Discussions on the causes and consequences of El Nino and the history and music of the Hispano Southwest will be presented in March as a part of UNLV's University Forum lecture series.

"El Nino: Causes and Consequences" will be presented March 13 by Michael McPhaden, a supervisory oceanographer for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.

In his slide presentation and lecture, McPhaden will explore the global climatic effects of El Nino. He will also examine strategies being developed to mitigate its adverse effects and to take advantage of some potential benefits of this remarkable weather event.

Arthur Gomez, a historian with the National Park Service in Santa Fe, N.M., will lead a lecture and musical presentation on "The Hispano Southwest: Its History, Its Music" on March 23.

In his bilingual presentation, Gomez will employ the "user friendly" medium of song and historical narrative to highlight the more enduring influences of America's Hispano heritage.

A selection of traditional and contemporary songs provide a lyrical background upon which Gomez will highlight significant episodes in the migration history of the West's diverse Hispano communities.

All University Forum lectures are free and open to the public. Both the March 13 and March 23 lectures are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History.

The University Forum lecture series is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and underwritten by the UNLV Foundation.

For more information on the series, call 895-3401.