Great Lakes Regional Great Lakes Regional Research Information Research Information

NetworkNetwork Lake Michigan Coordination Lake Michigan Coordination

TeamTeamBrian K. Miller – Illinois-Indiana Sea GrantBrian K. Miller – Illinois-Indiana Sea GrantJennifer Fackler – Illinois-Indiana Sea GrantJennifer Fackler – Illinois-Indiana Sea GrantPhil Mankin – Illinois-Indiana Sea GrantPhil Mankin – Illinois-Indiana Sea GrantPaul Horvatin – Environmental Protection Agency, Paul Horvatin – Environmental Protection Agency, GLNPOGLNPOAnders Andren – Wisconsin Sea GrantAnders Andren – Wisconsin Sea GrantSteve Brandt – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Steve Brandt – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administration

How it all beganHow it all began

Requested by NOAA in 2006 through Requested by NOAA in 2006 through Sea Grant programs in all regions.Sea Grant programs in all regions.

Great Lakes proposal called for 5 Great Lakes proposal called for 5 committees (one for each lake).committees (one for each lake).

Each lake was to form a committee, Each lake was to form a committee, conduct a needs assessment, and conduct a needs assessment, and implement a strategy to implement a strategy to coordinate/focus research in each of coordinate/focus research in each of the respective lakes.the respective lakes.

Task 1: Task 1: Establish a regional Establish a regional coordination group to oversee the coordination group to oversee the

planning and implementation of the planning and implementation of the research and information strategy.research and information strategy.

Anders Andren - Wisconsin Sea Grant Anders Andren - Wisconsin Sea Grant (academic)(academic)

Steve Brandt - National Oceanic and Steve Brandt - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (agency)(agency)

Paul Horvatin – Environmental Paul Horvatin – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (agency)Protection Agency (EPA) (agency)

Brian Miller - Illinois-Indiana Sea Brian Miller - Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (academic)Grant (academic)

Task 2: Task 2: Conduct a bottom-up Conduct a bottom-up needs assessment with broad needs assessment with broad user and stakeholder input.user and stakeholder input.

Web site searches revealed 294 Web site searches revealed 294 organizations with a strong interest organizations with a strong interest in Lake Michigan.in Lake Michigan.

45 had stated priorities/goals. 45 had stated priorities/goals. All 294 were contacted to review All 294 were contacted to review

priorities/goals or to add some – 3 priorities/goals or to add some – 3 sent revisions, 7 new organizations sent revisions, 7 new organizations sent priorities.sent priorities.

Priorities and GoalsPriorities and Goals 52 organizations provided 379 priorities or 52 organizations provided 379 priorities or

needs needs Priorities reported per organization ranged 1–40. Priorities reported per organization ranged 1–40. Priorities provided by organizations represented Priorities provided by organizations represented

general topic areas and, in some cases, specific general topic areas and, in some cases, specific objectives. objectives.

Many of the priorities listed by organizations Many of the priorities listed by organizations were not research oriented, but more outreach were not research oriented, but more outreach based or policy/management. based or policy/management.

If an organization listed partner institutions, If an organization listed partner institutions, these partners were also added to the list and these partners were also added to the list and queried for priorities.queried for priorities.

Task 3: Task 3: Identify research Identify research and information gaps.and information gaps.

The 379 priorities aggregated into 74 categories. The 379 priorities aggregated into 74 categories. These categories were sorted based on the number These categories were sorted based on the number

of organizations focusing on a specific priority of organizations focusing on a specific priority category. category.

The most frequently listed priorities fell into five The most frequently listed priorities fell into five categories categories

The top five categories contained 154 priorities. The top five categories contained 154 priorities. These priorities were closely examined and broken These priorities were closely examined and broken down into subcategories of specific topic areas under down into subcategories of specific topic areas under which agencies and academic institutions conduct which agencies and academic institutions conduct research, education, and extension programs. research, education, and extension programs.

These topic areas were prioritized by the number of These topic areas were prioritized by the number of organizational priorities occurring under each topic. organizational priorities occurring under each topic. 14 top topic (subcategory) areas emerged.14 top topic (subcategory) areas emerged.

5 Major Categories & Associated 5 Major Categories & Associated Topic AreasTopic Areas

CategorCategoryy

% Org.% Org.N=52N=52

Topics/Subcategories – Topics/Subcategories – NN (154 total priorities in (154 total priorities in 5 cat.)5 cat.)

% of % of priorities in priorities in category category (N)(N)

EcosystEcosystemem

36.536.5 Protection/Restoration - Protection/Restoration - 13 13 Management/StewardshManagement/Stewardship - 5ip - 5

78.3 (23)78.3 (23)

PollutaPollutantsnts

34.634.6 Non-point Sources - 7Non-point Sources - 7Atmosphere - 6Atmosphere - 6Toxics – 5Toxics – 5

40.0 (45)40.0 (45)

EducatiEducationon

30.830.8 Miscellaneous - 7Miscellaneous - 7Appreciation - 4Appreciation - 4Stewardship - 3Stewardship - 3Students - 3Students - 3

68.0 (25)68.0 (25)

AISAIS 26.926.9 Prevention - 13Prevention - 13Control - 8Control - 8

55.3 (38)55.3 (38)

WaterWater 25.025.0 Quality - 7Quality - 7Quantity - 6 Quantity - 6 Use - 5Use - 5

78.3 (23)78.3 (23)

AssumptionsAssumptions

We made the assumption that the 52 We made the assumption that the 52 organizations working on Lake Michigan organizations working on Lake Michigan issues had selected their priorities on issues had selected their priorities on needs assessment processes and/or needs assessment processes and/or inputs from their membership. inputs from their membership.

Therefore, the top 14 topic (subcategory) Therefore, the top 14 topic (subcategory) areas in the five categories reflect where areas in the five categories reflect where future research is needed to support future research is needed to support organizational priorities for Lake organizational priorities for Lake Michigan.Michigan.

ConclusionsConclusions

To address problems in these topic areas, To address problems in these topic areas, specific research projects will be dynamic specific research projects will be dynamic and change frequently as new discoveries and change frequently as new discoveries are made and new problems arise. are made and new problems arise.

Frequent coordination among the Frequent coordination among the agencies and institutions sponsoring and agencies and institutions sponsoring and conducting research is needed to conducting research is needed to prioritize specific research questions and prioritize specific research questions and distribute agency attention and resources distribute agency attention and resources to these questions as conditions change. to these questions as conditions change.

Focus turned to identifying Focus turned to identifying high priority research high priority research needed in 5 Categoriesneeded in 5 Categories

Problems encountered by Problems encountered by management agenciesmanagement agencies

Monitoring and indicator trendsMonitoring and indicator trends Researcher and institutional Researcher and institutional

directiondirection

Top priority issue Top priority issue selectedselected

Changing Food Webs and Changing Food Webs and Influence Aquatic Invasive Influence Aquatic Invasive Species have on these changesSpecies have on these changes

Addresses priorities in all 5 Addresses priorities in all 5 categoriescategories

Task 4: Task 4: Develop a research and Develop a research and information plan for the region information plan for the region

that prioritizes actions according that prioritizes actions according to management-critical needs.to management-critical needs.

The Lake Michigan team will conduct a workshop on The Lake Michigan team will conduct a workshop on June 3-4, 2008. June 3-4, 2008.

During this workshop the team will bring together During this workshop the team will bring together Lake Michigan scientists and funding agency officials Lake Michigan scientists and funding agency officials to determine critical research questions, time and to determine critical research questions, time and space scales, and data gaps to be addressed in the space scales, and data gaps to be addressed in the 2010 field season. 2010 field season.

Agencies funding research on Lake Michigan will then Agencies funding research on Lake Michigan will then discuss which research questions and data needs are discuss which research questions and data needs are most appropriate for each agency's upcoming RFP most appropriate for each agency's upcoming RFP and/or field season. (For example, the Lake Michigan and/or field season. (For example, the Lake Michigan Sea Grant programs can then incorporate a specific Sea Grant programs can then incorporate a specific research priority consistent with their available research priority consistent with their available dollars into their respective RFPs.)dollars into their respective RFPs.)

Workshop: June 3-4 in Workshop: June 3-4 in ChicagoChicago

www.iisgcp.org/glrrinworkshopwww.iisgcp.org/glrrinworkshop

AgendaAgenda

Who should attend? Who should attend?

ResearchersResearchers or or Resource Resource ManagersManagers working on invasive working on invasive species and food web issues in Lake species and food web issues in Lake Michigan.Michigan.

Task 5: Task 5: Develop coordination Develop coordination mechanisms to ensure the transfer mechanisms to ensure the transfer of technology and information to of technology and information to

the appropriate end usersthe appropriate end users.. Various organizations have databases of investigators Various organizations have databases of investigators

conducting research on Lake Michigan issues. The level conducting research on Lake Michigan issues. The level of completeness of the information varied considerably of completeness of the information varied considerably between databases. between databases.

The regional coordinators for GLRRIN determined that The regional coordinators for GLRRIN determined that it would be more efficient and effective to develop a it would be more efficient and effective to develop a central web-based database for all investigators central web-based database for all investigators involved with the Great Lakes. involved with the Great Lakes.

Coordination for technology and information transfer is Coordination for technology and information transfer is in place with the creation of the GLRRIN web site, in place with the creation of the GLRRIN web site, www.glrrin.infowww.glrrin.info. .

End users, researchers, and others interested in Lake End users, researchers, and others interested in Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes may join for free. Michigan and the other Great Lakes may join for free.

Users can explore research priorities for the Great Users can explore research priorities for the Great Lakes, search for research topics or researchers, Lakes, search for research topics or researchers, access news, and find funding options.access news, and find funding options.

GLRRIN web siteGLRRIN web site www.glrrin.infowww.glrrin.info

Task 6: Task 6: Provide an ongoing Provide an ongoing platform for coordination, platform for coordination,

collaboration, and resource collaboration, and resource

sharing among participantssharing among participants.. The Lake Michigan team will coordinate The Lake Michigan team will coordinate

a one-day workshop every two years to a one-day workshop every two years to bring together Lake Michigan scientists bring together Lake Michigan scientists and funding agency officials. and funding agency officials.

The first workshop will be held in The first workshop will be held in Chicago June 3-4, 2008,Chicago June 3-4, 2008,

The results of each workshop will be The results of each workshop will be discussed by participating funding discussed by participating funding agencies and will inform their next agencies and will inform their next funding cycle and/or field season.funding cycle and/or field season.

Workshop: June 3-4 in Workshop: June 3-4 in ChicagoChicago

www.iisgcp.org/glrrinworkshopwww.iisgcp.org/glrrinworkshop

Please Join UsPlease Join Us

At this workshop you will engage in a At this workshop you will engage in a facilitated dialog that is designed to facilitated dialog that is designed to identify specific research questions, data identify specific research questions, data gaps, time and the space considerations gaps, time and the space considerations needed to conduct research investigating needed to conduct research investigating the invasive species impacts on food webs the invasive species impacts on food webs in Lake Michigan beginning in the 2010 in Lake Michigan beginning in the 2010 field season. field season. Please join us and help set Please join us and help set the research and funding agenda the research and funding agenda needed to address this important needed to address this important ecological issue.ecological issue.