Current Projects
The following projects have been selected to receive support from Michigan Sea Grant. Do you have an idea for a project? Follow Michigan Sea Grant on social media or join our mailing list for details about upcoming requests for proposals.
2026-2028
Assessing resilience of ecosystem-engineering plants for Great Lakes sand dune restoration and stabilization
Lead principal investigator: Erika Hersch-Green, Michigan Technological University, [email protected]
Michigan’s coastal sand dunes are among the most unique and important ecosystems in the Great Lakes region. These dunes protect shorelines from erosion, filter water, store carbon, and support wildlife and tourism. American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata), a native plant that helps build and stabilize dunes, is widely planted for restoration and coastline stabilization efforts throughout Michigan. However, this important species faces growing threats from broadscale environmental shifts. This project will explore how environmental variation affects beachgrass performance and dune system integrity and functioning. This project will also test the potential of new restoration strategies including the addition of beneficial soil fungi and using beachgrass plants from populations that may be better adapted to future conditions. Researchers will combine field surveys from dune sites distributed across Michigan with greenhouse experiments to identify the most effective approaches for restoring and protecting these fragile landscapes. Findings will help land managers improve dune restoration efforts and maintain healthy, resilient coastlines.
Project overview (PDF)
Sensitivity of invasive dreissenid mussels to freshwater acidification in the Great Lakes
Lead principal investigator: Jenan Kharbush, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Since the 1990s, invasive dreissenid mussels have completely transformed the Great Lakes. These filter-feeders now make up over 90% of the lake floor’s animal biomass, acting as ecosystem engineers that dictate how essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus cycle through the water. However, new threats are emerging as the lakes face rising temperatures and increasing acidification. Although ocean acidification is well-studied, much less is known about how these changes will affect freshwater systems. Scientists are concerned that warmer, more acidic water could shift the composition of phytoplankton, tiny algae, potentially reducing their nutritional quality or promoting harmful blooms. This study will use controlled laboratory experiments to investigate how these environmental stressors affect the fatty acid content of algae and the feeding habits of quagga mussels. By understanding these shifts at the base of the food web, researchers can better predict and protect the future of Great Lakes fisheries and water quality.
Project overview (PDF)
Assessing tire wear particles and rubber-derived chemicals in urban Great Lakes ecosystems
Lead principal investigator: Zhijiang Lu, Wayne State University, [email protected]
Car tires constantly shed tiny particles and chemicals as they wear down, especially on busy roads. These tire wear particles (TWPs) are now believed to be one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution in the environment. When it rains, TWPs and rubber-derived chemicals wash off streets into rivers and lakes. Some of these chemicals, like 6PPD-quinone, are extremely toxic to fish such as salmon and trout, even in small amounts. Yet despite growing concerns, little research has been done on how common these pollutants are, how they move through water, or if they build up in fish and other wildlife. This project will examine TWPs and tire-related chemicals in three urban rivers in southeast Michigan and their outflows into Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie. Researchers will track where these pollutants go, whether they accumulate in fish, and how they may affect ecosystems. The project will also estimate how much pollution is flushed into the lakes during storms. These findings will help state agencies develop pollution control strategies and bring attention to this under-recognized threat to the Great Lakes.
Project overview (PDF)
Resource partitioning regulates epigenetic evolution among Lake Superior lake charr ecotypes
Graduate Research Fellow: Adele Shirmer, Michigan Technological University, [email protected]
Lake Superior is home to a unique population of lake charr that is self-sustaining without the help of hatchery stocking. Remarkably, this species has branched out into at least four distinct ecological types, known as ecotypes, which differ in where they live and what they eat. Scientists believe this diversity is driven by resource partitioning, a process where different groups evolve to use different habitats and food sources to avoid direct competition. The project will investigate how resource partitioning regulates lake charr epigenomes, or how DNA is expressed, for the ecotypes collected from waters surrounding Lake Superior’s Isle Royale. By measuring these ecological tracers in combination and epigenetic sequencing among Lake Superior lake charr ecotypes, this research will capture speciation, which is the the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct, reproductively isolated species, as it occurs in one of the most physiologically diverse vertebrate taxa.
Project overview (PDF)
The ethics of risk communication under uncertainty: A case study of PFAS mixtures and inter-agency environmental communication
Graduate Research Fellow: Alexandra Sexton, Michigan State University, [email protected]
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants posing complex and evolving risks to both human and ecological health. Scientific findings are often highly technical, have associated error and uncertainty, and are often subject to revision, creating challenges for public understanding and trust. In Michigan, this information is communicated to the public primarily through the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART). Although this conduit improves accessibility, key details, such as uncertainty, ecological versus human health distinctions, or variability in exposure, can be hard to find or misinterpreted. This project will investigate the ethics of risk communication while considering uncertainty, focusing on how PFAS toxicity findings are conveyed from scientists to decision-makers to the public. The overarching goal of this work is to analyze the flow of risk information between agencies and establish communication strategies that prioritize transparency and integrity without overwhelming the audience.
Project overview (PDF)
Synergistic effects of acidification and temperature on Microcystis aeruginosa toxicity in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Graduate Research Fellow: Colton Bragg, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Harmful algal blooms are a growing threat to the Great Lakes, where they block sunlight, deplete oxygen, and produce toxins that contaminate drinking water. As temperature changes lead to warmer waters and higher levels of dissolved inorganic carbon, toxic cyanobacteria like Microcystis aeruginosa are expected to outcompete harmless algae. This change could increase both the frequency and severity of blooms in critical areas like Western Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay. This research project will investigate how the combination of rising temperatures and lake acidification affects toxin production. By studying the balance between toxic and non-toxic strains, researchers aim to predict how future climate conditions will alter the safety and health of Great Lakes ecosystems, providing vital information for protecting regional water quality.
Project overview (PDF)
Getting out of the rough: Understanding shifting perceptions and the emergence of burbot as a recreational target
Graduate Research Fellow: Greyson Wolf, Michigan Technological University, [email protected]
Burbot have long been unregulated in Michigan waters, meaning there are few protections to manage their harvest. Recent data shows that burbot biomass in the nearshore waters of Lake Superior has been declining since the 1980s. This decline is concerning because most recreational fishing occurs in these shallow areas during winter months when burbot gather in large groups to spawn. In this project, scientists will collect data to understand the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of anglers across the Lake Superior basin. Additionally, the team will conduct on-the-ground creel surveys and interviews at ice fishing locations along the southern coastline. These efforts will allow researchers to quantify how many burbot are being caught, kept, or released, while also estimating local population sizes. By integrating stakeholder perspectives with harvest data, this project will provide fisheries managers with the foundational information needed to develop sustainable regulations and protect this native Great Lake species.
Project overview (PDF)
Understanding drivers of wild rice proliferation in the Great Lakes: A stepping stone towards ecological restoration
Graduate Research Fellow: Macy Gustafson, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Michigan is home to two distinct wild rice species: the northern Zizania palustris, prized for its large seeds, and the southern Zizania aquatica. Although both are vital to Great Lakes ecosystems and Indigenous cultures, they are often managed as a single group. This lack of distinction is problematic because preliminary data suggests they respond differently to environmental stressors. For instance, rising temperatures appear to hinder the northern species while potentially boosting the southern variety. To resolve these uncertainties, this research project will compare growth rates across a latitudinal gradient. By conducting parallel experiments at two different Michigan sites, scientists will simulate various soil and water conditions to identify why wild rice is becoming increasingly scarce in southern regions. This study will provide updated population data and specific management insights, helping conservationists restore these irreplaceable plants and protect Michigan’s unique natural heritage for future generations.
Project overview (PDF)
Smallmouth bass in Saginaw Bay: Stock structure, seasonal movements, and effect of recreational tournament displacement
Lead principal investigator: Scott Colborne, Michigan State University, [email protected]
Smallmouth bass are an abundant sportfish in Saginaw Bay, supporting a recreational fishery that has expanded in recent years and now attracts multiple annual professional fishing tournaments in addition to widespread general fishing activity. There are numerous economic benefits of this fishery to the Saginaw Bay region, but critical information about how these fish are structured across the bay, how they use habitat, and potential effects of tournament-related displacement are not documented. This project will combine state-of-the-art genetic and acoustic telemetry analyses to determine if smallmouth bass in Saginaw Bay are part of a single, mixed population or if there are genetically distinct groups associated with spawning sites; if they return to the same spawning sites each year; and whether tournament-caught bass return to their original locations. This project will generate insights into smallmouth bass behavior and population structure that can be used to better manage this recreational fishery to ensure long-term sustainability of this population in Saginaw Bay.
Project overview (PDF)
2024-2027
An Ecosystem-Scale Approach to Understanding Changing Winters in the Great Lakes
Lead Principal Investigator: Trista J. Vick-Majors, Michigan Technological University
The Laurentian Great Lakes are the world’s largest reservoir of freshwater; unfortunately, this valuable resource is being affected by multiple interacting stressors, many of which are related to climate change. Winter limnology represents a major gap in our understanding of the lakes’ responses to a changing climate, hampering our ability to manage these systems for resiliency. This research will use a networked science approach to conduct synchronous, standardized sampling across the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair to assess chemical, physical, and biological limnological aspects of these systems during winter. Using a networked approach will allow the team to achieve broad spatial coverage to put winter conditions and ecology in context and facilitate predictions of future ecosystem responses to climate change.
Project overview (PDF)
A Novel Assessment of Lake Trout Growth Sensitivity to Winter and Spring Climate and Possible Interactions with Declining Prey Abundance in Lake Superior
Lead Principal Investigator: Steven Voelker, Michigan Technological University
Lake Superior is among the most rapidly warming bodies of water on the planet, yet little is understood regarding how native lake trout have responded to this stressor. This research will use a new approach that looks at year-to-year variation in the growth of fish ear stones. Scientists can use the width of these stones to measure the growth of a fish in a given year and compare it with climatic variation in that same year to determine, over decades, how climate variables regulate growth. Because lake trout are a long-lived species, growth climate sensitivity can be assessed over decades; researchers will look at data from 1980 to 2022. Results from this research will improve understanding of lake trout population dynamics and provide valuable information to fisheries managers, helping to boost the economy and culture of coastal towns and communities they support.
Project overview (PDF)
Determining Great Lakes invasive carp species susceptibility to emerging viral infections
Graduate Research Fellow: Santosh Lamichhane, Michigan State University
Invasive aquatic species, particularly invasive carp, threaten Great Lakes ecosystems and regional economies. These carp have already infiltrated water bodies near the Great Lakes, primarily through connections between the Mississippi River basin and Lake Michigan. Their establishment poses a severe challenge because they are difficult to control and eradicate and can cause ecosystem damage. This research will explore the susceptibility of invasive carp species to new and emerging fish viruses circulating in the Great Lakes. These findings will inform management approaches to maintain healthy Great Lakes ecosystems and may contribute to international efforts against aquatic invasive species.
Project overview (PDF)
Community Dynamics of Cyanobacteria in Lake Erie: Testing Environmental Drivers of Bloom Succession
Graduate Research Fellow: Carol Waldmann Rosenbaum, Michigan State University
This project will investigate how environmental factors influence the shifting array of algae species in Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms. In particular, cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) pose significant threats to water quality, ecosystems, human health, and coastal communities, particularly in Lake Erie. It’s important to understand how environmental drivers such as water column stratification, nutrient concentrations, and temperature affect which species develop. This study aims to refine forecasting models and aid in the mitigation of cHABs, contributing to broader efforts by federal agencies to manage cHABs in the Great Lakes and assess the impact of environmental policies.
Project overview (PDF)
Externally funded projects
State of the science: Zebra and quagga mussel impacts and control in the Great Lakes
Contact: Elizabeth Striano, Michigan Sea Grant, [email protected]
Invasive quagga and zebra mussels (collectively Dreissenids) have been established in the Great Lakes for more than three decades. These non-native species have affected ecosystems and fish populations in ways that need to be considered in decision making and control and remediation actions. Although a large body of science on Dreissenid mussels in the Great Lakes exists, this information has not been summarized or presented in a way that is accessible to broad audiences. This project will synthesize the available information to produce communication products that will bring clarity to existing uncertainties regarding dreissenid mussel impacts, including, for example, uncertainties about underlying mechanisms, inconsistencies across studies, and anecdotal assertions lacking adequate evidence. A key outcome of this project will be to increase audience understanding of how system productivity relates to fish production and how this situation may affect fishing levels.
Project overview (PDF)
Identifying at-risk habitats for walleye, yellow perch, and lake whitefish amid aquatic invasive species impacts
Lead principal investigator: Rochelle Sturtevant
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are affecting populations of walleye (Sander vitreus), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), three species that hold considerable cultural and economic value to Great Lakes communities. Staff at the Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS) program will pinpoint which AIS have potential direct and indirect effects on the three focal species; analyze the extent of Great Lakes habitat overlap between these native and invasive species; identify ideal habitat areas that are currently uninvaded or minimally invaded; and use historical trajectories of invasion to forecast where the AIS are likely to move next. This information will help determine the level of risk to the three focal species, need for management across habitats, and ideal stocking locations in the Great Lakes. This project is funded by the U.S. Coastal Research Program (USCRP).
Project overview (PDF)
Developing tools to assess flood risk and mitigation strategies for Great Lakes communities
Lead principal investigator: Jeremy Bricker
As climate change fuels stronger and more frequent storms, Great Lakes coastal communities are looking for ways to prepare and adapt to keep their residents and infrastructure safe from floods. In 2023, Michigan Sea Grant received $500,000 in funding from National Sea Grant for a collaborative project that will help improve resilience under future climate change scenarios in specific coastal communities in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Project overview (PDF)
2022-2024
Understanding where walleye spawn in Saginaw Bay to ensure better management and habitat protection
Lead principal investigator: Travis Brenden, Michigan State University
Invasive species, habitat degradation, and declining water quality led to a collapse of walleye (Sander vitreus) populations in Saginaw Bay in the mid-1990s. Fortunately, these populations have since recovered, and management goals have shifted to ensuring a sustainable harvest. Travis Brenden, Professor; Director, Quantitative Fisheries Center, will lead a team using acoustic tags and receivers to identify walleye spawning sites and their relative importance in Saginaw Bay. Ultimately, this project could provide one of the last key missing pieces of information in understanding and helping to manage this newly recovered population and fishery.
Project overview (PDF)
