ANNUAL REPORT: June 1, 2008 – May 31, 2009
(i.e., Summer 2008, AY 2008-2009)
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST BIOLOGY
SUNY-ESF
NAME:
I. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Regular Course Offerings
Course No.
Title
Credit
Hrs.
No.
Students
No. of Lab.
Sections
3
~160 (both sessions)
SUMMER:
EFB202 Ecological Monitoring and Biodiversity Assessment
FALL:
SPRING:
2. Non-Scheduled Course Offerings (e.g., 496, 899, 999)
Course No.
Title
EFB497/797 Landscape Perspectives in Aquatic Ecology
Credit
Hrs.
1
No.
Students
6
3. Continuing Education and Extension (short courses, workshops, etc.)
4. Guest Lecture Activities
Course No.
Title
No. of Lectures
EFB 497/797 Landscape Ecology
1
EFB 518 Systems Ecology - field trip, assisted in macroinvertebrate sampling and ID
II. STUDENT ADVISING
A. Number of undergraduates for whom you are the student’s official advisor _____ 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
CO-MAJOR PROFESSOR
MEMBER, STEERING COMMITTEE (other than those listed above)
CHAIRMAN OR READER ON THESIS EXAMS, ETC.
Matthew Dey, M.S. Environmental Science, 4/22/09 “The Fear of Death: A Cognitive Pre-Determinant
to Organic Attitudes and Behaviors”
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)
1) NYSDEC, “Assessment of Lake Sturgeon Stocking in the Oswego River Basin”
$133,261 total/2 years to begin ~7/1/09, PI with co-PIs D. Carlson (NYSDEC), D.
Dittman (USGS) M.S. student, Errol Scheid to begin 7/09.
2) Syracuse Center of Excellence, “Life Down Under: the Forgotten Hyporheic
Zone in Stream Restoration and Development of a BioIndicator of Subsurface
Recovery” $100,000/1 year to begin ~7/1/09 PI with Co-PI L. Lautz (SU); M.S.
student to be selected and begin ASAP.
3) NSF, “Collaborative Research: Impacts of In-Stream Restoration On Hydrological,
Chemical, and Biological Heterogeneity in the Hyporheic Zone”, $ 463,056/5 yrs;
to begin ~1/1/10; PI with PI L. Lautz (SU), Co-PI T. Endreny), student to be cosupported with Syracuse COE funding (above)
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
B. Non-refereed Publications
C. Papers Presented at Science Meetings (give title, date, occasion, and location)
Dittman, D.E., K.E. McGrath, and M. Chalupnicki. 2008. “Lake sturgeon distribution,
population dynamics, and habitat use in the Oswego River Basin,” Poster
presentation, Annual Finger Lakes Region Research Conference, October
18, 2008, Geneva, NY.
D. Public Service Presentations (lectures, seminars, etc. to and for the public; give group or occasion, date(s), and
attendance)
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.
* Member, NYSDEC Fish Diversity Committee/Endangered Species Expert Panel
* ESF representative, Onondaga Lake Partnership Project Committee
* Member, Nonpoint Source Coordinating Committee, NYSDEC
* Taught aquatic macroinvertebrates class at Women In Nature Workshop, Elbridge, NY
* Member, Northeast Rivers and Streams Committee
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
American Fisheries Society
Ecological Society of America
Society for Conservation Biology
3. Other Professional Activities
a. Editorial activity
Journal (s)
Responsibility
Other (books, symposia, etc.)
b. Reviewer
Journal(s)
Fisheries Management and Ecology
Agency
Other
No. of manuscripts
1
No. of proposals
c. Participation (workshops, symposia, etc.)
Name of workshop, etc.
American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting
Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon Coordination Meeting
American Fisheries Society Genetics Workshop
American Fisheries Society NY Chapter Meeting
Adirondack Research Forum
Date
8/17-21/08
12/2-5/08
2/4/09
2/5-6/09
3/5-6/09
Place
Ottawa, CN
Port Huron, MI
Cortland, NY
Owego, NY
Old Forge, NY
C. Further Education/Re-training Undertaken, Leaves, Workshops, etc.
SUNY Grant Writing Workshop
10/6/08
Buffalo, NY
Attended EFB 518 Systems Ecology
most of Fall semester
Attended EFB 797 Connecting Data and Models
most of Fall semester
NSF Grant Writing Workshop
1/15/09
Binghamton, NY
D. Foreign Travel (Where, When, Purpose)
VII. ADMINISTRATIVE AND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES (include committee participation)
A. Department-level
Member, Aquatics Major Outcome Assessment Committee, Fall 2008
Participant, EFB Outstanding Female Graduates Dinner, April 7, 2008
Accepted Student Reception, Aquatics Major Representative, April 18, 2009
Member, Selection Committee for Phyllis Roskin Award
B. College-level
ORP Seed Grant Ad Hoc Reviewer
C. University-wide, including Research Foundation
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?
Students: This year I offered a seminar offering graduate and upperclass undergraduate students
the opportunity to study aquatic resources in a landscape context, filling a perceived need within
the department. We covered all major topics in landscape ecology and discussed applied topics in
aquatic ecology. The students also benefitted from 3 guest speakers. I will be evaluating the future
need for this class. I also co-taught both sessions of the aquatic portion of EFB202 at Cranberry
Lake last summer, interacting with most of the Department’s sophomores and counseling
numerous students on their special research topic within the class. I will soon be taking on two
M.S. graduate students, offering them exposure to and the opportunity to study highly disparate
topics in stream ecology: lake sturgeon and hyporheic ecology.
Department/college: My greatest contribution to the department and college this year was through
successful grant-writing efforts. Three of my proposals have been selected for funding and will
begin soon. All three include funding for graduate and undergraduate students and will bring
significant resources to EFB and the college. I hope to build on each of these projects in future
years. I also contributed to several Department efforts this year, including the Aquatics major
outcomes assessment, representing the Aquatic major at the accepted student reception this
spring, and participating in efforts to recognize outstanding undergraduates through the Phyllis
Roskin Award and the Outstanding Female Graduates Dinner.
Self: I took advantage of the outstanding resources at EFB by sitting in on two classes this year,
Jesse Brunner’s statistics seminar (EFB797) and Charlie Hall’s System’s Ecology (EFB598). These
are great classes and sharpened my statistics skills, and exposed me to a new approach toward
ecology and study design, respectively. I attended two Grant Writing workshops to improve my
understanding of the granting world and attributes of a successful proposal. Finally, significant
time this year was devoted to networking with USGS, NYSDEC, and other agency personnel to
become more familiar with aquatic issues and players in New York and the region.
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 primary goal at ESF is to strengthen the aquatic program by developing opportunities to expand
and share my expertise and experience in stream ecology through collaboration, research, and
teaching. New York has vast and valuable flowing water resources that are degraded,
undermanaged, and challenged by diverse threats. ESF is in a unique position to turn students into
aquatic professionals dedicated this resource and fully prepared to meet current and future
challenges. I plan to continue to seek funding for important applied topics in stream ecology, that
will involve students and strengthen their training, and encourage appreciation of flowing waters. I
also plan to continue to develop state- and region-wide professional networks associated with
stream ecology and management.
B. PROJECTED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT YEAR
1. Summer 2009
a. Course(s) to be offered
EFB202 Ecological Monitoring and Biodiversity Assessment (first session)
b. Proposed research activity
Two funded projects will begin in July and August, 2009, each with a new M.S. graduate student.
Each student will conduct their first summer of data collection. I will be actively involved in
each project, especially because both students will be new to ESF, formally beginning studies in
Fall 2009. I will also use the lake sturgeon project to become more familiar with the Canal
system and its management issues, conducting preliminary site visits and assessments of my
own for future project development (Canal management, exotic species distribution, fish
community distribution). I also plan to collect preliminary field data on hyporheic flow
associated with large woody debris, to strengthen a funding proposal (McIntyre-Stennis) that
received very strong reviews in 08/09 but was not selected for funding.
c. University, professional society, and public service
I plan to continue my involvement with the Onondaga Lake Partnership Project
committee, attending monthly meetings.
2. Fall Semester 2009
a. Course(s) to be offered
b. Proposed research activity
I plan to actively involve graduate and undergraduate students in research activities
through funded assistantships, summer employment in field and laboratory activities,
and support of educational opportunities such as independent undergraduate study.
c. University, Professional society, and public service
3. Spring Semester 2010
a. Course(s) to be offered
EFB497 Aquatic Senior Synthesis Seminar (#41842), with Don Stewart
b. Proposed research activity
as above
c. University, professional society, and public service
as above
X. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES (FYI!)
1) Research proposals submitted that were not funded:
McIntyre-Stennis, $79,265/3 yrs, “Riparian Forest Management from Cradle to Grave: Role
of Instream Wood in Hyporheic Exchange and Moderation of Temperature Maxima”
Syracuse Center for Excellence (Carti), $300,000/3 yrs, “Innovative Application of a
Shallow-Water LiDAR for River Channel Characterization” (with Y. Im, T. Endreny)
ORP Seed Grant, $6,900, “The Erie Canal: Impacts on the Aquatic Environment and
Assessment of Future Potential,” (with A. Saunders)