By Chelsea Gunther Patrick Robinson, an adjunct faculty member
and Cofrin Center for Biodiversity affiliate, is working on a
project examining the effects of climate change, both socially
and ecologically. He is working on this project along with other
researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University
of Wisconsin-Extension, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Oxford Laboratory in Maryland.
So what is NERRS? It is the National Estuarine Research Reserve
System. This system contains 28 diversely located reserves.
These reserves are being exposed to several human-related
(anthropogenic) and climate-related stressors. The goal of this
project is to understand how climate change impacts coastal
areas and categorize each reserve based on the results of the
anthropogenic and climate impacts. The team plans to present the
project results in the fall of 2012. Whose idea was it? NOAA’s
Climate Program Office is developing a partnership with the
Office of Ocean and Coas