Category: Science

Organism new to science found in Mono Lake’s water

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley discovered a new organism living in Mono Lake’s water—a species of choanoflagellate they named Barroeca monosierra. Choanoflagellates are single-celled, microscopic organisms that primarily feed on bacteria. Scientists have found that B. monosierra is…

Alkali fly research resumes at Mono Lake

Alkali fly (Ephydra hians) productivity at Mono Lake is a valuable indicator for understanding Mono Lake’s ecosystem health. With a life cycle that occurs almost entirely within Mono Lake’s saline waters and a diet of lake algae, alkali flies and…

New project to understand the role of evaporation at Mono Lake

As an endorheic—or terminal—lake with no outlet,  Mono Lake loses water naturally only through evaporation. Evaporation is a complex process, influenced by radiation, wind, temperature, and humidity. The rate of evaporation varies across seasons and over the lake’s surface. With…

Mono Basin ASO flights get off the ground

In the spring, the Mono Lake Committee helped Mono County secure emergency funding from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for Airborne Snow Observatories (ASO) LiDAR flights that gave us a crucial understanding of the record snowpack. ASO-derived data and…

One man walks with a tripod across his back through a golden field of grass towards snow covered rocks on the shore of Mono Lake.

Eastern Sierra Christmas Bird Counts coming up

If you like the holidays, birds, and know how to count, then the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is for you! The 2023 CBC marks the 124th year that the National Audubon Society has organized this international community science event. Every…

Tracking phalaropes at Mono and beyond

Editor’s note: This article was compiled from field reports from Ryan Carle and Kiki Tarr. Phalarope research continued at Mono Lake again this summer, with phalarope surveys taking place for the fifth consecutive year, plus a new effort to tag…

Clearing up the “green lake” phenomenon

This summer, the water in Mono Lake appeared noticeably clearer than it has during most summers over the last decade. Historically, the clarity of Mono Lake’s water fluctuates seasonally, appearing green and opaque in the winter as algae grows and…