Lake Superior's north shore, taken from the Blue Heron. Photo: R. Sterner
Researching Biology, Chemistry, Ecology, Limnology, and Stoichiometry of Earth's Largest Lakes
What we do
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Limnology is the science of inland waters. It is a multidisciplinary field, with physics, biology, chemistry, geology, social sciences, and others all strongly contributing to the understanding of the whole. True to this spirit, work in my lab has covered a wide range of topics, but the center of gravity of all these is the field of Ecological Stoichiometry, which in simple terms is the study of how the nutrient content of organisms shapes their ecology. My lab colleagues and I get involved in many topics but almost always there is some big or little bit of stoichiometry in them. The link between nutrients and organisms is important for both theoretical and practical reasons, simply put, society has a lot of water quality problems that stem from how nutrients affect organisms, and we research fundamental questions in that arena.
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Current Projects
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Lake Superior Ecosystem. We are currently funded by the Legislative and Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources to continue our long-term work on C:N:P and algal dynamics in Lake Superior. Questions under active investigation include: the role of year-to-year climate variability in algal dynamics and variability in phosphorus pools in space and time. Patterns and controls on primary production also are an ongoing interest. "Irons in the fire" include projects on zooplankton grazing on microplastics, understanding within-lake pH variability, and the role of sediments from the south shore in the lake's P cycles. Generally, my lab gets involved with many questions linking inorganic nutrients to biological dynamics in this big, beautiful, inspiring lake.
Ecosystem services of Earth's largest lakes. We are beginning a project to assess the ecosystem services of the largest lakes on Earth, though funding provided by the Institute on the Environment a the University of Minnesota, and in collaboration with the Natural Capital Project. |
Join us!
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We are recruiting! The lab is still in the regrowth stage following R. Sterner's move to the University of Minnesota Duluth. We are presently recruiting for two Postdoctoral level investigators to begin at negotiable time and for one or two M.S. or Ph.D. students to begin in Fall, 2016. I am always interested in speaking with interested undergraduates from UMD who want to gain some research experience.
Postdoctoral opportunities. I have two openings. The first is for an individual who will mine existing data on C, N and P in Lake Superior to explore fundamental topics in ecosystem organization. Collection of new data can also be incorporated. This is a one-year position with the possibility of renewal pending successful completion of the first year. There is no formal application process for this position. If interested, email Bob Sterner (stern007@umn.edu) The second is for a person who will provide a high-level assessment of the ecosystem services provided by the ca. 20 largest lakes on Earth. These are a diverse set of ecosystems, embedded within diverse human societies. We are looking for a person with a background in ecology, economics, or social sciences who has already published in the topic of ecosystem services. Collaboration with the Natural Capital Project is expected. To apply, visit http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/employment/ and search for Job Requisition 301046 in Keywords (set "Jobs Posted Within" to "Anytime"). Graduate student opportunities. At present, I am recruiting for one or two M.S. or Ph.D. students to begin in Fall, 2016 either in the Water Resources or the Integrated Biological Sciences programs. If your interests align with the work we do in the Sternerlab, please contact Bob Sterner. Undergraduate student opportunities. UMD students looking for a research opportunity should contact Bob Sterner. |