Research Summary
Masaya Volcano, Nicaragua — 90% of the world’s 1,900 active volcanoes are located along the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates meet with massive force and give us glimpses of the Earth’s power.
While we know that live volcanoes play visually dramatic roles in their local environments, the effects of constant low-level emissions or sporadic eruptions of sulfur dioxide and other gases on nearby plants, animals, and people remain unclear.
You can help Prof. Hazel Rymer and Drs. Glyn William-Jones, and Mike Gillman study the effects of acid rain, volcanic smog, and other volcanic side effects on the soil, water, and wildlife -especially tropical butterflies - near this “persistently active” volcano. Since this volcano erupts frequently at a very low level, it’s possible to investigate their ongoing impact on their surroundings.
Meet the Scientists
Prof. Hazel Rymer
Open University, United Kingdom
Prof. Rymer is a physicist and geophysicist by training, and has worked for over 20 years on volcano monitoring and hazard mitigation projects in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Iceland, Italy and Mexico. Working for the Open University, Dr Rymer researches persistently active volcanic processes and teaches geoscience and science communication at the undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Dr. Mike Gillman
Open University, United Kingdom
Dr Gillman is a tropical ecologist with a wide range of fieldwork experience in the Neotropics (Guyana, Trinidad, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands). His past work has included descriptions and analyses of tropical tree communities and the use of butterfly species as bio-indicators of habitat fragmentation. Also working with the Open University, he has lead student groups in the field and has worked with a variety of indigenous communities.
Dr. Glyn Williams-Jones
Simon Fraser University, Canada
Dr William-Jones is a geologist and geophysicist and has worked in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and a host of other locations, looking in particular at the gas output of persistently active volcanoes. Based at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia he researches and teaches about volcanic hazards.
Hilary Erenler
University of Northampton, United Kingdom
Hilary Erenler is a Ph.D. student and associate lecturer at the University of Northampton. She has considerable fieldwork experience in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and the British Virgin Islands. She specializes in plant pollinator interactions, and will be leading aspects of the plant and pollinator investigations at Masaya.