The LCZO is sponsoring a Theme Session at the Southeastern regional GSA conference which will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Please consider attending and or submitting an abstract for our session. Some travel support from the core grant will be available for participants.

For more information regarding the conference you view this site. 

T11. Critical Zone Processes and the Geology of Puerto Rico.

William H. McDowell, University of New Hampshire
Martha Scholl, U.S. Geological Survey

Description: The Critical Zone (CZ) is the porous near-surface layer of the Earth that extends from the top of the vegetative canopy down to the deepest groundwater. The CZ is a constantly evolving zone where rock, soil, water, air, and living organisms interact and regulate the supply of life-sustaining resources, including food production and water quality. Understanding the complex web of physical, chemical, and biological processes of the CZ requires an integration of a broad array of natural sciences, including geology, soil science, hydrology, geochemistry, geomorphology, and ecology. An immediate challenge of CZ research is to develop a predictive understanding of how the structure and function of the CZ evolves and responds to changes in climate and land-use. Although several groups have been conducting CZ research, this session will provide the first formal exchange between CZ researchers working in Puerto Rico, including researchers involved with the NSF-supported Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory (http://www.sas.upenn.edu/lczo/), the San Juan Ultra project (http://sanjuanultra.com/), and the USGS WEBB project (http://water.usgs.gov/webb/). Papers that stress linkages between bedrock geology and weathering and erosion, landscape evolution and geomorphology, and land use and climate change are especially welcome