Purdue University ecologist Patrick Zollner studied how people walking on nature trails can affect the reproduction habits of the Karner blue butterfly, which is a federally endangered species.

Resource managers are under increasing pressure to implement strategies that address the negative effects of outdoor recreational activities on wildlife. The study shows that human recreation can disrupt the breeding patterns of Karner blue butterflies, as well as other species.

Using a simulation model, the project found that significantly fewer eggs are laid by Karner blue butterfly females in sites at the Indiana Dunes National Park that are 10-15 meters from the trail. Plants that are farthest away have the most eggs. Zollner suggests that habitat patches be at least 25 meters from the trail.

“Depending on the circumstances, about 17 percent of the females are only laying half of their potential eggs because of human dis¬turbance,” Zollner said.

Zollner has studied how traffic affects Indiana wildlife and has submitted a proposal to study how the Huron-Manistee National Forest equestrian population impacts Karner blue butterflies.

This study is one of many funded as development of “seed” grants for researchers, either to begin start-up studies that may grow into larger work, or to complete ongoing projects.

This project and others are highlighted in our latest issue of our newsletter, The Helm. You can  also read the complete study (PDF).

IISG’s Asian Carp Marketing Summit in September of 2010 played a significant role in bringing jobs and invasive species solutions to Illinois, as highlighted in one of The Telegraph’s Top 10 local stories of 2011. 

The summit brought together representatives from restaurants, commercial fishing, processing and related businesses, as well as agencies and academic institutions to discuss ways to address the potential threat that Asian carp pose to the Illinois River and the Great Lakes. 

Times Square—some call it the crossroads of the world. Annually, over 450 million people pass through this historic and dazzling site.

Since late December 2011 (which included the world famous New Year’s Eve celebration that attracts many, many thousands) Sea Grant and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) are informing audiences on the issue of medicine disposal on the CBS JumboTron “Super Screen.” The 15-second spot will run through March 31 about 18 times every day or about every 80 minutes. The screen is located on 42^nd Street between 7^th and 8^th avenues in Times Square Plaza.

The Buffalo River was subjected to a great deal of industrial contamination years ago. Efforts at pollution prevention and cleanup have helped to rehabilitate the water way, but a great deal of contamination still exists in the sediment at the bottom of the river. These contaminants can still have a negative effect on economic, social, and environmental uses of the river, but an ongoing collaboration between a number of agencies is working right now to clean up and restore the river bottom.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER, Honeywell and several other affiliated public and private entities have teamed up to complete a two-year dredging project that will remove 1.2 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment, which will provide a clean and supportive environment for local, native species to flourish.

Part of the work is being performed under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, which revitalizes once-thriving waterways through sediment cleanups and restoration. The act requires at least 35 percent of the project cost to come from non-federal partners. IISG’s Environmental Social Scientist Caitie McCoy has provided expertise for the project. For example, she prepared the publication The Buffalo River Restoration Project: Frequently Asked Questions. The FAQ gives detailed information on the Buffalo River Restoration Project, including the project’s timeframe, funding, impact, and more.

What do you get when you combine an aquarium, a greenhouse, and a fish farm? The answer is aquaponics.

Aquaponics is the process of operating fish farming and hydroponic plant farming in a contained system where the water is circulated, filtered, and reused between both. Here’s how it works. The water in the fish tanks builds up waste that need to be filtered out to keep the fish healthy. But this waste can actually provides nutrients for plant growth so in an aquaponic setup, that water is used to hydroponically grown plants. The plant roots filter the water by taking up and using these valuable nutrients. By circulating the water through the system in this way, both the plants and the fish benefit, and the water is reused. The system also provides a natural environment where vegetables, herbs, and fish are all raised organically.

For a great explanation of the process, as well as a tour of what an aquaponic system can look like, watch this video.

If you would like to learn more about aquaponics, contact IISG Aquaculture Marketing Specialist Kwamena Quagrainie.

As the year ends, top ten lists begin to crop up, putting the year’s events in perspective and celebrating accomplishments. IISG has put together our own list of successes from projects that have come to fruition in recent years, and here is an example: 

IISG presented a seminar on climate change, land use, and human health impacts to the Northern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) Environmental Management Planning Committee. The seminar led to the development of a climate change steering committee, which drafted a resolution on climate change for the NIRPC Board of Trustees. Sea Grant also participated in this process.

The NIRPC Board of Trustees approved the resolution requiring that any future planning and funding efforts that NIRPC puts forth incorporate climate change components, especially green infrastructure. This kind of action provides positive action on climate change issues, both in the near term and in the future planning. It also fosters an impact at the local level, where communities and residents will benefit directly from the improvements.

Join IISG in taking a look at some of the projects we’ve been involved in during the past year or two. There have been a number of important initiatives that are already benefiting communities throughout the Great Lakes region, and here is just one example:

Flushing unused medicines is a bad idea. for aquatic wildlife, and for us–these chemicals can end up in local rivers and streams as well as drinking water sources.  IISG has been at the forefront in efforts to to raise awareness on this issue and to help communities organize local medicine collection programs.

IISG and the Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal Program created permanent medicine collection programs in several Great Lakes communities, and Sea Grant has purchased 15 medicine collection boxes for communities that now have ongoing pharmaceutical collection programs in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

As a result of the program, 15 Great Lakes communities collected 4,600 pounds of medicine in 2010 alone, preventing all of that from entering the water supply and negatively impacting the environment.

Pictured here is the drop box in Peru, Illinois and the local team that worked to make it happen. For more information on medicine collection programs and proper disposal of pharmaceuticals, visit the IISG webpage on Safe Disposal of Unwanted Medicines.