Steven Wilhelm, an associate professor of microbiology, discussed how climate change is influencing fresh water environments around the world on Friday.

Wilhelm presented "Climate Change and Freshwater, Our Most Valuable Resource" at UT's weekly science forum, which is celebrating its 75^th year at UT.

"Climate change is tightly linked to the change in human lifestyle," Wilhelm said.

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are increasing, and within the next 100 years we should see a change in temperature of three to five degrees Celsius, he said.

"Carbon dioxide is causing climate change and global warming," Wilhelm said.

We need to start thinking about the health of our aquatic centers a lot more.
- Steven Wilhelm, associate professor of microbiology

In addition, just last year Tennessee saw its lowest rainfall amount in 113 years.

"We're getting forty to sixty percent of what we would consider normal rainfall [in Tennessee]," Wilhelm said.

He illustrated a loss of 10 meters of water from 2006-2007 at Norris Lake.

"We need to start thinking about the health of our aquatic centers a lot more," Wilhelm said. "It's not a quick fix but something we need to start looking at."

Wilhelm heads the Aquatic Microbial Ecology Research Group. Through labs, field studies and research projects, the group focuses on a variety of problems in microbiology within aquatic ecosystems, according to their Web site.

Climate change also has an effect on biological communities, causing harmful algal blooms around the world such as the harmful microcystis bloom in China. In 2007 the group researched the Laurentian Great Lakes in the U.S. and noticed the blue-green algae, microcystis. There is worry that the toxins from this algal bloom can potentially harm people and wildlife.

"Climate change is very complicated; it's not just about temperature, it's about biological causes as well," Wilhelm said.

The UT Science Forum is held from noon to 1 p.m. on Fridays in the Thompson Boling Arena Dining Room C-D.