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Ohio Sea Grant College Program, including: Stone Laboratory, CLEAR, and GLAERC. Dr. Jeffrey M. Reutter Director, Ohio Sea Grant College Program. Today’s Talk. Jeff Reutter, Director—20 minutes Great Lakes and Lake Erie Our programs and our History Current priorities The Future
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Ohio Sea Grant College Program, including: Stone Laboratory,CLEAR, and GLAERC Dr. Jeffrey M. Reutter Director, Ohio Sea Grant College Program
Today’s Talk • Jeff Reutter, Director—20 minutes • Great Lakes and Lake Erie • Our programs and our History • Current priorities • The Future • Introduce Bryan Ford • Chris Winslow, Assistant Director—10 minutes • Research and Planning • Jill Jentes, Assistant Director—10 minutes • Communication and Outreach • Frank Lichtkoppler, Extension Program Leader—10 min • Extension and Outreach
Southernmost Image: Ohio Sea Grant
Because of Land Use, Lake Erie Gets: More sediment More nutrients (fertilizers and sewage) More pesticides (The above 3 items are exacerbated by storms, which will be more frequent and severe due to climate change.) And Lake Erie is still biologically the most productive of the Great Lakes—And always will be!!
50:2 Rule (Not exact, but instructive) Lake Superior: 50% of the water and 2% of the fish Lake Erie: 2% of the water and 50% of the fish
Lake Erie’s 7 Biggest Problems/Issues (see Twine Line, Spring/Summer, 2012) Sedimentation Phosphorus and nutrient loading Harmful algal blooms Aquatic invasive species Dead Zone Climate Change—Makes the others worse Coastal Economic Development
Lake Erie: One of the Most Important Lakes in the World Dead lake image of 60s and 70s. Poster child for pollution problems in this country. But, most heavily utilized of any of the Great Lakes. Shared by 5 states, a province, and 2 countries. Best example of ecosystem recovery in world.
Lake Erie Stats Drinking water for 11 million people Over 20 power plants Power production is greatest water use 300 marinas in Ohio alone Walleye Capital of the World 40% of all Great Lakes charter boats Ohio’s charter boat industry is one of the largest in North America $1.5 billion sport fishery One of top 10 sport fishing locations in the world Most valuable freshwater commercial fishery in the world Coastal county tourism value is over $11.5 billion and 119,000 jobs
Blue-green Algae Bloom circa 1971, Lake Erie Photo: Forsythe and Reutter
What brought about the rebirth (dead lake to Walleye Capital)? Phosphorus reductions from point sources (29,000 metric tons to 11,000).
Microcystis, Stone Lab, 8/10/10 Photos: Jeff Reutter
Are HABs only a Lake Erie and Ohio Problem? Serious problem in US and Canada Global problem Common species in Lake Erie is Microcystis sp. Dominant form in Grand Lake St. Marysin 2010 was Aphanizomenon sp., the same species that bloomed in Lake Erie in the 60s and 70s
Reference Dose = amount that can be ingested orally by a person, above which a toxic effect may occur, on a milligram per kilogram body weight per day basis. Toxicity of Algal Toxins Relative to Other Toxic Compounds found in Water Toxin Reference Doses Dioxin (0.000001 mg/kg-d) Microcystin LR (0.000003 mg/kg-d) Saxitoxin(0.000005 mg/kg-d) PCBs (0.00002 mg/kg-d) Cylindrospermopsin (0.00003 mg/kg-d) Methylmercury(0.0001 mg/kg-d) Anatoxin-A (0.0005 mg/kg-d) DDT (0.0005 mg/kg-d) Selenium (0.005 mg/kg-d) Botulinum toxin A (0.001 mg/kg-d) Alachlor (0.01 mg/kg-d) Cyanide (0.02 mg/kg-d) Atrazine (0.04 mg/kg-d) Fluoride (0.06 mg/kg-d) Chlorine (0.1 mg/kg-d) Aluminum (1 mg/kg-d) Ethylene Glycol (2 mg/kg-d)
Microcystis in Lake Erie • The Microcystis-Anabaenabloom of 2009 was the largest in recent years in our sampling region • …until 2011 Source: Tom Bridgeman, UT 2011
October 9, 2011 Photo: NOAA Satellite Image
2013 Forecast: Significant bloom.similar to 2003, much milder than 2011 2013
Jeffrey M. Reutter, Ph.D., Director • 1895—F.T. Stone Laboratory • 1970—Center for Lake Erie Area Research (CLEAR) • 1978—Ohio Sea Grant College Program • 1 Education project in 1977 (Brought Rosanne Fortner to Ohio) • 1992—Great Lakes Aquatic Ecosystem Research Consortium (GLAERC) • Grad student at Stone Lab in 1971 and never left. Director since 1987.
What is Stone Lab? • Oldest freshwater field station in the nation • Ohio’s Lake Erie Lab since 1895 • OSU Island campus on Gibraltar Island, Lake Erie • Research, education, and outreach laboratory for Ohio Sea Grant
Sea Grant and Stone Lab • Research, education (k-gray), outreach to public • Based at OSU, but involve all Ohio colleges • Focusing Ohio’s universities on real-world problem solving • Stone Lab—25 college courses & credit workshops for private sector and agency managers (~250 students), 250 field trips & conferences, and with Lighthouse and AVC, we are visited by over 30,000 people/yr • Website—10 million hits/yr • Leverage over $16/state BOR dollar invested in the program • 6-8 Extension specialists between Toledo and Conneaut • January 2013 National Evaluation ranks us as one of the top programs in the country!!
Sea Grant and Stone Lab: Since 1978 • 600+ Sea Grant Funded Projects • 600+ grad and undergrad students supported • ~300 principal investigators at over 20 colleges and universities • FOSL over 1400 scholarships at Stone Lab since 1982 • 93 REUs (Research Experience for Undergraduates • 50+ research projects annually at Stone Lab
Sea Grant Asked to Lead State and Regional/Binational Efforts to Solve HABsProblem • Chairing committee for Ohio to set target phosphorus reductions to solve problem • Chairing committee for US and Canada to set loading targets for all lakes
Workshops • Algal identification • NOAA Science Literacy • Dealing with Cyanobacteria, Algal Toxins and Taste and Odor Compounds • Outdoor Photography • Lake Erie Sport Fishing • Fish-Sampling Techniques
Reducing Our Environmental Footprint saves operating money • Solar thermal on Dining Hall • Solar panels on new pavilion • Low-flow toilets • Low-flow shower heads and faucets • Compact fluorescent light bulbs replace incandescent • Attic insulation
Unique Among Sea Grant Programs and 160+ Interdisciplinary Research Centers at OSU • We are a “university within a university” • Totally responsible for 20 buildings on 15+ acres on 2 islands including an historic Lighthouse and a National Historic Lankmark • Hire faculty and offer courses • Award grants for research • Recruit, enroll, feed and house students, faculty, research scientists, and guests • Collect tuition, room & board fees, pay faculty, pay utilities, maintain buildings, land, boats, vehicles, docks, equipment, etc. • Award scholarships
Unique—2 • New management structure implemented in 2008 saving OSU $350K/year—Sea Grant Director responsible for academic programs, facilities, and residence and dining halls • Funding: • $3.5-$4.5 million annual budget, 1/3 National Sea Grant • OSU, External grants, State of Ohio, Donors, volunteers • 20 endowments
Future • Diversified funding base • Strong university and state support • Excellent reputation • Strong donor base • Growing endowments • Excellent relationships with media • Strong staff • Strong infrastructure (facilities and equipment) • Ohio, Lake Erie, regional and national focus • Targeted and leading on key issues • Strong, established, annual program targeting Legislature, County Commissioners, Mayors, science writers, charter capts, etc.
Future for Sea Grant and Stone Lab • New Staff creating new opportunities • 3 New PhDs attracting funding • Chris Winslow—Assistant Director—Fisheries • Kristin Stanford—Education and Outreach Coordinator—Herpetology • Justin Chaffin—Research Coordinator—HABs, nutrients, toxins • Strong and youthful staff • Water quality lab renovated and reactivated • Active research program year-round • Facilities greatly improved • Environmental footprint reduced • Greatly enhanced visibility and impact • Providing more benefits to society • FOSL #1 Priority—Restore Cooke Castle
For more information:Dr. Jeff Reutter, Director Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab Ohio State Univ. 1314 Kinnear Rd. Col, OH 43212 614-292-8949 Reutter.1@osu.edu ohioseagrant.osu.edu Stone Laboratory Ohio State Univ. Box 119 Put-in-Bay, OH 43456 614-247-6500