Students can choose one of the several focus areas listed below. New focus areas may be added, so be sure to check back here for updates.
Investigate the presence and potential ecological effects of the Emerald Ash Borer, a non-native beetle. Students will determine forest composition on a number of Erie Islands by identifying trees and measuring their densities and sizes. Students will also look for new evidence of Emerald Ash Borer activity.
Study lake algal growth, oxygen depletion in Lake Erie’s central basin, and bioturbation by burrowing mayflies. Limnology REU students spend a great deal of time on the open waters of Lake Erie on our research boats.
Determine the impact of non-native species on Lake Erie’s native fisheries. Past REU students developed laboratory experiments to isolate the factors influencing competition of native and non-native fish species, including the partitioning of resources, such as food and nesting sites.
Study and utilize the wide range of avian species present on both Gibraltar and the nearby islands to collect information specific to ornithology research.
This new focus area will help students gain professional experience in the curation and cataloguing techniques of biological collections and help to establish new collection protocols for the lab. The biological collections REU will work with curators from OSU’s Museum of Biological Diversity.
