How do climate change, pollutants, changing land use, food web perturbations, and other factors influence water quality?
What are the factors that degrade water quality in lakes and rivers? And importantly, what can we do to address it? Anoxic waters (dead zones) are expanding, while algal and cyanobacteria blooms severely degrade lake water quality. It is critical to understand how factors like climate change, pollution, changing land use, food web perturbations, and other factors interact to influence lake water quality. To address these questions we conduct long-term research, whole-lake experiments, simulation modeling, and comparative studies. Much of this work is conducted in lakes and rivers right here in Wisconsin, where we work with partners and lake managers and provide the science needed to better steward our lakes and rivers.
Recent publications:
Rocher-Ros, G., E.H. Stanley, L.C. Loken, N.J. Casson, P.A. Raymond, S. Liu, G. Amatulli, and R.A. Sponseller. 2023. Global methane emissions from rivers and streams. Nature 621. doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06344-6
Carey C., P.C. Hanson, R. Q. Thomas, A.B. Gerling, A.G. Hounshell, A. S. L. Lewis, M. E. Lofton, R. P. McClure, H.L. Wander, W.M. Woelmer, B. R. Niederlehner, M.E. Schreiber . 2022. Anoxia decreases the magnitude of the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus sink in freshwaters. Global Change Biology. doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16228