Climate Change Research in Mongolia
Penn Biology faculty in ecology and evolution together with collaborators at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the National University of Mongolia and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences have been awarded a 2.5 million dollar, 5-year grant from the NSF Program in International Research and Education to study the combined ecological consequences of global climate change and grazing pressures by nomadic pastoralism in northern Mongolia. This region of the world is expected to experience some of the largest temperature increases associated with global change, and the study area—along the shores of Lake Hövsgö l - is particular interest because it is home to two of the world’s most important ecosystems, taiga forest and steppe grasslands. The project should inform both scientists and governmental officials who are concerned with the impacts of climate change on the environment and on the livelihood of local people. Education is a large component of the project, and the grant provides support for the involvement of undergraduates and graduate students. The U.S. scientists will also conduct mini-courses and seminars to further ecological and evolutionary education in Mongolia. The hope is that Mongolian nationals will be among the students attracted to Penn’s Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology by this research. We welcome inquiries from prospective graduate students; contact Peter Petraitis ppetrait@sas.upenn.edu or Brenda Casper bcasper@sas.upenn.edu.
Link to campsite below: Study site and camp beside Lake Hosvgol in northern Mongolia
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