Submitted by Albert Ruhi Vidal on
In this experiment, we investigate how climate change and water abstraction alter aquatic insect food webs of Sierra Nevada headwaters near Yosemite. Future Sierra Nevada snowmelt is predicted to occur up to two months earlier in the year, which may result in lower summer flows, shifts in insect emergence timing, and changes in community structure. We used artificial stream channels at the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory (SNARL) to measure primary production, secondary production, emergence, diet, abiotic conditions, community composition, and phenology in streams that returned to low flow at different times. This experiment will improve our understanding of how climate change and human water demands may alter stream communities and food webs.
The SPUR student will assist in sorting and identifying macroinvertebrates most weeks of the semester. This will require availability of 6-8 hours per week, but there are exceptions for job interviews, multiple tests in the same week, and sickness. The student will be trained in identifying and sorting aquatic insects at the beginning of the semester if they do not already have experience identifying macroinvertebrates. Student goals in knowledge, skills, and personal development will be discussed and the mentor will help the student meet these semester goals via remote meetings if requested. We welcome undergraduates to join virtual Freshwater Lab meetings and learn more about freshwater Berkeley research and graduate school if they desire. The student will also have the opportunity to continue working on the project and pursue his or her own research question in the future, provided their work is satisfactory and they are interested. This project will take necessary steps to ensure safety with coronavirus by having students work in closed rooms alone. There may be shifts where undergraduates enter rooms previously used that day. In this case, those using labspace will clean counters and tools used with ethanol for safety and masks will be required at all times.
Experience sorting macroinvertebrates is a plus, but no previous research experience is required. Student must be reliably available for 6 hours a week and be capable of using a microscope for multiple hours at a time.