Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID NE_2023_Corman

Grassland wildfire impacts on lake ecosystems

Institute: Nebraska
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2023-09-01 End Date: 2024-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $29,841 Total Non-Federal Funds: $29,841

Principal Investigators: Jessica Corman

Project Summary: Wildfires produce large amounts of ash that is rich nutrients such as phosphorous which can affect the health of the environment. Despite increasing fire frequencies in the US, it is largely unknown how fires influence aquatic environments such as lakes. Our study seeks to fill this knowledge gap by answering three questions: 1) Does ash influence the growth of algae in lakes? 2) Does ash affect food webs in lakes? 3) How frequently do grassland fires occur near lakes? We will conduct manipulative experiments in which we add ash to lake water to answer questions one and two. For question three we will analyze existing data sets on fire occurrences in grasslands. Our findings will help us understand how fire affects lakes and quantify how frequently lakes are exposed to grassland fires. Information gained from this project can be used to manage and protect lakes from future fires.