AWRI receives ArtPrize Donation from the Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild

The Annis Water Resources Institute is very fortunate to receive tremendous support from the Muskegon and entire west Michigan community. This support manifests itself in many ways, including financial gifts, intellectual input, and as boosters for our work.

One totally unexpected gift came to us this autumn in the form of a donation from the Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild of west Michigan. To celebrate their 50th anniversary, almost half of the Guilds 70 members participated in the creation of a piece called "Woven Lakescape", which was submitted as part of this year's ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. A montage of scarves, each either hand woven, knit or crocheted by Guild members, was arranged to portray Lake Michigan at sunset.

Woven Lakescape was sold to a private collector, and the Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild donated the proceeds from that sale to AWRI. We will be using those funds to help support undergraduate research internships this summer at the Institute. We extend our gratitude and appreciation to the Guild members, and especially Laurie Angell, for their generosity; these types of gifts keep us inspired to continue our work to preserve and enhance our freshwater resources for both current and future generations.

LMC Events

Nov 1
Glenn Odenbrett, Project Manager for the Great Lakes Innovative Stewardship through Education Network (GLISTEN), made a site visit to AWRI.

Nov 2
Ryan Thum hosted collaborators from Trent University, Ontario, where they visited his lab.

Nov 10
The Muskegon Chamber of Commerce held their "Muskegon in Focus" conference in the Multipurpose room. Al Steinman was a presenter.

Nov 12
Series Seminar: Dr. Richard Whitman from the USGS Great Lakes Science Center presented "Swim at your own risk"

Nov 16
The Muskegon County Medical Society Alliance held a meeting in the Multipurpose room with Al Steinman presenting. A tour of the facility was given by Janet Vail.

Nov 16
Special Faculty Seminar: Dr. Tim Davis from the Australian Rivers Institute of Griffith University, Australia, presented "Why are our lakes the same color as our lawns? Resolving the ecology of toxic cyanobacterial blooms using molecular techniques"

 

Activities

Bopi Biddanda attended a presentation about shipwrecks and robotics at the Muskegon Naval Museum on November 13.

John Koches was invited to participate in a two-day workshop at Michigan Technological University to assist with a planning workshop funded by the National Science Foundation about Water, Society, and Climate Change on November 18-20. Al Steinman also was invited and participated electronically in this workshop.

Jim McNair attended the annual meeting of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) in Philadelphia on November 3 and 4.

Carl Ruetz attended the Asian Carp Prevention Workshop in East Lansing on November 22.

Al Steinman was invited by Paul Seelbach, USGS, to be part of a Great Lakes Rivermouth Collaboratory.

Al Steinman gave a guest lecture to BIO 610 in Allendale on November 8.

Amanda Syers and Janet Vail were involved in a ROV (remotely operated vehicles) workshop for high school students at the Great Lakes Memorial and Naval Museum on November 12.

Janet Vail was invited by the GVSU Student Chapter of the National Science Teachers Association to make a presentation on Environmental Education on November 2.

Janet Vail assisted with a Groundswell professional development event at the Eberhard Center on November 18.

Janet Vail traveled to Lansing on November 19 to attend a Project Learning Tree Advisory Council meeting.

Jon Vander Molen hosted a West Michigan Community Sustainability Partnership meeting in Allendale on November 19.

Matt Zuellig, graduate student working with Ryan Thum, went to North Carolina to learn how to run herbicide screens on Eurasian Watermilfoil on November 9 and 10.

 

Presentations

Several of our Principal Investigators participated in the Fifth Annual Ottawa County Water Quality Forum held at the Filmore Street complex, Ottawa County, MI, on November 1st. Presentations by AWRI faculty/staff included:

Biddanda, B. Carbon cycling in the watershed and lakes.

Koches, J. Products from the Lower Grand River Watershed Management Plan.

Ruetz, C.R., III. Population status & juvenile ecology of lake sturgeon in Lake Michigan tributaries.

Steinman, A. D. and M. Ogdahl. Flooded celery fields as a source of phosphorus to Mona Lake.

Deb Dila, graduate student working with Bopi Biddanda, presented a poster at the Annual Conference of Michigan Space Grants Consortium, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, on November 13.

Dila, D., and Biddanda, B. Microbes and carbon flux in a Great Lakes watershed.

Jim McNair presented a seminar at Stroud Water Research Center in Philadelphia:

McNair, J. Incorporating reaction stoichiometry in aquatic food web and ecosystem models.

Al Steinman gave a presentation on Asian carp at the Forest Hills Senior Center on November 9.

Al Steinman gave a presentation on Asian carp to the Fremont Rotary on November 23.

Al Steinman gave a presentation about the Ruddiman Creek study at a project kick-off meeting held at McGraft Park on November 23.

Hannah Tavalire, graduate student working with Ryan Thum, presented at a Michigan Space Grant Consortium conference on November 13:

Tavalire, H. Distinct genetic lineages and environments interact to determine the abundance and spread of an invasive aquatic plant.

Ryan Thum presented a seminar at Central Michigan University on November 4. The title was "Molecular ecology of watermilfoil invasions"

Janet Vail presented a session on Population Connection at the Regional Math and Science Centers Fall Update on November 17.

 

Publications

Elizabeth LaRue, graduate student working with Ryan Thum, recently had an article accepted for publication:

LaRue, E.A., C.R. Ruetz III, M.B. Stacey, and R.A. Thum. In press. Population genetic structure of the round goby in Lake Michigan: implications for dispersal of invasive species. Hydrobiologia.

Ryan Thum and his graduate student, Matt Zuellig, had an article published:

CABI, 2010. Datasheet on Myriophyllum heterophyllum [text and tables by R. A. Thum and M. Zuellig]. Invasive Species Compendium (https://www.cabi.org/isc/). CABI, Wallingford, UK.

Ryan Thum had a manuscript accepted to Biological Invasions:

Thum, R. A., M. P. Zuellig, R. L. Johnson, M. L. Moody, and C. Vossbrinck. Molecular markers reconstruct the invasion history of variable leaf watermilfoil ( Myriophyllum heterophyllum) and distinguish it from closely related species. Biological Invasions.

 

Awards & Recognition

Jon Vander Molen received a "Champion of Sustainability" award from GVSUs Sustainable Community Development Initiative for his work with the West Michigan Strategic Alliances Vital Signs, Muskegon Area Sustainability Coalition, and the West Michigan Community Sustainability Partnership.

 

AWRI In The News

"Alien algae alarm aquatic experts: invasive species threatens to disrupt ecosystem"
South Bend Tribune, November 12, 2010 The article is about a meeting recently held to discuss Starry Stonewort, an invasive plant. Ryan Thum represented AWRI and GVSU at this meeting.

"Ruddiman, round 2: new study to tackle next step on creek restoration"
Muskegon Chronicle, November 17, 2010 Al Steinman is quoted regarding the next phase of the upcoming Ruddiman Creek restoration project.

"After sedimental journey, creek minders take next step"
The Grand Rapids Press, November 17, 2010 Al Steinman is quoted regarding the next phase of the upcoming Ruddiman Creek restoration project.

"Water asset"
MiBiz, November 22, 2010 Al Steinman is quoted regarding AWRIs economic impact in the Muskegon area. Dr. Paul, Isely, economics professor from GVSU, recently completed this study.