Join the Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative for an in-person seminar by Lauren Kinsman-Costello, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Kent State University, as she presents on, "Actionable Data: Assessing the Water Quality Improvement Function of Wetland Restoration in Ohio."

Abstract: As part of an ambitious statewide effort to limit phosphorus (P) loads into the western Basin of Lake Erie to mitigate recurring harmful algal blooms, Ohio has invested over $170 million since 2020 in constructing and restoring wetlands throughout the state. However, the actual ability of wetland ecosystems to store P and remove nitrogen is highly variable, and at times, wetlands can become sources, rather than sinks, for P. Knowing this, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources supported a function-focused monitoring and assessment program designed and implemented by a consortium of scientists from six Ohio universities. This talk will describe results to date of the H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program, as well as the challenges and opportunities encountered as researchers, agency personnel, ecosystem managers, and other stakeholders cultivated a network for science-based management and restoration.

Biography: Lauren Kinsman-Costello obtained her B.S. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University, where she worked at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, in Zoology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior. Lauren studies elemental cycling to better understand how ecosystems, especially muddy ones, work. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Kent State University where she leads the Kinsman-Costello Nutrient Biogeochemistry Lab.

Coffee and treats will be provided. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.