Wednesday December 18, 2024
Berkeley Lab via Maven’s Notebook —
Life in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta has continued to persist amidst almost constant human interference, from intensive manipulation of the area’s natural hydrology and salinity to the arrival of introduced species and high levels of agricultural runoff. But the changing climate presents a growing challenge for an already sensitive ecosystem. In 2022, higher temperatures and extended drought created the conditions for a record-breaking toxic algal bloom, which killed thousands of fish and turned the waters of the San Francisco Bay — from Emeryville to Albany — a deep reddish-brown.
That’s why Lauren Lui, a research scientist with the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), is set on uncovering how the Delta’s microscopic life impacts the ecological health of this area and the quality of California’s drinking water. Using the latest sequencing technology, Lui, who conducts research in Berkeley Lab’s Biosciences Area, plans to assemble a database with the complete genomes of the estuary’s microorganisms. The database will help scientists develop a predictive understanding of how microbes may respond to environmental changes.
“It fascinates me that there are all these little things in the soil and the water that affect us,” Lui said. “We’re trying to understand what is going on out here and how everything is working together to trigger these harmful algal blooms. If we can figure out what the tipping points and levers of the system are, that can inform policy on how to manage our ecosystems.”