Climate Detectives Projects 2019-2020

Project title: Polje of Mira – Minde: Evaluation of the impact that climate change could have on the water level of the Polje.

Team: The Polje Defenders

2019-2020   Agrupamento de Escolas de Alcanena   Alcanena   Portugal   21 Student’s age: 14-15

In our project we aimed to assess the changes in the water levels of the “Polje de Minde” over the past few years, and how that change impacted the unique biodiversity, such as the green wart frog, that exists in this karstic plain classified as a Ramsar zone. Polje de Minde is a flat-bottomed depression that resulted from the movement of blocks from existing flaws in the terrain lithology. The class went to the site, guided by a university researcher, to recognize the various characteristics of the environment and to identify some species of animals whose survival depends on maintaining the water levels in the polje.

By analysis of satellite images, using the website “sentinel Playground”, a decrease of the water level in the Polje has been detected, especially from the winter of 2016, except for the year 2020, which had high rainfall.

Some of the groups have prepared presentations to raise awareness about the sensible use of water resources to be shared with their younger colleagues, and their families .