New Microplastics Exhibit at the Tahoe Science Center

The UC Davis Tahoe Science Center (TSC) in Incline Village has opened a new exhibit on microplastics! 

Researchers from UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) have been studying the fate of microplastics in Lake Tahoe because most of the research on microplastics and plastic pollution has been done in the oceans according to TERC Education and Outreach Director Heather Segale. One finding is that “More types of plastics will float and float longer (in salt water) as compared to less dense fresh water where not as many types of plastic float and the ones that do don’t float as long,” said Segale.

When plastics become litter, they break apart into smaller and smaller pieces known as microplastics. The TERC exhibit reports on some of the ongoing research on how those microplastics affect the ecosystem here at Tahoe specifically. “Our research right now is looking at the fate of those plastics. Are they mostly staying at the top? The answer is no, not really,” Segale said. “Are they going down… where the density gradient changes from where the warmer water sits on top of the colder water? Or are they sinking to the bottom? Or are they getting eaten up by the different filter feeders that are in the lake like kokanee salmon or zooplankton?”

These ongoing research questions are addressed across the five panel display at TSC. The exhibit also features hands-on activity tables that allow visitors to investigate different sizes of plastic and learn about their impacts on the environment. The science activities model the same research methods used by TERC scientists.

At Hidden Beach in Nevada, debris gets pushed on shore after wind events, Segale said, emphasizing “the amount of plastic we found these couple of times that we’ve gone after a wind event is just incredible.” UC Davis TERC is researching where plastics get deposited and what effects the Lake Tahoe environment have on the plastic.

As to how plastic is getting into Lake Tahoe, storm water, air and humans are likely the only things contributing to the plastics in Lake Tahoe, as there is no wastewater allowed to be discharged into the lake. The new exhibit shows that our actions contribute to plastic pollution in Lake Tahoe, but also demonstrates how our actions can also reduce or eliminate plastic from entering the Lake.

TERC Education Programs Associate Elise Matera, who helped design and implement much of the exhibit, said, “I am so excited to finally reveal the Tahoe’s Plastic Problem exhibit! It has been so rewarding to see this project go from an idea in conference room to a real, tangible final product. It was amazing to work with such talented scientists, outreach professionals, and graphic designers who all worked hard to get this important messaging out despite all the challenges of the past year.”

Education and outreach are integral components of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) activities in the Tahoe basin. The goal of their educational programs is to provide science-based information about the Lake Tahoe region to foster responsible action and stewardship. TERC currently interacts with more than 11,000 people annually, including providing over 4,000 local students with the opportunity to learn about the unique and fragile ecosystem of Lake Tahoe, the state-of-the-art science and research activities occurring here, and how they can protect the Tahoe basin.

The Tahoe Science Center, located on the Sierra Nevada College Campus, is NOW OPEN! You can also take a virtual tour of the microplastic exhibit on the UC Davis Tahoe You Tube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFnaHfUfvYg. The Tahoe Science Center has reopened to the public for scheduled tours of small groups of visitors. For more information on how to schedule your guided tour, visit http://www.tahoesciencecenter.org/.

Sources:
The fate of plastics in Lake Tahoe by Michelle Gartner Oct. 16, 2020 Tahoe Daily Tribune
Tahoe Environmental Research Center (ucdavis.edu)