Climate change in Mongolian and American rivers studied

Odonchimeg 2016-03-31 07:03

Economy

Climate change in Mongolian and American rivers studied.

Climate change in Mongolian and American rivers studied. With the help of a $4.2-million grant awarded by the National Science Foundation to a consortium of American institutes, international researchers will focus on rivers in relatively undeveloped areas of Mongolia in order to view changes that large rivers undergo during increased direct human interference and climate change. The consortium of institutions will split the grant over the span of five years to study 18 rivers in temperate grassland biomes – an ecosystem type shared by much of Mongolia and the Great Plains/Great Basin regions of the United States. Looking at rivers in Mongolia, researchers are essentially looking into the past history of American rivers, before damming and other human activities affected them. And the heightened climate change in Mongolia may help scientists understand the future effects coming to American rivers as climate change develops state-side. Mongolia is considering constructing hydropower dams. It’s important to study the rivers now before such a change occurs, as the cases developed from the study of American rivers and their function after extensive damming may help Mongolians understand what changes could occur in their rivers. Later this year, the sites to be sampled in Mongolia in 2017 will be decided.