This project aims to demonstrate the potential to use well-quantified niche shifts from established ‘avatar invaders’ to develop plausible distributions for similar emerging invaders. The study uses the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii as an ‘avatar invader’ and the yabby Cherax destructor, as a data-poor emerging invader.

The objectives of this project are:

• To develop optimal in vitro methodology for Asian carp muscle hydrolysis using largemouth bass (LMB) endogenous digestive enzymes obtained from adult LMB.
• To evaluate the effect of Asian carp muscle protein hydrolysates obtained using methodology in Objective 1 as a first feed for larval LMB.

• Establish laboratory procedures for the analysis of microplastics in sediment of natural waters, and obtain preliminary data for Lake Michigan

This project will address an emerging issue along the coast of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana: microbiological pollution of beach sands due to failing septic systems. We will sample beaches in areas of known septic system failures and the sand for E. coli, human fecal bacterial DNA markers, and common pathogens. Successful execution of this project will result in data that can be used for a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for beachgoers in the area and an experimental framework that can be expanded to examine beach sands in other Indiana coastal communities with high densities of shoreline septic systems.

• Determine the role of green infrastructure (GI) practices in reducing flooding by developing Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment-Low Impact Development (L-THIA-LID) 2.2 models to simulate flooding (peak flow rate) and impacts of GI on reducing flooding
• Identify the long-term performance of GI practices in reducing flooding by improving the model algorithm to simulate GI practice efficiencies considering changes in performance of practices over time
• Enhance the optimization tool for selecting and placing GI practices to account for flooding
• Demonstrate the impacts of GI practice adoption on flooding through use of the improved model in analysis of potential and optimal GI impacts in the Washington Park community in Chicago
• Use the new tool to increase the understanding of impacts of GI practices in reducing flooding by providing outreach through tutorial and video instructional support including to community organizations around Chicago and classes at DePaul University and Purdue University

• Develop geologic soils-based site and surface design research to alleviate flooding in flood-prone urban areas