Geological Society of America

14 Undergraduate Research Poster Session I (Posters)

Monday, 16 April 2018
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
First Floor Lobby

BIOGEOCHEMICAL EVOLUTION OF THE ATMOSPHERE: THE BETA PROJECT

Paper number: 14-12
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

Tray Hickie Presenting Author
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Riley McMorran
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
William Spurr
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Tami Wallin
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Jessica Wayson
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Joshua Sebree
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Alexa Sedlacek
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Xinhua Shen
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Lucas Krakow
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Kayla Beck
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Nicole Bishop
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Astoria Chao
Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls, IA
Juliana Herran
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Michael Lashbrook
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Makenzie Male
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Courtney Massey
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Abstract

The interactions between the atmosphere and biosphere throughout Earth’s history play an important role in the dynamic climate system. The BETA Project involves undergraduate students in a multidisciplinary study of the biogeochemical evolution of Earth’s atmosphere at three key intervals of Earth’s history. (1) The anoxic atmosphere that supported Earth’s first life, (2) the Devonian, a period when forest ecosystems radiated onto the land surface and caused major CO₂ drawdown from the atmosphere and (3) the modern agricultural sources of atmospheric NH₃. Our interdisciplinary team includes undergraduate Earth Science, Environmental Science, Biology, Biochemistry, Computer Science, and All Science Teaching majors from the University of Northern Iowa. The team is led by faculty from the Earth Science Department and Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at UNI in collaboration with scientists from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. 22 undergraduate students and one high school student have used a combination of laboratory simulations, field work and analysis, and weather and climate modeling to study atmospheric changes at these intervals of Earth’s history over the past three years.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 50, No. 4

doi: 10.1130/abs/2018NC-312974

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