New
York Great Lakes Research Consortium
Awards Small Grants for 2000
Nine
projects were recently selected to receive grants of up to $25,000
each from the New York Great Lakes Research Consortium, a SUNY organization
involving twelve New York colleges and universities. Faculty and
students from the member schools engage in multidisciplinary cooperation,
combining their research facilities and scientific expertise toward
a better understanding of the Great Lakes and the development of
techniques for their protection and restoration. In addition to
four seed grants for research awarded this year, the consortium
is funding two task groups, and three Capstone Fellowships.
Research
Seed Grants
Food
webs in river systems may be significantly altered by physical changes
in the river; an understanding of food webs is essential in the
development of effective policies for river systems. In the Great
Lakes and St. Lawrence River, physical changes resulting from water
level fluctuations currently pose a challenge to managers. A need
exists to address the ecological effects of such fluctuations, which
include hydraulic effects on mobilization of particulate and dissolved
organic carbon and on primary productivity of wetlands, channel
habitats and bays, as altered food web pathways will effect variations
in secondary productivity. In a research project led by Dr.
James H. Thorp of Clarkson University entitled Influence
of Nutrient Source on Food Webs - Implications for Management of
Water Levels in the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario,
a study of food web pathways and nutrient sources in the St.
Lawrence River will be established and will provide essential data
for the support of a full proposal to federal agencies for an extensive
study of large river trophic pathways. Dr. Thorp will be joined
by colleagues from SUNY Plattsburgh and Fordham University in this
experimental study, in which pelagic enclosures will be set-up in
situ in order to determine the realtive importance of carbon from
a variety of sources including C3 plants, phytoplankton, and aquatic
macrophytes to pelagic community complexity and system productivity.
Experimental identification of theoretical grazer (phytoplankton)
and detrital pathway contributions to food webs in the St. Lawrence
River will also be accomplished. For more information:
Dr.
Thorp - thorp@clarkson.edu
As
recently as 1998, the exotic predatory zooplankton, Cercopagis
pengoi, invaded Lake Ontario from the Ponto-Caspian region,
and has since established itself throught the Great Lakes and in
several inland Lakes of New York State. Currrently, scant information
exists for this species; as such, both experimental and observational
studies are needed for predicting the effects of this predator on
lake systems. A seed grant was awarded to Dr. Kimberly L. Schulz
at SUNY-ESF for a project entitled Bioenergetic estimation
of the predatory impact of the exotic zooplankter Cercopagis
pengoi in Lake Ontario. Dr. Schulz will be joined
by colleages at Cornell University and SUNY Brockport. This
project will establish a combination laboratory and field study
to: measure physiological parameters of Cercopagis for the
sake of constructing a bioenergetics model that will predict predation
demand; examine field demography of Cercopagis as well as
prey populations of zooplankton in Lake Ontario; and utilize the
constructed bioenergetics model in the determination of consumptive
demand for the measured Cercopagis populations in order to
quantify prey losses resulting from Cercopagis predation.
The obtained results of this study will be used in the comparison
of the effects of Cercopagis with the effects of its relative
Bythotrephes cederstroemi. For more information:
Dr.
Schulz - kschulz@esf.edu
A seed grant was also awrded to Dr. Harish C. Sikka at SUNY
Buffalo for investigation of Neurotoxicity of Polybrominated
Diphenyl Ethers. Currently, chemicals known as polybrominated
diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are being used as flame-retardants in such
products as television sets, furniture, building materials, and
computers, and some 80 million pounds are produced anually on a
global scale. These chemicals are of particular concern as they
are similar in chemical structure and physiochemical nature to other
persistant toxic substances such as PCBs and dibenzo-p-dioxins,
which are known for their ability to bioaccumulate in the fatty
tissue of fish, wildlife, and humans. However, while PCBs have been
largely phased out, production of PBDEs has continued to increase;
as such, future environmental problems may be anticipated. The bulk
of the information regarding environmental levels of PBDEs is from
European environments--little such data exists for North America.
The data that exists shows PBDEs to be present in the eggs and tissue
of fish-eating birds from six states in the U.S. and from Ontario,
Canada, and PBDEs have also been detected in lake trout of Lake
Ontario and Lake Huron as well as steelhead trout from Lake Michigan.
While limited information exists regarding the widespread occurance
of PBDEs in the environment, even less information exists on the
toxicology of PBDEs. A recent laboratory study has demonstrated
that two PBDE congeners (PBDE-47 and PBDE-99) are neurotoxic in
mice; for instance, results demonstrated that PBDEs given to neonatal
mice in single oral doses produced permanent adverse effects on
spontaneous motor behavior in adults, which worsened with age. Dr.
Sikka and colleagues from SUNY Buffalo will further investigate
the neurotoxicity of PBDEs, specifically PBDE-47 (which has been
detected in Great Lakes fish), in rats through utilization of highly
sensitive bio-behavioral indicators of neurotoxicity. It is anticipated
that such indicators may provide more information regarding neurobehavioral
functioning than those used in previous studies. Also, levels of
PBDE-47 and its metabolites will be measured, and possible cellular
damage in the rat brain will be examined and related to observed
neurotoxic effects. For more information:
Dr.
Sikka - sikkahc@buffalostate.edu
Of the myriad of highly persistent Great Lakes contaminants, halogenated
aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) are among the most threatening in terms
of wildlife and human health. Within this group, dioxin-like HAHs
including certain polychlroinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans
(PCDFs), and biphenyls (PCBs) carry particular concern as they possess
the ability to produce immunotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and adverse
effects on reproduction, development, and endocrine functions. Dioxin-like
PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs have been assigned Toxic Equivalency Factors
(TEFs) based on relative potency to TCDD, which is given a TEF of
1.0. Currently, expensive and time-consuming traditional instrumental
analysis methods such as gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectometry
(MS) severely limit the monitoring of temporal trends and potential
sources of dioxin-like compounds (TEQs) in the sediments, water,
and wildlife of the New York State Great Lakes Basin. As such, a
need exists for a cost-effective, rapid bioassay with the ability
to test for complex mixtures of compounds that elicit dioxin-like
activities in environmental and biological specimens. An exceptionally
sensitive reporter gene bioassay has been developed that can detect
TCDD levels as low as 1 pM. Seed grant funds were awarded to Dr.
James R. Olson of SUNY Buffalo for a project entitled Use
of a Reporter Gene Bioassay to Screen for Dioxin-Like Compounds
in Fish From Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Dr.
Olson is joined by colleagues from SUNY Albany and the NYS DEC for
this project, which seeks to validate utilization of this reporter
gene bioassay for the screening of dioxin-like compounds in Great
Lakes fish. In order to accomplish this, this study aims to: (1)
obtain organic extracts/fractions of fish from the NYSDEC's Ontario
Contaminant Trend Analysis Program (1998 and 2000) as well as wildlife
samples from the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario provided by
the NYSDOH; (2) quantify total dioxin TEQs in organic extracts/fractions
of these samples through utilization of the reporter gene bioassay
system; (3) compare the bioassay dervied dioxin-like activity (TEQs)
in each specimen with the respective analytical chemical data on
the levels of HAHs and TEQs in the samples analyzed by the NYS DEC
and DOH. IT is believed that future studies within the New York
State Great Lakes Basin will benefit from the incorporation of the
reporter gene bioassay due to its rapid and cost-effective nature.
For more information:
Dr.
Olson - jolson@acsu.buffalo.edu
Task
Groups
Among
Great Lakes research projects, the social sciences are under-represented
despite the fact that interest in and concern about the Great Lakes
is often generated through the interaction of natural, physical,
and ecological processes. Thus far the workshops, task groups, and
research projects aimed at addressing different social scientific
concerns have only represented a small piece of needed social science
reseach regarding the Great Lakes. To address this need for Great
Lakes social scientific research, funding has been granted for a
Task Group on Great Lakes Social Science Research Initiatives
led by Dr. Burrell E. Montz of Binghamton University.
Dr. Montz, together with colleagues from Syracuse University, University
at Buffalo, Clarkson University and SUNY - ESF, form this task group
which aims to convene researchers of varying backgrounds who share
a common goal. The initial focus will be on the lower Great Lakes,
though the geographic focus as well as the group of people involved
would shortly be expanded outside the range of New York State. The
purpose of this Task Group will be to expand upon the diversity
of the social sciences to develop a research agenda for the evaluation
and better understanding of social systems and physical science
interactions. The specific goals of the Task Group are as follows:
(1) to identify significant areas of concern within the Great Lakes
region; (2) to evaluate the implications that environmental factors
have for social systems; and (3) to develop a set of social science
research priorities for the Great Lakes. It is anticipated that
at by the end of the year, the Task Group will have done the following:
convened to share ideas regarding the stated goals above; developed
a working paper dealing with social science research needs; collaborated
in Working Groups for the development of research projects and proposals;
and established which issues in social science research require
attention in the Great Lakes region. As the focus of this Task Group
promotes Great Lakes research, it corresponds nicely to the goals
of the Great Lakes Research Consortium. For more information:
Dr.
Montz - bmontz@binghamton.edu
Within wetland ecosystems, amphibians and reptiles play significant
roles, particularly in their suggested ability to conduct nutrients
and contaminants between terrestrial and aquatic systems; as such,
herpetofauna may be valuable indicators of environmental quality.
Thus far, however, there has been a lack of coordinated efforts
to study herpetofauna significance in the St. Lawrence River / Lake
Ontario ecosystems. In response to this lack of coordination, a
task force led by Dr. Peter K. Ducey of SUNYCortland was
formed six months ago to determine the Status and Ecological
roles of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Lake Ontario/ St. Lawrence
River Basin. Dr. Ducey is joined by colleagues from the
NYS DEC, SUNY - ESF, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Oswego, and Cornell University
for this task force, of which the express purpose is to increase
collaborative research efforts concerning herpetofauna status and
ecological roles in these ecosystems. Initial work of this task
force focuses on three area of study: (1) herpetofauna significance
to the broadly-applied ecology of the Great Lakes ecosystem: (2)
interactions between human land-use patterns and herpetofaunal distribution;
and (3) amphibian and reptile conservation status within the drainage
basin. Among the major goals of the task force are: to identify
and link researchers examining Lake Ontario / St. Lawrence River
drainage basin herpetofauna; to establish a resource base to assist
GLRC members in research, collaboration, and funds acquisition;
to hold a GLRC workshop to establish collaborative projects and
submit grant proposals; to communicate and coordinate efforts with
those of researchers and government agencies in other states and
Canada, as well as regional and national Partners for Amphibians
and Reptiles; to continue public participation and information efforts
regarding wetland conservation status; and to investigate the potential
for a symposium on Great Lakes/St. Lawrence herpetofaunal issues
to be hosted by a regional or international scientific conference.
As public interest in herpetofauna is currently high, and as a number
of federal and state programs have recently been completed or are
currently underway, it is believed that the present time is critical
for the task group to pursue such collaboration and coordination.
For more information:
Dr.
Ducey - duceyp@cortland.edu
Capstone
Fellowships
The
exotic zebra mussel, or Dreissena polymorpha, has effected major
ecological changes within the Great Lakes. Zebra mussels have impacted
chlorophyll A concentrations, phytoplankton densities and rotifer
densities, changed nutrients, increased water clarity, eliminated
native mussels, and changed the distribution of productivity and
development of nuisance microcystis (Blue-Green algae) blooms within
the Lakes. A capstone fellowship has been awarded to graduate student
Jagjit Kaur at SUNY Buffalo for research entitled Development
of an Aquatic Ecosystem Model to study the Effect of Zebra Mussel
on Polychlorinated Biphenyl Cycling in Saginaw Bay. The
aim of this research is to quanitfy one of the ecological changes
caused by zebra mussel stress on the transport and fate of PCBs
in affected aquatic ecosystems. It is hypothesized that zebra mussel
invasion has altered PCB phase distribution and cycling such that
the bioavailibility of externally-loaded PCBs in the water column
and sediments of the system has been increased. Saginaw Bay has
been chosen as the ideal location for zebra mussel impact assessment,
and this research will address the following questions regarding
Saginaw Bay's response to zebra mussel invasion: (1) realtive impacts
resulting from phosphorus loading controls and zebra mussel invasion
on production dynamics and food chain biomass; and (2) the impact
of zebra mussels hydrophobic organic chemical (HOC) cycling in the
lake and bioaccumulation. The hypothesis will be tested through
synthesis, within a screening modeling framework, of the quantitative
understanding of the processes that influence the cycling and bioaccumulation
of PCBs in Saginaw Bay through the process of zebra mussel invasion.
For more information:
Ms.
Kaur - jkaur@acsu.buffalo.edu
A capstone fellowship has also been granted for a Master of Science
research project undertaken by Sandra Parker of Cornell University
entitled The Effect of Oligotrophication and Dreissenid Invasions
on Eastern Lake Erie's Forage Base, the Rainbow Smelt. This
research focuses on temporal and spatial variation in lower trophic
level dynamics, historical and current rainbow smelt diet composition,
impact of nonindigenous species (Dreissena polymorpha, Dreissena
bugenis, Bythotrephes longimanus) on food web dynamics, and
the relationship between recent and historical changes on the deterioration
of rainbow smelt stocks on the eastern basin of Lake Erie. This
research project represents a component of a larger collaborative
project entitled "Sustaining fisheries in a changing environment"
between researchers at Cornell University, SUNY ESF, and the NYSDEC.
This joint effort aims to assess the sustainability of the eastern
Lake Erie fishery in regard to changes brought about by phosphorus
reduction and dreissenid invasions. Through comprehensive examination
of lower trophic level production changes, as well as changes in
rainbow smelt biomass, and population estimates for ecologically
and economically important fish stocks including smallmouth bass,
lake trout, and walleye, this assessment will be achieved. Sandra
Parker's thesis will focus on the lower trophic levels of eastern
Lake Erie and its forage base, the rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax);
specific interest includes changes in lower trophic production in
the past four decades as well as changes in smelt diets within this
period. Further, focus will include the relationship that such changes
have had to the smelt population biomass decline and the deterioration
of yearling smelt condition in the past decade. For more information:
Ms.
Parker - slp21@cornell.edu
Embayments are distinctly different than nearshore habitats as they
are insulated from main lake processes via a narrow inlet, resulting
in restricted water exchange with the main lake and reduced wave
action. In Lake Ontario, embayments have higher nutrient concentrations,
chlorophyll-a concentrations, zooplankton densities, and seasonal
water levels than nearshore and offshore zones. Despite these important
differences, embayments and nearshore habitats have generally not
been included in past lakewide bioenergetics models for the Great
Lakes. Such areas may represent critical production areas for zooplankton
and larval alewife; as such, inclusion of these habitats into bioenergetic
models may provide a more accurate picture of lakewide food web
dynamics. A capstone fellowship has also been awarded to doctoral
candidate Robert A. Klumb at Cornell University for a research
project entitled The Role of Embayments and Inshore Areas
of Lake Ontario as Nursery Grounds for Young-of-Year Alewife.This
project seeks to determine the role that embayments and inshore
areas of Lake Ontario play as young-of-year (YOY) alewife nursery
grounds. Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), once an exotic nuisance
species, is currently a critical species for the sustainability
of the salmonid fishery; central to the sustainable management of
the salmoind fishery is accurate information regarding alewife reproduction
and larval alewife growth, survival, and recruitment. This doctoral
dissertation research project will use field collections together
with laboratory experiments for the assessment of early life physiology
and ecology of alewife in nearshore and embayment habitats of Lake
Ontario. The three objectives of this project include: (1) comparison
of densities and larval alewife growth collected in nearshore and
embayment habitats; (2) development of a larval/juvenile alewife
bioenergetics model based on laboratory-derived respiration and
swimming speed measurements; and (3) examination and subsequent
modeling of food web dynamics and potential first-year growth of
alewives within productive embayments and less-productive nearshore
habitats through utilization of the new bioenergetics model and
fish densities estimated from field collections done in 1997 and
1998. For more information:
Mr.
Klumb - rak11@cornell.edu
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