April 2021 Zoom program: Nate Senner on Saline Lakes, Flamingos & Life in extreme environments

Available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEsVQnT6gJ4

Saline lakes occur in some of the world’s driest regions yet are home to globally important assemblages of an array of endemic taxa, ranging from microbes to wading birds. This presentation explores how water availability and lithium mining influence the three species of flamingos that breed in the Lithium Triangle — the Andean (Phoenicoparrus andinus), James’ (P. jamesi), and Chilean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis). Given the essential function of flamingos as top-consumers and their critical role in the local eco-tourism industry, the projected future increases in the demand for lithium batteries pose grave threats to regional biodiversity and human economic well-being.