The zone of groundwater-surface water mixing, known as the Subsurface Interaction Zone (SIZ), is a critical and ubiquitous domain at the groundwater-surface water interface that strongly influences carbon and nitrogen cycling and regulates contaminant releases to surface waters. Researchers want to understand how groundwater-surface water mixing dynamics impact microbial communities. For this project, the work will be conducted within the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River SIZ, which contains an extensive and dynamic SIZ representative of other large, gravel- dominated alluvial systems. The project’s long-term goal is to develop models that can simulate climate change responses by understanding the fundamental relationships among microbial communities within the SIZ.
Proposer’s Name: James Stegen