INTRODUCTION

Willard N. Harman

This year a new faculty member, shared with the Biology Department, joined the BFS. Kiyoko Yokota specializes in algal community dynamics which are important in the primary production of fresh-waters. She is particularly interested in blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) that are becoming more of a problem in our inland lakes causing Harmful Algal Blooms. She compliments current BFS faculty members, David Wong, (Invasive species; particularly zebra and quagga mussels and biostatistics), and Bill Harman, (benthic ecology, lake management). All three are lake managers, certified by the North American Lake Management Society as are BFS staff members Matt Albright and Holly Waterfield. Florian Reyda conducts basic research with fish parasites while collaboration with John Foster and Mark Cornwell from SUNY Cobleskill provide expertise in aquaculture and fisheries management.

Our original wood frame laboratory on the Upper Site adjacent to Moe Pond has been completely rebuilt for year around use. We have yet to occupy the structure for permanent use because of problems with control systems associated with local off-grid utility services.

Interns:

Kaylee Herzog, a SUNY Oneonta Biology major, received the SUNY Oneonta Biology Department Internship. She was sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation. Under the direction of Florian Reyda and with Student Research Assistant Rebecca Russell, she evaluated a new genus of tapeworm from stingrays. Kaylee also worked with Annie Yoo, a SUNY Oneonta Biology major who was sponsored by the Otsego Land Trust. They conducted a survey of nuisance aquatic species of Otsego County lakes and streams. Annie also worked under the direction of David Wong to evaluate the use of navigational buoys for zebra mussel monitoring. Jennifer Vanassche, a SUNY Oneonta Biology major, conducted a benthic invertebrate survey of in an attempt to gain insight into the influence of the establishment of zebra mussels. She was supported by the Village of Cooperstown. Deanna Caracciolo, a SUNY Oneonta Environmental Science major, held the OCCA W.N. Harman Internship. She conducted a freshwater clam survey of Otsego Lake. Christopher Teter, also a SUNY Oneonta Environmental Science major, held the Otsego County Conservation Association-sponsored Rufus J. Thayer Otsego Lake Internship. He conducted water quality monitoring throughout Otsego Lake’s watershed to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural Best Management Practices. Lisa Newton, a SUNY Oneonta Biology/Psychology major, was supported by a contract with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. She, under the direction of Jeff Heilveil, worked on using environmental DNA to identify aquatic invasive species. Austin Borden and Erica Darpino, both SUNY Oneonta Biology majors and BFS Internship recipients, worked with Florian Reyda. Austin surveyed nematodes of the fishes of Otsego Lake, while Erica surveyed trematodes of Otsego Lake fishes and snails. Myles Moore, a SUNY Oneonta Water Resources major, worked with Les Hasbargen. They studied groundwater flow and geochemistry at Greenwoods Conservancy and were assisted by Student Research Assistants Joe Spaulding and Alayna Fuess, both SUNY Oneonta Earth Science majors. This work was supported by the Peterson Family Conservation Trust. Alexander Lawrence, a SUNY Oneonta Environmental Science major, worked under the direction of Sean Robinson as they continued their research on moss reproduction and dispersal. Steve Stowell, a Fisheries and Aquaculture major from SUNY Cobleskill, held the Robert C. MacWatters Internship. He continued monitoring in Moe Pond, evaluating the impacts of the establishment of largemouth bass in the system. He also monitored the littoral fish community of Otsego Lake. Clara Tanner, a recent graduate from Schenevus Central School and Tyler Bianchine, from Sharron Springs Central School, both received FHV Mecklenburg Fellowships. Clara, supported by the Otsego County Conservation Association, surveyed the zooplankton community in Otsego Lake. Tyler, sponsored by the Village of Cooperstown, monitored fecal coliform bacteria and water quality in the upper . Together, Clara and Tyler monitored chlorophyll a concentrations in Otsego Lake.

Faculty and staff activities:

Jeffrey Heilveil: In addition to the mentoring and supervision of Lisa Newton (see contribution), which satisfies a requirement for a NYC DEP Invasive Species contract that Bill Harman and I are doing, I led a 16-day course in Field Entomology during the Summer 2013 semester. Students in the course camped near the Upland Interpretive Center and worked in the UIC, Hop House, and Boat House. The students learned about insect identification, life history, and ecology, focusing on the species that live on and near the Biological Field Station properties. The weather was fabulous, allowing students to take full advantage of the habitats available. Taxa lists were kept by habitat to facilitate future entomological research on the properties. The Biology Club held two outings at the Biological Field Station this past year. Both events had students collecting organisms and going on faculty-led nature walks. Each event culminated in a group dinner, an evening of biologically-oriented trivia, and students having a chance to camp out on the grounds and listen to the coyotes and the owls.

Holly Waterfield published a paper with colleagues; Kocovsky PK, LG Rudstam, DL Yule, DM Warner, T Schaner, B Pientka, JW Heller, HA Waterfield, LD Witzel, PJ Sullivan (2013) Sensitivity of fish density estimates to standard analytical procedures applied to Great Lakes hydroacoustic data. Journal of Great Lakes Research 39:655-662.

Kiyoko Yokota utilized the BFS resources throughout Fall 2013 to teach BIOL 385 (Limnology), including two extended labs at BFS for Otsego Lake sampling and subsequent analyses and an all-day field trip at the Upper Site/Moe Pond. A site visit to the Cooperstown Wastewater Treatment Plant and its nutrient removal wetland was also made possible through existing research collaboration between the plant and BFS. In Spring 2014, she is teaching both BIOL 575 (Phytoplankton Ecology and Analysis) and BIOL 691 (Management of Aquatic Biota) at BFS. In addition to mentoring research projects on fish parasites, Florian Reyda brought his SUNY Oneonta parasitology class to Thayer Farm for a field trip last fall. He and approximately 20 students encountered and examined parasites of fish, amphibians and invertebrates during their intensive science and camping trip.

Paul Lord and Tim Pokorny continued monitoring Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllm spicatum) conditions in Woodridge Lake, Litchfield County, CT. The Biological Field Station pearly mussel team performed limited surveys sampling previously sampled sites for pearly mussel persistence. These sites included locations in Otsego Lake, the , the Butternut Creek, the Sangerfield River, and the Otselic River. Additionally, we responded to two reports of whey spills to ascertain pearly mussel impacts. Finally, we participated in the NYSDEC review of pearly mussel species of greatest conservation need and recommended the up-listing of one species (Alasmidonta varicosa) and the down-listing of another (Lasmigona subviridis). Unfortunately, our survey of Otsego Lake leads us to believe pearly mussels will be extirpated from that waterbody in the next year or two. The highlight of the season’s effort was the discovery of another set of recently spent shells of Margaritifera margaritifera in the Otselic River headwaters within 10 m (downstream) of the set found in 2008.

David Wong supervised Student Research Assistant Emily Davidson, a student from Oneonta’s Environmental Science program to determine zebra mussel abundance in Otsego Lake. They collected 37 benthic samples along 7 transects. The samples and data are now being analyzed. The project will be completed during the next ice free season. Paul Lord, collaborating with Joseph W. Zarzynski, a professional underwater archaeologist, led the BFS volunteer divers, Lee Ferrara, Chip Dunn, Jim Vogler, Kaylee Herzog and Dale Webster, in locating the sunken wreckage of a 1948 plane crash in Otsego Lake. Zarzynski funded the 2012 side scan sonar survey, conducted by Garry Kozak (GK Consulting). The dive was part of a long-term project to map the lake to gain a greater understanding of the cultural and biological resources in the historic waterway. The aluminum aircraft, distinguished by its unique twin-tail configuration, crashed into Otsego Lake around 3 pm on July 13, 1948. Two World War II veterans, Edward Francis and Harold Caulkins, both aged 24, were killed in the aviation accident. During another dive, Paul, Bjorn Eilertsen and Zarzynski visited the wreck of W.T. Sampson Smith’s Leatherstocking, a 24 ft. long classic wooden Gar Wood that caught fire in 1940 and sunk. The slopes of the regression lines in the below graphic, constructed by Holly Waterfield, reflect the warming of our local winters since 1845. It illustrates the numbers of days annually that Otsego Lake has been covered by ice from 1850 to 2014. The scatter documents annual data, the larger circles 10 year averages. The regression line to the right shows the trend since 1960. Note that the lake had 0 days of total ice cover during the winters of 2001-02 and 2011-12, the only times in recorded history. The annual maximum duration of ice cover, between 125 - 131days, occurred 4 times in the 1870s.

As the Master of Science in Lake Management degree program enters its 3rd year, it appears it will meet its target number of 15 students soon. The program intensively uses the resources of the Biological Field Station, most courses being taught on site in Cooperstown. Individuals enrolled are developing comprehensive management plans for selected lakes and their watersheds throughout the State. Students are now active are; Carter Bailey, hailing from Mt. Vision, N.Y. He did his undergraduate work at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and is now studying , south of Richfield Springs, specializing in algal community dynamics. Ben German, a member of the US Air Force Reserves from Oneonta, graduated from SUNY Cobleskill in Wildlife and Fisheries Technology. He is working on Moraine Lake in Madison County, near Hamilton, where the BFS has conducted aquatic plant management research and monitoring for years. Derek Johnson, from Ava, N.Y. graduated from Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks after previous work at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is developing a plan for Panther Lake north of Oneida Lake in Oswego County. Dan Kopec was a SUNY Oneonta undergraduate in the Earth Sciences. He is now developing a groundwater based comprehensive management plan for Cazenovia Lake in Madison County near Syracuse. Jason Luce is doing research on two connected lakes in Madison County; Hatch Lake and Bradley Brook Reservoir. He comes from East Freetown, N.Y. and graduated from Cazenovia College. Caitlin Stroosnyder is working on Goodyear Lake on the Susquehanna River near Oneonta. She lives in Worcester, N.Y., having held a position at Delaware Engineering since her graduation from Cornell University. Owen Zaengle is from Cooperstown, having done undergraduate work at Davis College, Broome County Community College, SUNY Oneonta and most recently, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He is working on one of the Indian River Lakes Conservancy waters, Grass Lake, near the St. Lawrence River north of Tug Hill. Eight applicants have been accepted to the program for fall 2014. Maxine Verteramo, from Ware, Massachusetts has been employed by a consulting firm, Water Resources Services, since 2011. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass. We first met her at the North American Lake Management Society meetings last fall in San Diego. Four students are coming to us from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, all with backgrounds in fisheries ecology. Christian Jenne is from Richford, N.Y., Luke Gervase from Malverne, N.Y, Edward Kwietriewski, from Lake View, N.Y. and Michael Greco from Glenmont, N.Y. Michael has also done undergraduate work at both Hudson Valley and Columbia Green Community Colleges. Jenna Leskovec, from Fort Edward, N. Y., did her undergraduate work at SUNY Geneseo in geology. Kathleen Marean, from Jamaica, N.Y., graduated from Cornell University in 2010. Since then she has been employed by the NYSDEC in their Region 1 Freshwater Fisheries Unit. Alejhandro Reyes from Putnam Valley, N.Y., did his undergraduate work at SUNY Plattsburgh and has been engaged in several management related activities on Lake Champlain, in Colorado and on the West Coast.

Shane Pickering, a graduate student enrolled in the MS in Biology program, is from Star Lake, N.Y., and earned an undergraduate degree from SUNY Potsdam. Shane is working with the effects of environmental variables on the maturation and spawning of zebra mussels in Otsego Lake under the direction of David Wong. Otsego Lake boat census data:

Year 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1991 Date 28-Jul 22-Jul 22-Jul 13-Aug 31-Jul Sailboats 224 186 129 101 92 95 230 243 Rowboats 145 236 160 94 86 42 87 285 Canoes 59 52 28 75

Outboards 636 515 436 456 378 197 445 470 Inboards 73 38 22 36 60

Inboard-Outboards 213

Personal Watercraft 61 Misc. cruisers/houseboats 65 41 40 33 24 23 Total 1070 978 765 783 679 408 896 1332

Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Date 5-Aug 5-Aug 27-Jul 14-Jul 23-Jul 18-Jul 7-Aug 29-Jul Sailboats 220 181 208 208 207 183 236 238 Rowboats and 243 266 311 313 325 312 372 309 canoes Outboards 407 405 461 430 378 371 377 412 Inboards 22 27 16 13 36 13 20 15 Inboard-Outboards 219 215 227 267 260 275 261 265 Personal Watercraft 32 28 29 47 51 62 84 66 Misc. 40 57 49 Total 1158 1145 1285 1315 1272 1226 1351 1317

Year 2000 2001 2002 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010 Date 10-Aug 9-Aug 22-Jul 23-Aug 27-Aug 26-Aug 31-Aug Sailboats 187 190 171 198 192 153 178 162 Rowboats and 349 389 384 450 383 422 407 458 canoes Outboards 381 375 319 380 344 340 349 363 Inboards 23 9 36 21 24 25 30 14 Inboard-Outboards 287 285 216 297 277 280 251 272 Personal Watercraft 19 23 18 15 22 16 17 9 Misc. 53 66 43 51 43 38 48 44 Total 1299 1337 1187 1412 1285 1274 1280 1322

Year 2011 2012 2013 Date 9-Sep 15-Aug 22-Aug Sailboats 118 140 113 Rowboats 450 545 520 Canoes Outboards 227 334 329 Inboards 15 16 31 Inboard-Outboards 190 274 247 Personal Watercraft 14 22 17 Misc. 40 40 41 Total 1054 1371 1298

Public support makes our work possible. Funding for BFS research and educational programs was procured in 2013 from many citizens and organizations. Special thanks go to the Clark and Scriven Foundations who generously support our annual needs. The OCCA, the Peterson Family Charitable Trust, the Village of Cooperstown, the Otsego Lake Association, The Otsego Land Trust, SUNY Oneonta, and the SUNY Graduate Research Initiative have also supported our endeavors. A diversity of Lake Associations, and the State Federation of Lake Associations, contribute to the support of students in our Lake Management program.

Willard N. Harman, CLM