Critical Zone Observatory

The Critical Zone Observatory is an interdisciplinary research project created to study the chemical, physical, and biologic process that shape the Earth's surface and supports most terrestrial life on the planet. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the European Commission, CZO labs operate in 10 labs, including six in the United States.

The program was created to research what scientists call Earth's Critical Zone, the porous "near surface layer" that starts with the tops of trees and including the deepest water sources. By researching how organisms, rock, air, water, and soil interact, scientists hope to better understand natural habitats as well as concerns like food availability and water quality. To understand these complex reactions, especially in light of global warming researchers from a wide range of disciplines including geosciences, hydrology, microbiology, ecology, soil science, and engineering are needed to study the critical zone.^[1] The national initiative will be guided by the Critical Zone Exploration Network.

Jemez River Basin and Santa Catalina Mountains Critical Zone Observatory

This observatory is based at UA's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Focused on the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson and the Jemez Mountains north of Albuquerque, this CZO is tasked with researching sites along elevation gradients in the semi-arid Southwest. Since the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico host a range of rock types and climates, temperatures and the amount of precipitation vary dramatically with elevation. Additionally, the diversity in rock types and climate, allow researchers to use these mountains as natural laboratories to understand how geology and climate control the formation of critical zones. This project includes a $4.35 million grant from the NSF for five years starting in 2009. The team is setting up sensor networks in low, intermediate and high elevation watersheds in the two mountain ranges to measure water flow flows through vegetation, soils, groundwater and streams. Collecting data on precipitation, soil moisture, plant uptake, aquifer recharge and stream flow during and between both rainfall and snowmelt is a central task.

References

1. ^ Eds. "Frontiers in Exploration of the Critical Zone: Report of a Workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF)". http://www.czen.org/files/czen/CZEN_Booklet.pdf. Retrieved 06 May 2011. 

External links

• http://czo.colorado.edu/html/research.shtml
• http://www.udel.edu/czo/research.html
• http://www.czo.arizona.edu/research.html
• http://www.sas.upenn.edu/lczo/research.html
• http://www.czo.psu.edu/
• http://www.czen.org/