Posted 6:17 p.m. Friday, July 12, 2013
Two UW-L biology students hope their research, featured on the cover of a regional magazine, will turn heads about an issue stirring in the Mississippi River.
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UW-L Senior Kaitlyn Miedema, a biology major with biomedical science concentration, and Chris Glodosky, a biology graduate student, are doing research on the Mississippi River this summer.[/caption]
Two UW-L biology students hope their research, featured on the cover of a regional magazine, will turn heads about an issue stirring in the Mississippi River.
Chris Glodosky, a graduate student, and Kaitlyn Miedema, an undergraduate student, are featured on the cover of the July-August 2013 issue of "Big River Magazine.” With a circulation of 4,000 and estimated readership of 30,000, the regional environmental and lifestyle magazine is one of the most well-recognized, outdoors-based publications in the Midwest.
The article "Students Work to Unlock River Mysteries" focuses on their research that investigates invasive snails on the Mississippi River and the parasites they harbor. When waterfowl eat parasite-infected snails they die. This has led to more than 70,000 waterfowl deaths in the Mississippi River since 2002.
Specifically, the students are looking at what makes the invasive snail species successful in its aquatic environment as well as what makes parasite transmission successful.
Miedema, a senior, is investigating whether removing specific species of aquatic plants — where snails tend to congregate — could decrease bird death.
Unlike publication in a scientific journal, the stories in “Big River Magazine” are intended for people who “work, live and play on the Upper Mississippi River.” It’s distributed in a variety of locations such as hospital lobbies and grocery store checkout lanes.
“It’s great to see that other people have a chance to read about what we are doing. It’s not well known, but it’s a big problem,” says Miedema. “Articles like this provide access to the information in a way that is understandable.”
Their research shows the impact of an invasive species on a tangible level, says Chris Glodosky, ’12, UW-L biology graduate student.
“If people are out trying to enjoy the river and they see waterfowl dying every spring, that’s the impact of an invasive species and its parasites,” says Glodosky. “We hope to help them understand the underlying cause of these seasonal die-offs.”
Reggie McLeod, editor and publisher of “Big River Magazine,” says the publication has always been tuned in to happenings at UW-L.
“We thought it would be an interesting way to introduce our readers to issues on the river and back the good work students and teachers are doing to make the river a better place,” he says.
Students say they like that their research could help reduce bird deaths. Waterfowl and aquatic biota are important ecological and economical components of the upper Mississippi River area, notes Greg Sandland, faculty member in the UW-L Biology Department.
Learn more about “Big River Magazine”
UW-L Senior Kaitlyn Miedema, a biology major with biomedical science concentration, and Chris Glodosky, a biology graduate student, are doing research on the Mississippi River this summer.[/caption]
Two UW-L biology students hope their research, featured on the cover of a regional magazine, will turn heads about an issue stirring in the Mississippi River.
Chris Glodosky, a graduate student, and Kaitlyn Miedema, an undergraduate student, are featured on the cover of the July-August 2013 issue of "Big River Magazine.” With a circulation of 4,000 and estimated readership of 30,000, the regional environmental and lifestyle magazine is one of the most well-recognized, outdoors-based publications in the Midwest.
The article "Students Work to Unlock River Mysteries" focuses on their research that investigates invasive snails on the Mississippi River and the parasites they harbor. When waterfowl eat parasite-infected snails they die. This has led to more than 70,000 waterfowl deaths in the Mississippi River since 2002.
Specifically, the students are looking at what makes the invasive snail species successful in its aquatic environment as well as what makes parasite transmission successful.
Miedema, a senior, is investigating whether removing specific species of aquatic plants — where snails tend to congregate — could decrease bird death.
Unlike publication in a scientific journal, the stories in “Big River Magazine” are intended for people who “work, live and play on the Upper Mississippi River.” It’s distributed in a variety of locations such as hospital lobbies and grocery store checkout lanes.
“It’s great to see that other people have a chance to read about what we are doing. It’s not well known, but it’s a big problem,” says Miedema. “Articles like this provide access to the information in a way that is understandable.”
Their research shows the impact of an invasive species on a tangible level, says Chris Glodosky, ’12, UW-L biology graduate student.
“If people are out trying to enjoy the river and they see waterfowl dying every spring, that’s the impact of an invasive species and its parasites,” says Glodosky. “We hope to help them understand the underlying cause of these seasonal die-offs.”
Reggie McLeod, editor and publisher of “Big River Magazine,” says the publication has always been tuned in to happenings at UW-L.
“We thought it would be an interesting way to introduce our readers to issues on the river and back the good work students and teachers are doing to make the river a better place,” he says.
Students say they like that their research could help reduce bird deaths. Waterfowl and aquatic biota are important ecological and economical components of the upper Mississippi River area, notes Greg Sandland, faculty member in the UW-L Biology Department.
Learn more about “Big River Magazine”