A Michigan State University scientist is leading a team of researchers to study how lakes, streams and wetlands are connected to their surroundings.
Associate professor of fisheries and wildlife Patricia Soranno is using a $2.2 million National Science Foundation grant to examine land use and climate change's effect on freshwater ecosystems.
Soranno and her colleagues will collect data on lakes, nutrients and watersheds from about 5,000 lakes in more than 10 states. They also will analyze more than 30 years of data that has been generated since passage of the Clean Water Act.
The goal is to help local and state natural resource officials better handle the effects of development, fish stocking and regulations, herbicide applications and water withdrawals.
