You’re invited to the Twin Ports Freshwater Folk (TPFF) event on December 4, 2024, from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m CT. This month's event features Kait Reinl, Research Coordinator for the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.
In-person attendees are invited to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (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.
Location:
Duluth MPCA Conference Room
525 Lake Ave. S., Suite 400
Duluth, MN 55802
Registration:
- In-person registration
- Virtual registration (Begins at noon; no virtual discussion)
Event schedule:
- 11:30 a.m. Lunch and networking (in-person only)
- 12:00 p.m. Attendee announcements
- 12:05 p.m. Seminar(s)
- 12:45 p.m. Moderated question and answer session
- Adjourning by 1 p.m. at latest.
Presenter Bio:
Kait Reinl is the Research Coordinator for the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve at University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension. She is a limnologist with a broad interest in the synergistic effects of watershed and climate on water quality.
Presentation Abstract:
The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) aims to quantify both short-term variability and long-term change in estuarine ecosystems. This study utilized SWMP data spanning 10 to 23 years from 99 stations across 28 Reserves along US coasts, including the Great Lakes, to assess changes in coastal water quality. Our analysis reveals widespread eutrophication in estuaries, with nearly 70% of sites showing significant increases in chlorophyll-a. Further, almost half of sites are experiencing significant declines in dissolved oxygen and over 60% report significant temperature increases. To investigate the potential drivers of changes in chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, we applied model selection and model averaging techniques. Preliminary results suggest that changes in nutrient concentrations are associated with increasing trends in chlorophyll-a, while increasing temperatures and chlorophyll-a trends are likely contributing to decreases in dissolved oxygen concentrations. These findings underscore the need for effective strategies to maintain ecological integrity in estuarine systems in a changing environment.
About TPFF:
Twin Ports Freshwater Folk (TPFF) is an informal gathering of people from the Twin Ports who are engaged in freshwater research, policy, or regulation 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
Subscribe:
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Contact:
Alex Frie, research and fellowship coordinator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth.
Portrait of Kait Reinl smiling. Image credit: Kait Reinl.