when it comes to handle this situation in the future. I found the use of marbles in the second article to be very clever and interesting. Am curious to know how the League of Lake Tahoe plans to save the wild life present while also sprucing up the appearance of the lake. There are plenty of ways to make water appear 'nicer' but not all are ecologically friendly. however I doubt the league will do anything to further disrupt the balance of the lake. I'm also interested to know about what efforts out there exist to prevent forest fires, whether its from drought or human factors, besides Smokey the Bear.
Jacob Philip
10/11/2021 23:47:06
Great article choice, Cameron. I totally agree that is incredibly important to understand the effects that wildfires are going to have on various ecosystems as they will continue to become more and more common as the climate crisis continues. While no one wants to think about this, it is important to understand in order to better mitigate future damage. 10/12/2021 10:37:25
I have family who live in Southern California on the east side of the mountains in the desert. They have struggled with wildfires all their life which usually occur every year. A daily struggle is also obtaining water, they have to buy shares and are only allowed to use a limited amount. A related issue that the desert communities are currently struggling with is water theft as water has become so scarce and expensive. With wildfires increasingly polluting the little surface water available, water scarcity is only getting worse. 10/15/2021 18:13:56
The place Lake Tahoe caught my eye because I have family nearby in southern California, and it's a place I plan to visit. It's so sad to read about the polluted water and negative effects of the smoke. I wasn't even aware of the level of severity this lake is in. It's crazy how little wildfires are talked about in Michigan and the midwest, it is definitely an issue that should be more brought to light. This article also was sad to read on the part about how Lake Tahoe will still be harmed even after wildfire, I didn't even think to realize this..
Loren Solomon
10/16/2021 20:14:14
Hey Carmen, I found your article very interesting. I agree it's important to pay attention to the affects of wildfires especially in regard to the ash and particles that are produced and spread. It's awful to think of a once clear water lake becoming merky and polluted. It does make me want to ask a lot of questions about how it affects wildlife in the area. Leave a Reply. |
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