Study Abroad Program

Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean

Elaborations on General Internship Research Topics

• The effects of climate and land cover change on erosion and sedimentation o Previous internship:

“Analysis of the impacts of land-cover changes on soil erosion in watershed of Río Antón, Province of Coclé”

o Current work: Climate change impacts at the watershed level for Mesoamerica and

the Caribbean o Potential internships:

Generating land cover change scenarios for Panama or parts of Panama based on 1992-2000-2008 land cover change trends (using Nicaragua, Belize Guatemala and Honduras as examples)

N-SPECT (Nonpoint source erosion comparison tool for ArcGIS) focus on erosion and sedimentation in a certain catchment in the Panama Canal Watershed / Soberanía Park (link with rainfall/runoff)

Model sedimentation (N-SPECT) and detect sediment plums (satellite images) to assess of impacts in coral reefs

Estimate economic impacts of soil loss Impacts of land degradation on sustainable development of

communities near Sarigua Park

• Changing precipitation patterns and water availability o Previous mini-project / internship:

“How Will Changing Rainfall Rates Affect the Panama Canal?” “Identification of Priority Areas in the Water Resource Management

of the Watershed of the La Villa River in Panama” o Current work:

Climate change impacts at the watershed level for Mesoamerica and the Caribbean

o Potential internship: N-SPECT (Nonpoint source erosion comparison tool for ArcGIS)

focus on runoff and river flow in a certain catchment in the Panama Canal Watershed / Soberanía Park (link with erosion and sedimentation)

• Historical analysis and future trends of agricultural and forest fires, and their relation to protected areas

o Previous internship: Stats on remotely sensed fires per corregimiento, land cover type,

etc., for the month of March of 2003 – 2009 o Current work:

Daily monitoring of forest fires and pre-existing related datasets o Potential internship:

Locating potential fire observation towers in protected areas – Soberanía or Sarigua Parks. Relate hot spot observation with populated areas, seasons in the year, human activities, health impacts and others.

• Climate change’s impacts on species or ecosystem distributions o Previous mini-project / internship:

“How Changing Temperatures and Precipitation may Affect the Jaguar’s Range”

“Climate change scenarios and its effect on life zones of Latin America and the Caribbean and the habitat of an endemic species of howler monkey in Panama”

o Current work: Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity in Central

America, Mexico and the Dominican Republic o Potential internships:

Monitoring canal grass spread over time (image interpretation) – Soberania Park and environs

“Biological perspection” – plants, fungus, invasive species (with INDICASAT, strengthen UAHuntsville biology, if biology student comes)

Suitability modeling / habitat ranges for priority species (species lists available at CATHALAC through expert meetings)

• Impacts of sea level rise on coastal communities o Previous internship:

“Climate Change in Ukupseni, Comarca Kuna Yala: Research, Projections and Education” (received some technical support from CATHALAC)

Diagnosis of the current state of mangrove forests, their management and their relation to fisheries in Panama.

o Current work: Physical datasets available

o Potential internship: Interview-based investigation on social vulnerability, migration and

available infrastructure in light of the looming threat of sea level rise Evaluate the contribution of mangrove forests to protect coastal

zones from sea level rise.

• Costs and benefits of avoided deforestation and forest degradation o Previous internship:

“Feasibility of Avoiding Deforestation in Latin America,” (not at CATHALAC)

“Governance in the Forest Sector of Panama” (not at CATHALAC) o Potential internship:

Narrate / present different scenarios: cap and trade vs. not; economic valuation of landscapes

(Could also be a topic for the paper in Part I)

• Climate change and its impacts on public health o Previous internship:

“Climate Change and Its Possible Effects on Population Health” (focus on malaria)

o Potential internship: Linking existing socioeconomic and public health datasets with

biophysical datasets (potential case: Dengue fever)

• Impacts of climate change and El Niño on fisheries, the energy sector, agriculture, or livestock

o Current work: Regional El Niño precipitation and agricultural thermal stress indices

o Potential internship: Increasing minimum temperatures and reduction in sugar production

– Ingenio Santa Rosa Create a series of narratives to support decision making during El

Niño events by modeling variables of interest from past events

• Changing energy demands in a changing climate: what are the options? o Current work:

Hourly meteorological forecasts generated at CATHALAC o Potential internship:

Application of MM5/WRF forecasts to evaluate wind and/or solar energy potential at a “high” resolution

• Adapting risk management to a changing climate o Previous internships:

“Disaster Risk, Hazard and Vulnerability: the case of the November 2008 flooding in Panama”

“Inondations au Panama : Analyse et Synthèse. Identification des lieux les plus propices aux inondations au Panama à l’aide de données et de leur analyse avec des systèmes d’information géographique”

o Potential internships Dynamic landslide hazard maps; more advanced student with

programming experience Quasi-dynamic version of the above, designing parameters Risk analysis in the Soberania/Sarigua National Park

• Ecotourism’s Role in Sustainable Development o Current work:

SERVIR pilot project in Nicaragua: online tourist information system SERVIR regional pilot project with the Central American Tourism

Integration System o Potential internships:

Evaluation of Gamboa Rainforest Resort’s role in promoting ecotourism and sustainable development

Evaluation of ecotourism’s contribution to sustainable development in communities near national parks.

• Technology use for national park management o Current work:

Information management system developed and installed at Soberanía National Park

Soberanía-Viz (customized version of a 3D interactive environmental monitoring platform for the park)

o Potential internships: Follow-up evaluation of the use of technology and communications

in national park management and identify information needs and gaps

• Climate Change Impacts for sustainable development o Previous works:

MITCH: one decade after o Current work:

Climate Change training workshops for 200 school teachers located inside the Panama Canal Watershed (PCW)

o Potential internships: Evaluate the vulnerability of communities inside the PCW based on

Human Development Indices How to employ geospatial information usage for decision making in

sustainable development