Role of benthic production and processes in lake ecosystems
Current research in collaboration with Dr. Yvonne Vadeboncoeur (Wright State University) is examining the relative importance of benthic and pelagic primary production along gradients of lake size, eutrophication, and lake morphometry. In addition, we are examining the importance of benthic production to higher trophic levels in lake ecosystems, and examining the broader implications of this benthic energy flow for trophic cascades and food web stability.
Taimen Conservation Research
The University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Nevada-Reno, and the University of California-Davis, and the Mongolian Institute of Geoecology have partnered as a research team in a conservation effort to sustainably protect Mongolia's giant salmonid, Hucho taimen, through operation of fishing concessions. This 5-year program will be the most extensive study of Hucho taimen ever conducted. The study will assess population status, migrations, threats to populations, and the role of taimen as a part of the broader ecosystem. Information produced by the science team will be used to develop a natural resource management plan for the region.
Impacts, dynamics, and prediction of aquatic invasive species
Invasive species are a leading threat to aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems. Because invasions are among the most irreversible of human impacts, prevention is the most important approach for dealing with this problem. But with approximately 15,000 lakes in Wisconsin along, how do we focus our efforts most effectively? We have been working with a variety of researchers on what we call 'smart prevention' projects. The idea is to identify lakes that are most likely to be invaded and most likely to be impacted by an invader. These 'vulnerable' lakes can be mapped using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to show the pattern of vulnerability on the landscape, and prevention and monitoring efforts can be directed to these vulnerable sites. This type of analyses has been conducted for bass invasions in Ontario lakes, and is presently being conducted on rusty crayfish, rainbow smelt, round goby, zebra mussel, and spiny water flea in Wisconsin.
Characterizing ecological impacts of invaders is another research interest. Current studies are examining the food web consequences of rusty crayfish and rainbow smelt invasions in Wisconsin lakes. Stable isotope techniques are proving to be be a useful tool for examining the food web responses to these ecological perturbations.
Food web perspectives on ecological restoration in aquatic systems
Ongoing projects are targeting the conservation and restoration of native fisheries in the Sierra Nevada Mts, (CA-NV), the Laurentian Great Lakes, and Mongolia. Efforts to restore native fisheries rarely consider predator-prey interactions. Yet introduced species may alter food webs and act as barriers to restoration of native species. Fisheries conservation efforts can benefit from assessing historical food web conditions, as a tool for setting realistic restoration targets. Current projects are conducting stable isotope analysis on museum specimens to reconstruct long-term food web chronologies in Lake Tahoe (CA-NV) and other lakes, emphasizing the ecological changes and restoration potential of these systems.
Wisconsin Buffer Initiative
The Wisconsin Buffer Initiative (WBI) is an effort to make science-based recommendations to the Wisconsin DNR for the development of state rules governing agricultural pollution. The overall goal is to identify areas where buffers, in conjunction with other conservation practices, have the greatest likelihood of reducing water quality degradation