

Studies continue to show the presence and persistence of pharmaceuticals and other personal care products in waterways throughout the country. And improperly disposed-of medicines have been shown to have numerous detrimental effects on plants, animals, and environmental processes.
A forthcoming paper in Ecological Applications confirms the presence of pharmaceuticals in rivers throughout the U.S.
From Nature World News:
“As it turns out, the antihistamine diphenhydramine – used in treating allergic symptoms as well as motion sickness, insomnia and a cold – decreased a biofilm’s photosynthesis by 99 percent in addition to drops in respiration. And it didn’t stop there. The chemical compound actually caused a change in present bacterial species, including a reduction of a group that digests compounds produced by plants and algae.
Nor was it the only one tested to render similar results; in fact, all the pharmaceuticals involved in the study had a measurable and negative impact on biofilm respiration.”
Read the complete article at the link above, and find more information about the study at our UnwantedMeds.org site.
The IISG program, in cooperation with the @nationalparkservice at @indianadunesnps and @UrbanRivers in Chicago, is offering two internship opportunities to support conservation policy efforts. Sea Grant’s national Community Engaged Internship (CEI) program aims to broaden participation in coastal, ocean, Great Lakes, and marine sciences providing training and mentorship to the next generation of scientists, decision-makers, and citizens.
The program will do so by recruiting, retaining and engaging students in place-based research, extension, education, and/or communication that respects and integrates local ways of knowing.
Applications due March 17.
Learn more at the link in bio.
Meet IISG grad student scholar, Leah Turner! Leah is a second-year master’s student in the Department of Biology at @ballstateuniversity. Leah works in the Ward Lab, studying the effects of environmental contaminants on the behavior and cognition of fish at early life stages. The project, funded by IISG, is developmental exposure to citalopram, a common SSRI which alters development, behavior, and learning in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).
Learn more about Leah’s work at the link in bio.
Happy International Women’s Day! A special thank you to the incredible members of our IISG community who inspire, lead, and drive change every day. 🎉
It’s almost our favorite time of the year...Rain Garden Rumble!
This will be our 6th annual competition where 28 native plant species go head-to-head (or bloom-to-bloom?) in a fierce competition. But the best part? YOU determine who is crowned champion.
There are a few ways to participate. First, fill out a bracket* (steps below). Then, vote in our daily Instagram polls or Facebook posts from March 18th through April 4th. The person who submits the most accurate bracket wins a sweet set of Illinois Extension "rain-care" merch (an umbrella and rain gauge)!👀
*You do NOT have to fill out a bracket to vote in the polls!
1. Click the link in our bio to open our official blog with more information regarding the event.
2. Scroll down and click our bracket.
3. In the tab that pops up, click the “download” icon.
4. Fill it out with your picks and save the document. Please include your name! Note that you can learn more about the plants by clicking their names in the bracket.
5. Submit your completed bracket to RedOakRainGarden@illinois.edu by Monday, March 17. Matches begin the following day on Facebook and Instagram.
May the best plant win...🌿🏆
#RainGardenRumble2025