Department of Environmental and Forest Biology

ANNUAL REPORT: June 1, 2008 – May 31, 2009 (i.e., Summer 2008, AY 2008-2009) DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST BIOLOGY SUNY-ESF

I. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES 1. Regular Course Offerings Credit No. No. of Lab. Course No. Title Hrs. Students Sections

SUMMER:

FALL: FB 554 Aquatic Entomology 3 16 1

SPRING: EFB 385 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 4 53 2

2. Non-Scheduled Course Offerings (e.g., 496, 899, 999) Credit No. Course No. Title Hrs. Students

EFB 899 Master’s Thesis Research 10 5 EFB 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research 4 2 EFB 798 Graduate Independent Research 1 1 EFB 498 Undergraduate Independent Research 6 2 EFB 495 Undergraduate Teaching 4 2

3. Continuing Education and Extension (short courses, workshops, etc.)

4. Guest Lecture Activities

Course No. Title No. of Lectures

Ringler, Neil H. 2008. Ecology and restoration of a perturbed aquatic ecosystem, Onondaga Lake, NY. University of Maine, American Fisheries Society invited presentation, Orono, Maine. September 15, 2008.

II. STUDENT ADVISING

A. Number of undergraduates for whom you are the student’s official advisor __0___ and unofficial advisor _____ B. Graduate Students: (Name, degree sought, starting date, month & year; if a degree was completed, please give date and full citation for the thesis or dissertation).

MAJOR PROFESSOR

Anthony Siniscal, M.S. 2009. Characterization of the fish community of a recovering ecosystem, Onondaga Lake, New York. M.S. Thesis, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY.

Lucas Kirby, M.S. 2009. Nesting characteristics of centrarchid fishes and the oligotrophication of Onondaga Lake, New York. M.S. Thesis, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY.

Stephanie Johnson, M.S. 2009 The littoral zone macroinvertebrates in Onondaga Lake and the influence of invertebrate drift. M.S. Thesis, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY.

Emily Waldt, M.P.S. 2009

Steven Tyzsko, M.S. May 2008

Daniel Gefell, Ph.D. December 2003 (Onondaga Environmental Institute)

Michael Connerton, Ph.D. January 1996 (NYDEC biologist)

Mary Penny, M.S. January 2003 (medical/family leave)

CO-MAJOR PROFESSOR

Brandies Brown, M.S. January 2007 (With Dr. Kimberly Schulz)

MEMBER, STEERING COMMITTEE (other than those listed above)

Phillip M. Barber

CHAIRMAN OR READER ON THESIS EXAMS, ETC.

Chair, Ph.D. Candidacy Exam Ms. Tanushree Chowdhurry

III. RESEARCH COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY

A. Departmental Research (unsupported, boot-legged; title - % time spent)

B. 1. Grant-supported Research (source, subject, amount - total award and current year, award period starting and ending dates; list graduate research assistants supported by each grant) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency $1,500,000 Central New York District Cooling Project 1/1/07 – 12/30/09 (Neil Ringler as Co-PI; Kim Schulz Co-PI; Dr. James Hassett as PI) Supporting (in part) Dan Gefell, Tony Siniscal, Stephanie Johnson and Steve Tsysko

Honeywell, Inc. $175,121 5/28/09 – 05/300. Onondaga Lake Biological Assessment and Monitoring. Supporting Lucas Kirby, Steve Tysko, Stephanie Johnson, Ian Harding (undergraduate), Craig Thompkins (undergraduate)

2. Research Proposals pending (as in B.1., above)

IV. PUBLICATIONS (Full bibliographic citation, i.e., do not use "with Jones," or "Jones, et al."; please list only publications published, in press, or actually submitted during this reporting period --- do not list manuscripts in preparation).

A. Refereed Publications

Connerton, M. J, B.A. Murry, D.J. Stewart and N.H. Ringler 2009. Majority of Age-3 Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)in Lake Ontario were Wild from 1992 – 2005, Based on Scale Pattern Analysis. Journal of Great Lakes Research. In Press: note 05/27/09 from editor: scheduled for 35(3).

Murray, B. A. M. J. Connerton, R. O’Gorman, D.J. Stewart and N.H. Ringler. Lake-wide estimates of alewife biomass and chinnok salmon abundance and consumption in Lake Ontario, 1989-2005: Implications for prey fish sustainability. Submitted: Transactions American Fisheries Society.

B. Non-refereed Publications

C. Papers Presented at Science Meetings (give title, date, occasion, and location)

Waldt, Emily, Anthony Siniscal, Neil Ringler and Chris van Maaran. 2008. Fish community ecology of Cranberry Lake and Oswegatchie River, NY. Presented at 138th Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society, Ottawa, Canada. August 17-21, 2008.

Johnson, Stephanie., Lucas Kirby and Neil Ringler. 2008. Changes in the Onondaga LKake Macroinvertebrate community and shifts in pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) diet. Presented at 138th Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society, Ottawa, Canada. August 17-21, 2008. Kirby, Lucas, Anthony Siniscal and Neil Ringler. 2008. Fish community and habiat assessment of a recovering urban lake in anticipation of habitat remediation. Presented at 138th Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society, Ottawa, Canada. August 17-21, 2008.

Brown, Brandeis, Kimberly Schulz and Neil Ringler. 2008. Both sediment and water quality affect survivorship of the mayfly Stenonema femoratum in Onondaga Lake, NY. Poster presented at Onondaga Lake Scientific Forum, Liverpool, New York. November, 2008

D. Public Service Presentations (lectures, seminars, etc. to and for the public; give group or occasion, date(s), and attendance)

Siniscal, Anthony, Lucas Kirby, Stephanie Johnson and Neil Ringler. Fisheries and invertebrate life in Onondaga Lake and Tributaries: Current Status. Onondaga Lake Partnership, METRO facility, May 22, 2009. (25 attendees)

V. PUBLIC SERVICE

A. Funded Service (include consulting activities)

1. Government Agencies (Federal, State, Local):

2. Industrial and Commercial Groups, etc.

B. Unfunded Service to Governmental Agencies, Public Interest Groups, etc.

NYDEC Onondaga Lake Technical Committee (Littoral Habitat)

VI. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A. Professional Honors and Awards (for teaching, research, outreach, etc.)

B. 1. Activities in Professional Organizations (offices held, service as chairman, member, participant or consultant)

2. Professional Society Membership

AAAS Sigma Xi American Fisheries Society American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists 3. Other Professional Activities

a. Editorial activity

Journal (s) Responsibility

Other (books, symposia, etc.)

b. Reviewer

Journal(s) No. of manuscripts

Journal of Great Lakes Research (3) Ecology of Freshwater Fish (1) Oceanologia (1)

Agency No. of proposals

c. Participation (workshops, symposia, etc.)

Name of workshop, etc. Date Place

C. Further Education/Re-training Undertaken, Leaves, Workshops, etc.

D. Foreign Travel (Where, When, Purpose)

VII. ADMINISTRATIVE AND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES (include committee participation)

A. Department Level

Advisor, Student Chapter, American Fisheries Society

B. College-level

Advisor, Alpha Xi Sigma Honor Society Host/Coordinator/Workshop leader: Faculty Mentoring Conference: “Graduate Students and Professors: Synergy- Energy-Compatibility in Research, Teaching and Service.” Sheraton University Hotel January 8, 2009

“Research at ESF: Stimulus Responses; Global and Local Projects” Governance Presentation April 9, 2009

Coordinator of College-wide research proposals for instrumentation, infrastructure, and bio-energy programs

C. University-wide, including Research Foundation

“Research at ESF: Diversity with Focus” Presentation to SUNY Research Foundation, Board of Trustees, Albany, NY April 2009

Host and organizer, visit of VP for Research Foundation and Vice Provost SUNY (Dr. James Weyhenmeyer): “Town Hall Meeting” and Research Poster display November 14th, 2008

Strategy for utilizing 3rd Party commercialization ESF’s Intellectual Property: Start of an experiment for SUNY research campuses. April 2009

Host and organizer: ESF research presentations for scientists from Finland (September) and Japan (March)

VIII. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST NOTEWORTHY AND RELATIVE TO THE COLLEGE’S AND DEPARTMENT’S MISSION. One paragraph on each of the following would be most helpful: this past year, what have you done for our students, department/college, and self professionally? NOTE: The information in this section (along with the supporting specific information elsewhere in this report) should be your strongest case for being considered for a discretionary raise, which I’ll continue to award based on your contributions to the department and college this reporting period.

A major event this year was the completion of Master’s degrees by four students, two of whom will continue on to doctoral studies on recommendation of their committees, and two of whom are employed. These students presented a set of papers at the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting in Ottawa, Canada last August. These students were funded through a combination of EFB teaching assistantships and Honeywell research funds. Publication of a paper that distinguishes hatchery from wild fish has facilitated new research on the Salmon River. Coupled with a new $ 1.2 MDEC-operated marking trailer (7000 fish/hour!), this technique may lead to far more useful estimates of reproductive variability in the River, and should form the basis of at least two new thesis projects beginning next fall. Our studies of Onondaga lake have flourished based on teamwork among ESF, Honeywell and consulting scientists and engineers. We will be able to make important recommendations on the detailed habitat enhancements of this perturbed ecosystem, as well as publish significant scientific results of interest at the national level.

At the Department level, discussions of future candidates for the new position in biotechnology were helpful in preparing for the new hire’s research program at ESF. The addition of Dr. Mary E. Fowkes as Adjunct Faculty was a significant event. Her teaching in comparative anatomy and medical entomology continues to educate and attract undergraduates and graduates alike. Dr. Fowkes could provide future continuity with Upstate Medical University via Environmental Medicine, and perhaps will bring enhanced emphasis on programs for students considering careers in health sciences.

At the College level, activities that connect closely with EFB included development and hosting of the Faculty Mentoring Conference: “Graduate Students and Professors: Synergy-Energy-Compatibility in Research, Teaching and Service.” at the Sheraton Hotel. I believe that the Poster Session and “Town Hall” presentation of Dr. James Weyhenmeyer from SUNY RF was a success, and this was the first such presentation since his appointment as VP of Research and Vice Provost. Dr. Weyhenmeyer has also looked to ESF to initiate a new “3rd part” program to commercialize intellectual property, including that developed by EFB scientists. Working with the College-wide Committee on Research has proven very valuable as we further develop the Exemplary Researcher, Seed Grant and McIntire-Stennis programs.

IX. A. FUTURE PLANS, AMBITIONS, AND POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST BIOLOGY (brief summary)

My graduate students and I plan to expand research in the restoration of fish and invertebrate habitat in Onondaga Lake. We look forward to sharing current results at the American Fisheries Society national meeting in Nashville, TN in August. Two new graduate students will undertake analyses and predictions on natural reproduction of Pacific salmon in tributaries of eastern Lake Ontario. During the coming fall I hope to visit watersheds in Spain, where water rights and pollution issues parallel those in the United States. Teaching for the coming year includes the Ecology of Adirondack Fishes course with John Farrell, comparative anatomy and aquatic entomology. These subjects continue to interest our EFB students, and have provided excellent opportunities for teaching and mentoring of graduate students (and undergraduate TA’s).

B. PROJECTED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT YEAR

1. Summer 2009

a. Course(s) to be offered: EFB 388 Ecology of Adirondack Fishes (Jointly with Dr. John Farrell)

b. Proposed research activity: Continued studies of Onondaga Lake: habitat analysis, invertebrate ecology, fish and trophic ecology, remediation prediction and success. Analysis of role of Pacific salmon in eastern tributaries of Lake Ontario.

c. University, professional society, and public service

2. Fall Semester 2009

a. Course(s) to be offered: EFB 554 Aquatic Entomology

b. Proposed research activity: as above c. University, Professional society, and public service: as in previous year

3. Spring Semester 2010

a. Course(s) to be offered: EFB 385 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

b. Proposed research activity: as above

c. University, professional society, and public service: as in previous year