New Postdoctoral Researcher at AWRI

Dr. Lidiia Iavorivska joined AWRI in July 2017 as a postdoctoral research associate in Dr. Al Steinman’s lab. Lidiia graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a Ph.D. degree in Forest Resources in December 2016. Her doctoral research focused on evaluating to what extent the chemical composition of rainwater has potential to influence nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Specifically, her dissertation characterized the variability of organic carbon inputs from precipitation over space and time, bringing attention to atmospheric deposition of organic carbon as an underreported but quantitatively important piece of the carbon cycle on both global and regional scales.

Lidiia will be working on using a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic computer model at AWRI to help inform land management decisions to reduce pollutants into local water bodies. She is currently working on modeling the Lake Macatawa watershed. By combining modeling tools with water quality data that are being collected by AWRI, she will be able to evaluate how land-use decisions (such as different agricultural practices or stream and wetland restoration projects) can influence stream and lake water quality, as well as which of these practices are the most effective in solving water quality problems. The model for the Lake Macatawa can serve as a decision support and assessment tool for an ongoing Project Clarity, which collaborates with local communities in the watershed on implementing best management practices that will reduce the amounts of phosphorous and sediments that are delivered from the land into the lake.

Nick Gezon, graduate student working with Kevin Strychar, successfully defended his master’s thesis on Dec 1^st.  The title of his presentation was: “Surveying the Circular Rep Encoding Single Stranded (CRESS) DNA viral consortium found in invasive quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) and sediments of the central Lake Michigan benthos”.

Katie Knapp, graduate student working with Bopi Biddanda, attended a course at the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies in New York from January 2^nd – 12^th, 2018.  The course was titled “Fundamentals of Ecosystem Ecology”.

Charlyn Partridge coordinated a Data Carpentry event held on the GVSU Allendale campus on December 18^th & 19^th, 2017.  There were 21 participants from five different GVSU departments.  Others from AWRI included: Ben Giffin, Katie Knapp, Sarah Lamar, Maggie Oudsema, Syndell Parks, Charlyn Partridge, Hailee Pavisich, Carl Ruetz, Kurt Thompson, and Anthony Weinke.

Al Steinman attended the Ottawa County Groundwater Task Force meeting as a member on December 14^th.  MSU presented their final report to the county regarding groundwater sustainability.

Al Steinman hosted a meeting with representatives from MSU, as well as Bob Smart, about possible future collaborations held at the Lake Michigan Center on January 10^th.

Al Steinman and Rick Rediske met with Michigan house and senate representatives from the Rockford area and GVSU President Hass to discuss collaborative approaches to address the Wolverine Water Crisis on Jan 12^th. Al and Rick submitted a proposal to the elected officials.

Janet Vail attended the Great Lakes Association of Science Ships annual conference on January 11^th in Traverse City via teleconference.  Janet assisted in the planning of this conference.

AWRI staff are bolded, undergraduate students are denoted with a single asterisk*, graduate students are denoted with two asterisks**, and post-doc researchers are donated with three asterisks ***.

Publications

Bopi Biddanda and several others from AWRI are co-authors on an article accepted to Journal of Great Lakes Research:
Biddanda, B.A., A.D. Weinke**, S.T. Kendall, L.C. Gereaux**, T.M. Holcomb*, M.J. Snider**, D.K. Dila**, S.A. Long*, C. VandenBerg*, K. Knapp**, D.J. Koopmans***, K. Thompson, J.H. Vail, M.E. Ogdahl, Q. Liu***, T.J. Johengen, E.J. Anderson, and S.A. Ruberg.  In Press.  Chronicles of hypoxia: Time-series buoy observations reveal annually recurring seasonal basin-wide hypoxia in Muskegon Lake – a Great Lakes estuary.  Journal of Great Lakes Research.

Charlyn Partridge is a co-author of a manuscript accepted for publication in General & Comparative Endocrinology.
Loggie J.W., S.R. Garner, C.G. Partridge, B. Dixon, R. Knapp, B.D. Neff.  In Press.  A test of the effect of androgens on immunity: no relationship between 11-ketotestosterone and immune performance in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). General and Comparative Endocrinology.

Rick Rediske is a co-author of a paper in press, available online in the Journal of Great Lakes Research.  His co-authors are from China; Liqiang Xie was a postdoctoral researcher at AWRI.
Xue, Q., R.R. Rediske, Z. Gong, X. Su, H. Xu, Y. Cai, Y. Zhao, L. Xie.  In Press.  Spatio-temporal variation of microcystins and its relationship to biotic and abiotic factors in Hongze Lake, China.  Journal of Great Lakes Research.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2017.12.004.

Al Steinman is a co-author on 3 new manuscripts in press: Xiaomei Su was a visiting Ph.D. student from China, working in Steinman’s lab in 2017.
Isely, P., Sterrett Isely, E., Hause, C., and A.D. Steinman. In Press. A socioeconomic analysis of habitat restoration in the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern. Journal of Great Lakes Research.
Su, X.**, Steinman, A.D., Xue, Q., Zhao, Y., and L. Xie. In Press. Evaluating the contamination of microcystins in Lake Taihu, China: The application of equivalent total MC-LR concentration. Ecological Indicators.
Salk, K.R., Steinman, A.D., and N.E. Ostrom. In Press. Wetland restoration and hydrological reconnection results in enhanced watershed nitrogen retention and removal. Wetlands.

Presentations

(Presenter listed first)

Emily Kindervater, graduate student working with Al Steinman, and Maggie Oudsema presented at the Macatawa Watershed Annual Meeting on December 7^th.  Emily presented on her thesis work and Maggie presented on the 2016 annual report for Project Clarity.

Carl Ruetz was an invited seminar speaker at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana on January 23^rd.  His presentation was titled “Connectivity and movement of fishes inhabiting Lake Michigan drowned river mouths.”

Al Steinman presented at The Nature Conservancy Board of Directors meeting on December 15^th. This meeting was his last as a trustee on the board.

There were no new Awards or Recognition for this issue.  Check again next month!

Sarah Lamar, graduate student working with Charlyn Partridge, received a $1,500 award from the Michigan Botanical Foundation to be used for her thesis work.

Al Steinman received an award from CIGLR/UM for Great Lakes Long-term Ecological Research Program in the amount of $66,993.

AWRI In the News

“Water expert calls Tannery study ‘flawed’”
WZZM, December 1, 2018
Rick Rediske is interviewed regarding flaws he found in the Wolverine World Wide study they recently released.

“Rockford may have been drinking contaminated water before 2000”
MLive, Grand Rapids, January 23, 2018
Rick Rediske is mentioned in this article.  He questions the science used in the most recent Rogue River study, when it had rained previous to the testing.

“Flow of time is little comfort”
Grand Rapids Press, January 28, 2018
Rick Rediske is mentioned in this article.  He questions the science used in the most recent Rogue River study, when it had rained previous to the testing.

“Wolverine Worldwide says no to filter for less-known PF compound”
WZZM, January 29, 2018
Rick Rediske is quoted regarding water filters.

LMC Events

Dec 7
The Grand Haven Chamber of Commerce held their “Lakeshore Youth Program” at the Lake Michigan Center.

Dec 8
Seminar Speaker: Gary Whelan, Fisheries Project Manager with the Michigan DNR presented: “Stuck with nowhere to go: The fisheries management implications of connectivity”

Jan 12
Seminar Speaker: Dr. Danielle Lake, Assistant Professor in Liberal Studies at Grand Valley State University presented: "Beyond Multidisciplinarity: Engaging Wicked Problems"  

Jan 15
A “Plan for Change” workshop offered by GVSU Health & Wellness was presented by Priority Health at the Lake Michigan Center.   

Jan 16
The West Michigan Watersheds Collaborative (WMWC) held a regional meeting at the Lake Michigan Center.

Jan 26
A Muskegon Lake “Area of Concern” study was held by the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership staff and University of Michigan faculty & graduate students at the Lake Michigan Center.