Twin Ports Freshwater Folk invites you to their November 5 presentation, "Molecular Stable Isotope Tools Improve the Monitoring of Eco-Contaminant Coupling within the Great Lakes” by Chris Yarnes, ecologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In-person attendees are invited to the Duluth MPCA conference room for networking, sandwiches, and plenty of fresh water at 11:30 a.m. The online and in-person presentation will begin at noon. Sadly, the Zoom option is sandwich-free.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required for in-person and virtual attendance.
Location
Duluth MPCA, conference room
525 Lake Ave. S., Suite 400
Duluth, MN 55802
Parking
Attendees should inform the gate attendant at the MPCA lot that they are attending a meeting at the MPCA.
Registration
- In-person registration
- Virtual registration
Event schedule
- 11:30 a.m. Lunch and networking (in-person only)
- 12:00 p.m. Attendee announcements
- 12:05 p.m. Seminar
- 12:45 p.m. Moderated question and answer session
- Adjourning by 1 p.m. at the latest.
Speaker Bio
Chris Yarnes is an ecologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions, Great Lakes Coastal Sciences Branch, Ecosystem Services Section. Yarnes' research employs molecular biogeochemical analysis to interrogate connections among food webs, energy flow, and contaminants within ecosystems. This research leverages organismal biochemistry, ecology, and contaminant fingerprinting in the development of advanced biomarker and stable isotope techniques to improve our understanding of eco- contaminant dynamics and enhance the monitoring of freshwater coastal ecosystems and their services.
Presentation Abstract
The biological community of the Laurentian Great Lakes experiences a complex set of stressors, from physical (e.g., altered thermal-oxygen profiles and flash erosion events), biological (e.g., invasive species and harmful algal blooms), and chemical (e.g., legacy and emerging contaminants) perturbations. This presentation will outline the utility of multi-element, compound-specific, stable isotope measurements (“CSIA”) of biological macromolecules (e.g., amino acids, fatty acids, sterols) in quantifying the impacts of these stressors on Great Lakes food webs and subsequent impacts on the quality of ecosystem services. Recent results that highlight some potential applications of these new and emerging tools will be presented. Finally, discussion will focus on how incorporating these stable isotope measurements within monitoring programs can enhance understanding of the impacts of environmental stressors on the distribution and flux of contaminants through the food webs of the Great Lakes.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
About TPFF
Twin Ports Freshwater Folk (TPFF) is an informal gathering of individuals from the Twin Ports who are involved in freshwater research, policy, or regulatory issues. Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of every month and include networking, informal discussion, and a seminar.
Event Sponsors
- Minnesota Sea Grant
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Large Lakes Observatory at the University of Minnesota Duluth
- Natural Resources Research Institute at the University of Minnesota Duluth
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Contact
Alex Frie, research and fellowship coordinator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth. [email protected].
Image courtesy of Chris Yarnes.