Expanding Collaborative Capacity to Address Climate Resiliency in the Great Lakes Region

The goal of this project is to build capacity for climate resiliency research at Central Michigan University (CMU) through developing capabilities and partnerships for Biological and Environmental Research (BER), Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences Division (EESSD) aligned research.

The Great Lakes region is a valuable, diverse, and unique environment that provides economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits to millions of people. However, some components of Great Lakes biogeochemistry,

biogeochemistry

Studies the cycle of key elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus within Earth's systems. It explores how these elements interact and the factors influencing their cycles.

Source: Oak Ridge Biogeochemical Dynamics Source

climatology, and hydrology

hydrology

The science that deals with water, its properties, circulation, or distribution on Earth's surface, and in the atmosphere through evapotranspiration.

Source: NASA earth observatory Source

are not well understood, especially considering their importance, scale, and connections to broader environmental systems. In addition, climate change

climate change

A change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time.

Source: NASA Climate Kids Source

poses substantial threats to the region. Flooding, extreme weather, habitat loss, and water quality declines are exacerbated by climate change and pose risks to the Great Lakes region. These complex and interconnected challenges require interdisciplinary collaboration to investigate and address, and researchers at CMU have the expertise to address them. The Great Lakes can also serve as a useful test bed for understanding the effects of climate change that can be applied to other regions.

Project Objectives - This project will develop capabilities for climate resiliency research at Central Michigan University and develop partnerships between CMU and ongoing EESD-research projects. Our objectives are to:

1.      Foster an interdisciplinary network of climate resiliency experts at CMU

2.      Identify where the investigators’ research programs and expertise align with DOE funding and research priorities

3.      Identify opportunities and develop partnerships with climate resilience-focused DOE staff and projects

4.      Position the investigators to prepare one or more proposal submissions to EESSD for climate resilience-related research

in the Great Lakes region

This Research Development and Partnership Pilot will grow the institutional capacity of CMU to propose and undertake climate resilience research in the Great Lakes region and improve our understanding of how climate change affects ecosystem

ecosystem

A natural community of plants, animals, and other living organisms and the physical environment in which they live and interact.

Source: A student's guide to Global Climate Change Source

processes.