Graduate Students

Nitrogen cycle in corn fields in Lamberton, MN

Quantify and delineate local geological and hydrogeological features in the Lake Nokomis area that may be causing perched groundwater conditions and affiliated issues impacting nearby properties.

Understanding the costs and effectiveness of various aquatic invasive species prevention techniques to inform managers how to better place their limited prevention resources across the Minnesotan landscape

Using eDNA and microscopy in mesocosm studies to investigate efficacious detection and monitoring methods of aquatic invasive species establishment from ballast water

Effects of stream restoration projects on the ecological health of North Shore streams through nutrient uptake dynamics

Investigating how the use of livestock manure fertilizers affect chloride concentrations in Minnesota waters

Functional roles of lower trophic levels in winter food webs

Investigating Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) and their impact on septic wastewater treatment

Dietary habits of an underperforming walleye population on a northern Minnesota reservoir.

Reactive transport modeling of nitrate

Examining the spread of didymo (considered an aquatic nuisance species) throughout the streams that feed into Lake Superior and how it affects the biological communities in affected streams

Examining predatory zooplankton densities along a depth gradient across a day/night and seasonal scale

Understanding how wetland fungalbiome influences nutrient cycling, especially as it relates to wild rice and the restoration of degraded or dominant species-shifted habitats.

The diets and causes of mortality of freshwater fish in winter lake ecosystems

Hydrology

Utilizing fish sensory physiology to manage the spread of invasive species

Investigating invasive fish physiology, predator prey relationships, and possible management techniques

Observations of wind driven internal waves and turbulence in Lake Superior

Evaluating the relationship between macrophytes and water quality in the Twin Cities metro area

 Effects of benthic communities on nutrient cycling in large lake ecosystems

Examining the intricacies of spring and winter hydrological effects in Minnesota headwaters and peatland landscapes

The interplay of watershed history and fluvial equilibrium through use of remote sensing/mapping, sediment budgets, and sediment provenance and tracing.

Investigating alkalinity, pH, and pCO2  in bodies of water around Minnesota

Examining the microbial and geochemical requirements of wild rice to aid in restoration.

Investigating the effects of environmental growing conditions on the nutrient content of wild rice seeds

Leveraging big data to improve streamflow prediction and to understand baseflow recessions

Zebra mussels affects on walleye food webs in Minnesota lakes to aid agencies and lake associations in management decisions.

Microbial manipulations of nitrogen in freshwaters to better understand how to manage for the negative impacts of excess nutrients in lakes.

Using stoichiometry and genomics to assess limiting factors for diverse Great Lakes algal blooms and their associated toxins

Groundwater modeling of the Pineland Sands aquifer region to better understand the impacts of intensive irrigation on nearby water bodies and wild rice populations.

Examining modern and paleo-phytoplankton in the Great Lakes

Development of groundwater modeling tools to assess the efficacy of agricultural best management practices in southeastern Minnesota.

Understanding how/if akinetes play a role in promoting Harmful Algal Blooms in Lake Superior

Thinning trees in a coast redwood dominated forest affects forest hydrology and watersheds.

Analyzing the diel vertical migration patterns of zooplankton in Lake Superior using ADCP intensity data

Nutrient dynamics and community structure that prompt and support harmful algal blooms (HABs)

Working in collaboration with Mohamed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P, Morocco) on the use of integrated hydrological modeling for sustainable water resources management in arid coastal regions.

Impacts of lake associations on water quality 

Chemical limnology/oceanography along the continuum from large lakes to the global ocean

Inventory of spawning redd locations and habitat partitioning among salmonid species in the Bois Brule River, WI

Investigating the sublethal impacts of deicing salts on fish behavior

Assess the soil response to rainfall under soil health and conventional management systems, estimate field working days and their economic impacts under soil health and conventional management systems, and explore the importance of field working days for farmer quality of life and stress levels.

Test whether using hydrological modeling can downscale the total water storage anomalies monitored by the Gravity Recovery Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). Currently using machine learning algorithms to simulate the storage-discharge relation with Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) 

Determine effects of lake character and seasonality on AIS detections probability using eDNA. Optimize field and lab methods for maximizing detection probability of multiple AIS.

Potential of wood as a water quality BMP in biochar stormwater filters and a woodchip denitrifying bioreactor

Study of organic contaminants in Lake Superior sediments.

Human well-being benefits of water resource management, including how aspects of place and personal identity influence benefits experienced by community members. 

Detection and tracing of chronic wasting disease through hydrological transport vectors

Effects of landscape properties on the drought resilience of forested watersheds in northern California