El Salvador is historically identified with high rates of ecological degradation, both in prehistoric and modern times. The most striking paleoecological record of anthropogenic environmental change produced to date is from Laguna Cuzcachapa, a small lake 650 meters from the famous Mayan archaeological site of Tazumal. The Maya were revolutionary with Mesoamerican grandeur and social stratification. As a result, prior studies from Laguna Cuzcachapa have identified layers of microscopic charcoal together with pollen from crops including maize. Reported here is a 3700-year record of fire history, which spans the period from the Maya Preclassic through the Postclassic and continues through the 20th century. During this nearly 4000-year period, evidence of human impacts is represented except during two significant periods of demographic collapse: The Tierra Blanca Joven Eruption in 539/40 CE and the European Settlement in the early 1500s. After the TBJ Eruption, it resulted in a demographic collapse which decreased fire rates. Once populations increased, the European Settlement began which brought pandemics to the Maya resulting in another demographic collapse. After the European settlements enacted fire suppression strategies, there were fewer rates of fire. Chalchuapa, El Salvador has undergone anthropogenic changes in its environment, and human-induced wildfires, supported by macroscopic charcoal records, indicate that Mayan settlements assisted with ecological degradation before modern times. Future studies include macroscopic charcoal and pollen analysis in Laguneta El Trapiche, El Salvador. Having both macroscopic charcoal and pollen records in Laguneta El Trapiche will enhance the paleoecological records of Chalchuapa, El Salvador.

The central California regions of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are known well as a biological hotspot. However in terms of paleoecological record of their histories, very few in depth projects have been conducted. New information has large potential here with one high profile record being wildfire presence. Since 1850, California has not experienced fires of national concern until the years 2018 to 2022 which saw a resurgence of crown fires that hosted 7 out of the top 10 fires in history. The location chosen to search for proof of these events in record is Black Lake Pier amidst the dune lakes in San Luis Obispo. An 8 meter core from this location can allow analysis of proxy data such as with charcoal counts, loss on ignition, and magnetic susceptibility. The methodology for obtraining these results involves first cutting one half to observe trends going down and then cutting the cores every 1-2 centimeters. Those labeled fractions will then have pieces cleaned with hydrogen peroxide so that they can be filtered and looked under a microscope for charcoal quantities. The results up to now with this show that large fires are not simply man-made and have occurred in cycles of growth and reduction. Putting all these together will enable a timeline of ecological activity to be created that goes back thousands of years. A record that can work as a guide for aiding proper ecological analysis and human development in accordance with balanced prosperity.

Low-income and marginalized communities disproportionately face the heavy burden of environmental health hazards. Groundwater used for drinking water can be contaminated by agricultural runoff and heavy chemicals such as nitrates and cancerous contaminants like arsenic and chromium-6. With a growing water crisis in the U.S, California’s frequent long-term droughts, and a long history of poor water management, groundwater quality in the San Joaquin Valley has been negatively impacted. To combat this water crisis, California passed its landmark Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014. SGMA requires local officials to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and have them create Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPS) for their designated basins, with the intent of reaching sustainability for groundwater resources by 2040. Although there has been previous research on the success of SGMA’s recent implementation and necessary inclusion of marginalized stakeholders in groundwater management planning, there has not been a thorough review of how GSAs are including water quality metrics to improve the water quality in disadvantaged communities. This study aims to assess how well GSPs are integrating water quality metrics to meet the needs of disadvantaged communities in the San Joaquin Valley. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this study analyzes both geospatial data and groundwater management plans to analyze what water quality metrics have been implemented to improve water quality conditions of impacted disadvantaged communities. The ramifications of a lack of clear water quality metrics for GSPs serving disadvantaged communities pose a serious threat to a basic human right: access to clean drinking water.