Erin Hotchkiss and Katherine Pérez Rivera are conducting research with a team of undergraduates this semester through a new course developed by Hotchkiss: Ecology Research in Local Waterways. The course is open to all students with sophomore standing or higher; no prior experience in research or freshwater science is required for enrollment. We aim to provide students with real-world freshwater science knowledge, research experience, and team science best practices through a semester-long collaboration; the research goals will change each semester to reflect ongoing freshwater research needs and opportunities on Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus and/or the surrounding area. This spring, our research collaboration is testing the downstream water quality effects of the Duck Pond, a large retention pond on Virginia Tech's campus that is part of the Stroubles Creek stream network. In addition to testing the current capacity of the Duck Pond to reduce downstream sediment, nutrient, and salt pollution, we will also monitor upstream and downstream water quality during a contracted dredging project that will remove built-up sediments from the Duck Pond and increase its future retention capacity. Below are a few photos of our collaboration team collecting samples to measure stream flow and water quality above and below the Duck Pond; stay tuned for more updates on what we learn this semester! The next section of this class will be offered in Fall 2024.

Carla López Lloreda recently gave a presentation at the 11th BIOGEOMON International Symposium on Ecosystem Behavior in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her talk was titled "Disturbances drive stream greenhouse gas changes and increased heterogeneity at the reach-scale" and was co-authored by Allison Herreid, Tatiana Barreto Vélez, Jesús Gómez, Pablo Gutiérrez-Fonseca, and William H. McDowell.