April 28, 2023
Freshwater Food Webs and Fish Habitat in a Changing Minnesota
Dr. Heidi Rantala
Research Scientist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Abstract
Minnesota lakes are changing. Invasive species, climate, and landuse are driving many of these changes, and the impacts on lakes are varied, interactive, and often complicated. Here I will talk about ongoing research exploring changes in Minnesota lakes and how they relate to aquatic food webs and fish habitat. I will also discuss how research supports fisheries management in Minnesota and outreach efforts related to research projects.
Biosketch
Heidi is a lake/landscape ecologist in the Fisheries Research Unit at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Her work focuses on the impacts of stressors to aquatic food webs and fish habitat. Heidi is currently working on projects related to Didymosphenia geminata in North Shore streams and Lake Superior, drivers of oxygen depletion in Midwest lakes, walleye production and habitat, and relationships between aquatic plant communities and fish populations. These projects are all collaborative, with partners in academic, state agency, and non-profit research positions. Heidi earned BS degrees in Biology and Geology at UW-Eau Claire, a MS in Water Resources Science from the University of Minnesota, and a PhD in Biological Sciences at The University of Alabama.Â