Fuels!

Leslie setting up a scale to measure how much moisture is absorbed by the mountain environment

Not the kind you put in your car but then again, it still burns.  Hot Springs National Park has a few mountains within it's boundaries, in fact, the park basically is a ring of mountains.  There aren't any open fields or marshes but forests instead.

For thousands of years these forests have burned after somewhat regular wildfires scorched the land.   These fires may seem destructive but they are important for plants and animals who've adapted to these cycles.  Fires help break down dead trees which enriches the soil with nutrients.  Some plants even rely on the heat from a fire to help them germinate.  But as humans have moved surrounding areas of the park, especially in the past century, fires have been suppressed to protect peoples property.

Scientists are recognizing the consequences of suppressing fire on the landscape for so long and are beginning to prescribe burns to wild areas.  Enter climate change.  As the planet becomes better able to retain heat due to extra carbon in the atmosphere, the frequency of fire and length of fire seasons is increasing.  Climate change is already causing more severe droughts which hurt our ability to fight fire as well as make our planet more prone to fires.

To understand the potential effects, Leslie Fowler is building a model to show how prone the park is to fire events.  She is collecting data on soil moisture and analyzing the "stuff" on the forest floor to accomplish her goal.

Checking out a cool turtle!