In addition to conducting field-oriented research in most of our upper-division courses, every student in our program works with faculty to develop and implement an individual research project on a topic of their own interest during their junior and senior years. Students begin their research project while in the Junior Research course and complete their project while in the Senior Research and Senior Capstone courses. Some students also perform research as part of an internship or seasonal employment.

Here are some examples of what our students have recently studied or are currently studying:

As the recipient of a Rufus J. Thayer Otsego Lake Research Assistantship at the Otsego Lake Biological Field Station (Summer 2007), Caitlin Snyder studied...
  • water quality (nutrient analyses, residential septic tank updates, best management practices for farms)
  • fish population dynamics (included seining, gill netting, using trap nets, dietary analyses, aging)
  • NYS Dragonfly and Damselfly survey work throughout Otsego County
  • mussel communities in the Susquehanna River
  • vegatative assessment at Highland, Sullivan County with the Upper Susquehanna Coalition & Millenium Pipeline Co.
  • aquatic macrophytes in Moraine Lake, Madison County (impacts of herbicide on native and invasive plants including Eurasion watermilfoil)
  • invasive species including management of purple loosestrife, zebra mussels, water chestnut, eurasion watermilfoil
  • She also cleared and maintained hiking trails and helped with events such as "Otsego Lake Festival" and Lake Clean-up Day.
Diet analysis of a perch
What species was it?
A largemouth Bass
Tick Free and ready
A cooperative Dragonfly
Anything yet?

Ashley Kerker, John Martin, and Caitlin Snyder studied streamflow and water quality in Cazenovia Lake tributaries.

 


Mike Malfitano (2006) studied coliform bacteria in Chittenango Creek as part of his Senior Project.

 


Water quality in Cazenovia Lake tributaries
Moss and liverwort (bryophyte) biodiversity and coarse woody debris in an old-growth swamp
Influence of vegetative cover on amphibian habitat selection at Stoney Pond State Forest
Land use and surface water quality within the Lake Moraine watershed

Land use and surface water quality within the Lake Moraine watershed

* Salamander-habitat relationships at Woodchuck Hill Field & Forest Preserve
* Dragonfly and damselfly diversity around area water bodies
* Invertebrate communities and water quality in Chittenango Creek
* Designing a multi-sensory interpretive trail at Woodchuck Hill Field & Forest Preserve
* Relationships between water depth and vascular plant diversity at Old Fly Marsh
* Potential influence of Morrisville Swamp on surface water quality