Spotlights
Kate Lucas defends thesis on impacts of climate change and restoration on impaired wetland
Kate Lucas successfully defended her Master's thesis on July 2, 2024 titled "Impact of climate change and restoration on phosphorus loading in an impaired wetland". Her committee members included Dr. Al Steinman (GVSU-AWRI), Dr. Casey Godwin, (UMich-CIGLR) and Dr. Don Uzarski (CMU-IGLR)
Restoring wetlands can boost biodiversity and water quality, but past agricultural practices have left high sediment phosphorus levels in a local West Michigan wetland, posing a challenge for restoration. Kate's research found that dredging (a proposed method to control internal phosphorus loading) unexpectedly increased phosphorus release in sediment cores, which can cause harmful algal blooms and other water quality problems downstream. Warmer temperatures and simulated heat waves also exacerbated phosphorus release in some areas. The results emphasize the need for pre-restoration research before implementing management actions and show that dredging might not be the ideal management technique for this restoration site.
Kate begins work later this summer as an Aquatic Ecologist for Barr Engineering.
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