Use the word document to help you do the forum post.
As background for your peers, briefly describe your proposed research question/hypothesis and the geoscience disciplines involved in the research. Additionally, discuss the role data will play in your research, considering the following as possible topics for discussion:
- What tools or instruments have you identified as resources for your study?
- How will you use these to inform your question/hypothesis?
- Can you think of any other methods of collecting data that may be of use?
In your responses, critique your peers’ proposals and offer suggestions for data collection sources, methods, or tools and instruments.
Post 1: Hi All!
For my final project, I propose to investigate the research question: “How do human activities, such as urbanization and agriculture, influence the resilience of coastal ecosystems in the face of climate change?” This question is critical as coastal ecosystems provide essential services, including habitat for diverse species, protection against storm surges, and carbon sequestration. I will engage with several geoscience disciplines, including ecology, environmental science, geology, and climate science, to explore the interconnectedness of these factors in my analysis. Understanding the implications of urbanization and agricultural practices on coastal resilience requires a multidisciplinary approach to assess the physical, biological, and anthropogenic influences affecting these vital ecosystems.
Data will play a pivotal role in my research by providing quantitative metrics and qualitative insights into the status and changes occurring within coastal ecosystems. I have identified several tools and instruments as resources for my study, including remote sensing technologies, geographical information systems (GIS), and ecological modeling software. Remote sensing will allow me to analyze land-use changes and assess vegetation health over time, while GIS will facilitate spatial analysis of urban development patterns and their proximity to coastal areas. Ecological modeling software will help simulate various scenarios, exploring potential outcomes of different human activities on coastal resilience in light of climate change.
In addition to these methods, field surveys and sampling could be valuable for collecting data on biodiversity and ecosystem health, enabling me to correlate ecological indicators with human impacts effectively. Interviews with local communities and stakeholders may also provide context regarding their perceptions of urbanization and agricultural practices, further enriching my analysis. By integrating various data sources and methods, I aim to build a comprehensive understanding of how human activities influence the resilience of coastal ecosystems, thereby informing conservation strategies and sustainable management practices.
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For my research question I chose to investigate if there is an effect on the health of the Los Angeles community through water pollution as a result of precipitation values. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Los Angeles area, climate change has introduced long periods of drought followed by short bursts of intense rainfall. I wanted to see if the amount of precipitation has an overarching effect on local water quality and if that in turn has an effect on the health of Los Angeles citizens. After consulting with several sources that examine the impact of precipitation on water quality, water quality on human health, and precipitation on human health I would hypothesize that precipitation values in Los Angeles do effect human health through water pollution.
I tried to involve several areas of geosciences, both physical and social into my question. This question deals with precipitation values in the area of Los Angeles, which includes the science of meteorology. It also deals with water quality in the form of hydrology. There is also the direct effect of water on human health in a localized space creating a social element to the question.
In order to assess these variables I will need to collect data on precipitation values in Los Angeles over a period of time to make sure that I encompass both dry and wet seasons. To do this I can use climate data from the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create an interpolation surface of water sources on ArcGIS for periods of drought and periods of rain. This will allow for easy visualization of precipitation levels.
I will also need to assess water pollution levels during the same timeframe as the precipitation data for local bodies of water, both fresh and marine. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has historical water quality data available on the Water Quality Portal that I can obtain. Using this data I can create interpolation surfaces on ArcGIS during the periods of drought and periods of rain and see how the water quality changes between the two. I can make a visual comparison between the precipitation values and water quality by layering the two interpolation surfaces and running statistical analyses to determine if they are related.
For the final variable, I will need to collect data on reported cases of water borne illnesses. I have been looking at the Center for Disease Control for this data as typically water borne illnesses must be reported to them, though I am having a bit of difficulty finding this information at the moment. I may need to contact someone to point me in the right direction unless anyone here has a suggestion. Once I have this data I will be able to plot it on my maps to visualize the relationship between the three variables. This would also allow me to see if there are specific areas where a correlation may be stronger than others. I can also run a regression analysis to objectively measure the relationship between the variables.
There are a lot of outside variables that can influence this question however, so as I progress in my research of it, I will make the question more specific so it is easier to assess any correlation between the variables at hand without there being outside influences or biases. The easiest way to do this would be to collect the data on my own. If I had more time and the equipment to collect precipitation and water quality data over the course of a rainy season and a dry season I could decide what measurements to take and record. At the moment, I am at the mercy of whatever is already recorded and available. The good thing about this however is that I will probably have access to a range of data over a longer period of time instead of only 2 seasons.