- Follow these links to learn more about my research
and consulting positions, to see a list of my publications,
or to find out who has been funding this research. Read on to see
what I've been doing most recently.
- My current research is focused in two areas. Before coming to Alma
College I was monitoring baseline periphyton and phytoplankton productivity in the Kissimmee River (Florida).
The Kissimmee River, which connects Lakes Kissimmee and Okeechobee was channelized in the
1960's by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The meandering 120 mile long river was
turned into a straight 60 mile channel that was intended to reduce flood damage in the
agricultural areas of the watershed and it was designed to help boaters have quicker
access between the lakes. Unfortunately, an unforseen consequence of the
channelization was loss of nutrient input and an overall decrease in biodiversity of the
Kissimmee River and its watershed. An area that once boasted thousands of migratory
and resident birds had become an agricultural wasteland. In addition to this
problem, Lake Okeechobee, which ultimately drains in to the Florida Everglades was also
affected by the altered water flow. In an effort to protect the Everglades and to
restore the avian wetland communities of the Kissimmee Rive watershed, the South Florida
Water Management District is undertaking the largest river restoration project ever
attempted. My role in this restoration effort was to establish baseline data on
periphyton and phytoplankton communities in the river channel. I also
established the monitoring and sampling methods that will be used to assess the health of
these algal communities as the river restoration progresses. It is the SFWMD's hope
that the river will revert to it's pre-channelization "natural" state once the
channels have been back-filled and the waters allowed to freely meander once again.
- My other research interest is describing and understanding the viability
of Great Lakes wildrice stands. I initially started working on wildrice when I was
the senior biologist with the Mole Lake band of the Chippewa Community in northern
Wisconsin. At the time I was studying to potential effects that heavy metal deposits
and fluctuations in water level would have on the wild rice stands. Presently, I
have turned my focus to determining the extent and success of wildrice stands over time.
Essentially I am interested in examining a multitude of factors that may help us
better understand why rice grows in some lakes, but not in others that "look
like" they should have rice growing in them.
- If you have any questions, or would like to contact me, please click here.
