Limnological Sampling is no Joke!

 Interdisciplinary studies have always called to me, so much so that when I first applied to colleges I only looked at schools that offered an interdisciplinary major in my preferred field. I ended up at Smith College, on their environmental science AND policy track, and I relished in taking just as many courses with the biology, geology, and data science departments as I did with the government, english, and sociology departments. My first two years of college were not the first time that I had experienced an emphasis on interdisciplinary work, however. Starting in middle school, my educational environment heavily centered the design thinking process as well as project-based learning. The ultimate goal behind these educational models is to encourage growth in educational settings. This growth can take many different shapes, but in myself I noticed a budding interest in grappling with complex problems through collaboration. The design thinking process encouraged me to deeply examine the needs of others and come up with solutions, while project-based learning helped me build those solutions into something concrete, usually alongside others. I have carried these skills with me throughout my college classes and internships, although my first look at truly self-guided research is occurring this summer. 

When I joined the LAKES REU program, I only had a general idea of what my project might be. I knew that I would be studying phosphorus pollution, and that I would be performing a style of research I had no experience with—ethnographic research. I also knew that I would likely be working alongside other students. However, I didn’t know that my form of data collection would consist almost entirely of conducting, transcribing, and coding interviews. While this experience was new and exciting, I had hoped to, at some point, gain some experience with limnological sampling. I reached out to Dr. Nicole Hayes, a professor in Stout’s biology department who has a team of students sampling Lakes Tainter and Menomin this summer. I was able to set up a time to go out on Lake Tainter with her team, and ended up spending roughly 5 hours immersing myself in a sampling experience. After setting up the research vessel, a surprisingly sturdy inflatable boat, we took off with a portable motor, a bag full of rocks as an anchor, and two tubs full of sampling equipment.

When we got to our sampling spot, I noticed what Dr. Hayes would describe as a “paint layer” of Microcystis cyanobacteria. Also visible were Aphanizomenon cyanobacteria, which resembled small green worms beneath the surface. It was striking how green the lake was on this particular day. I then assisted with testing and recording the dissolved oxygen levels and water temperature at different meter depths. Other tests measured light absorption, pH, and conductivity. I also got to perform a water transparency test using the Secchi Disc, a circular disc with alternating black and white quadrants. I lowered the disc into the water until I couldn’t see it anymore, and then recorded the depth. We then collected water samples and headed back to shore. After disassembling the boat, we returned to the lab on Stout’s campus. I assisted in the first few steps of a nutrient limitation experiment, which consisted of portioning out the lake water we had just collected, and pipetting either a nitrogen or phosphorus solution, or both, into the flasks. Those flasks, along with controls, were then placed in a special fridge with monitored light and temperature. Eventually, the lake water would be filtered to determine total chlorophyll concentrations, and which nutrient (phosphorus, nitrogen, or both) was in lowest availability relative to phytoplankton demand. Since there was only so much that I could help with at this stage, I watched another one of the students perform a filtration protocol and then wrapped up my day.

Overall, my time with Dr. Hayes’ team helped me understand that I am entirely capable of assisting with limnological sampling and experiment protocols. While this process was new to me, I was able to catch on quickly and immerse myself entirely in the experience. 

When I think about the value of interdisciplinary research, what sticks out to me the most is the ability to interface with many different stakeholders about the same issue. For the last month and half, I have been sitting in meetings and interviewing people with drastically different backgrounds. I have met with government officials, watershed managers, environmental health specialists, community organizers, scientists, and educators, all of whom are deeply invested in the issue of nutrient pollution in the Red Cedar Watershed. While I have learned how to “speak the language” of local government officials by citing different relevant codes and ordinances, my time sampling with Dr. Hayes’ team gave me the vocabulary I needed to interface with other professionals at the table. With the ability to understand both the science AND policy behind the issue of pollution in the watershed, I can more readily make connections with stakeholders and participate in the problem solving process.