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Megan A. Jaskowiak M.Jaskowiak@ndsu.nodak.edu Megan, originally from Bethel, Ohio, received a B.A. from Northern Kentucky University in 1997. She became interested in algae specifically the diatoms while doing an independent study project with her advisor, Dr. Miriam Kannan. In 1995, she studied “Ecology and Systematics of Diatoms” with a prominent diatomist, Dr. E. Stoermer at Lakeside Laboratory in Iowa. Megan is working on her Ph.D. in Botany at North Dakota State University, with completion anticipated in 2002. She looks forward to a career which involves both teaching and research. |
The Periphyton in the Sheyenne River,
North D
Fellow:
Megan
A. Jaskowiak,
Department of Botany, NDSU
Advisor:
Marvin W. Fawley, Professor of Biology, NDSU
Matching Support:
North Dakota State Department of Health, Bismarck; NDSU central administration
Degree Progress:
Ph.D. completion anticipated in 2002.
Devils
Lake in Northeastern North Dakota is presently a closed basin, but rising, lake.
Its size has been increasing for more than a decade, and if the rise continues
there will be an uncontrolled flow into the Sheyenne River at some time in the
future. An engineered outlet is being considered in order to provide a more
controlled flow and reduce physical damage and water quality degradation that
would come from an uncontrolled flow.
This research began
as part of the environmental impact statement for the Army Corps of Engineers
Devils Lake outlet project. In the first part of this study, periphytic aglae
were collected using artificial substrates at several sites along the Sheyenne
River. The major goal of this study was to relate the periphyton communities to
environmental factors that could potentially
be affected by a Devils Lake outlet.
The relative
abundance data for species of periphytic algae and environmental data were used
for the assessment. This analysis was completed using canonical correspondence
analysis (CCA). The environmental variables which explained the most variance in
the periphyton communities were pH, orthophosphate, hardness, arsenic, sulfate
and nitrite+nitrate. This analysis included all species identified. An analysis
was repeated after the species which are considered to be phytoplanktonic were
removed. This evaluation showed different environmental variables which
explained the most variance. These environmental variables were percent sodium,
calcium, pH, arsenic, and sulfate. This analysis proved to be more statistically
significant. The phytoplankton species are not really part of the periphyton
community and therefore, the variation seen in these species is coincidental.
Therefore, the removal of these species makes the analysis more precise. These
results were presented in a poster presentation at the 2000 North American
Benthological Society meeting in Keystone, CO, and as a report to the Corps of
Engineers.
The research that
has been completed also includes a comparision of the natural substrates and
artificial substrates and a comparison of the use of presence/absence data
versus relative abundance data in CCA. Natural substrate communities appear to
be quite different than the artificial substrate communities. These differences
include several species which were not found at all on the artificial
substrates. An example of these additional species is the diatom, Navicula
mutica. The statistical analysis of the presence/absence and natural versus
artifical substrates will be completed in the summer 2001.
Research that will
also be completed this year includes the examination of three new possible
species of Nitzschia (Hassall). The preliminary results from the new
species will be presented at the Phycological Society Meeting in June 2001. The
survey of the periphyton in the Sheyenne River is being prepared for
publication. The results from studies completed in 2000-2001 will be prepared
for publication.
Publications
Phillips, K. A.,
Jaskowiak, M. A. and M. W. Fawley. 2000.
An Analysis of the algal communities of
the Sheyenne River, North Dakota, potentially affected by the Devils Lake
emergency outlet. A report submitted to
the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Presentations
Jaskowiak, M. A.,
Phillips, K. A. and M. W. Fawley. 2001.
Three possible new species of Nitzschia Hassall (Bacillariophyta)
from the Sheyenne River, ND. Poster
presentation at the Phycological Society of America Meeting in Estes Park, CO.
Jaskowiak, M. A.,
Phillips, K. A. and M. W. Fawley. 2000. An
investigation using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA)of the environmental
variables that shape the periphytic communities in the Sheyenne River, ND.
A poster presentation at the North American Benthological Society
Meeting, Keystone, CO.
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A Sheyenne River study site near Maddock, North Dakota |
Publications and Additional Information
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Advisor:
Dr.
Marvin W. Fawley Professor
of Botany North Dakota State University
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