Loch Vale Watershed Long-term Ecological Research and Monitoring

(conducted by US Geological Survey, National Park Service, and universities)

Objective: To be able to differentiate natural variability from human-caused disturbance, particularly disturbances from atmospheric deposition and climate change. Through monitoring, experiments, and modeling, we study changes in ecosystems and climate that may be affected by increasing urban, agricultural, and industrial activity.

Fact Sheet

Current research in Loch Vale has three themes:
1) Long-term trends in climate and biogeochemical fluxes,
2) Ecosystem/atmospheric responses to nitrogen deposition, and
3) Effects of global change on mountain ecosystems.

This handout is a small primer on some of our findings, things we’d like to know if we were park visitors. We’ve been doing this work since 1983, so this is our 20th year of study. If you have questions, call, or email

Jill Baron 970-491-1968,
jill@nrel.colostate.edu

Jorin Botte 970-491-2153
jorin@nrel.colostate.edu

Our WEB address is http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/lvws