Sustainability Leadership Fellow Cohort: 2018-2019
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology
Research Summary:Freshwater algae is an important food resource for aquatic insects and fish. However, when fertilizers and other nutrient sources are added to rivers and streams, large algal blooms can form that lower stream oxygen and degrade ecosystems. My research focuses on factors that interact with nutrients to control algal growth, such as temperature, streamflow, and aquatic insect consumption. I am using Colorado-based field experiments and national modeling studies to better understand basic algal ecology to inform water quality policies and stream management strategies.