Amina Pollard

Last updated
Amina Pollard
Alma mater Lawrence University Bachelors of Arts (1995)
Wright State University Masters of Science (1997)
University of Wisconsin-Madison PhD (2002)
Known for Limnology
Scientific career
Institutions United States Environmental Protection Agency

Amina Pollard is an American limnologist and ecologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). [1]

Contents

Pollard leads the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment, which seeks to provide information on the health of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs across the United States. [2] [3] [4] She currently serves on the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) board of directors (2018-2021), [5] chairs ASLO's annual awards committee, [6] and is a scientific advisor to Canada's Lake Pulse research program. [7]

Education and early career

Pollard received her BA from Lawrence University in 1995 and a Master's degree from Wright State University in 1997. [8] In 2002, she received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Limnology under the supervision of John Magnuson and Thomas Frost. [9] Pollard studied how the structure and connectedness of streams and lakes affects invertebrate communities within those systems. She also measured the consequences of dam removal on stream benthic invertebrate communities. [10]

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Pollard starting working for the EPA as a postdoctoral fellow and has remained at the EPA her entire career. [11]

Career

At the EPA, Pollard leads the National Lakes Assessment (NLA), a standardized and coordinated effort to sample lakes in the U.S. [1] [2] The NLA provides publicly available colocated biological, chemical, habitat, and human use metrics for representative lakes every 5 years starting in 2007. Comparing the 2007 and 2012 NLA sampling efforts allowed Pollard and her colleagues to determine that the proportion of "blue" lakes was declining while the proportion of "murky" lakes was increasing in the continental U.S. [3] [12] [13] The increase in murky lakes - an indicator of poor water quality - was due to the combined effect of increased eutrophication and dissolved organic carbon inputs from the terrestrial environment. Pollard and colleagues also determined that the murky lakes were less efficient at transferring energy up the food web (to zooplankton, for example), despite having the highest rates of primary production. The murky lakes also had the highest concentration of microcystin, which are a class of toxins produced by cyanobacteria and are potentially toxic to human health in high enough concentrations. Pollard has also shown that combining national-scale datasets, such as the NLA, with local-scale data improves prediction accuracy of microcystin concentrations at the local level. [14]

Research by Pollard and colleagues has advanced our understanding of how environmental change and the structure of landscapes influence freshwater communities and ecosystems. Pollard led and contributed to work characterizing how the connections between streams, lakes, and wetlands within landscape mosaics control the movement and community structure of freshwater organisms. [9] [15] [16] In a study exploring changing nutrient concentrations in freshwaters, Pollard and colleagues noted that both lakes and streams were increasing in total phosphorus (TP) concentration in the continental U.S., another indicator of eutrophication, and the most notable increases were in relatively pristine catchments. [17]

Pollard also contributed to the U.S. EPA's Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System (CADDIS) sections on analytical examples and data analysis. [18] CADDIS represents an ongoing effort to assist scientists, managers, and engineers conduct data-informed causal assessments to identify sources of impairment to aquatic organisms. [19]

In 2018, Pollard became the first African-American woman plenary speaker at the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography annual meeting. [11] [20] [21] She is currently the ASLO's Awards Chair. [22]

In 2021, Pollard became a candidate to become a "Member at Large" on the Board of Directors of Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO). [23]

Awards

In 2018, Pollard and the EPA NLA Team were nominated by Lisa Borre on behalf of the NALMS Government Affairs Committee for the Friends of North American Lake Management Society Award. [24] Pollard and her team won the award for their coordinated effort with the EPA, states, tribes, federal agencies, and other organizations to implement the National Lakes Assessment (NLA), a large-scale statistical survey of the condition of our nation's lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydrobiology</span> Science of life and life processes in water

Hydrobiology is the science of life and life processes in water. Much of modern hydrobiology can be viewed as a sub-discipline of ecology but the sphere of hydrobiology includes taxonomy, economic and industrial biology, morphology, and physiology. The one distinguishing aspect is that all fields relate to aquatic organisms. Most work is related to limnology and can be divided into lotic system ecology and lentic system ecology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Lindeman</span> American ecologist

Raymond Laurel Lindeman was an ecologist whose graduate research is credited with being a seminal study in the field of ecosystem ecology, specifically on the topic of trophic dynamics.

The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), formerly known as the Limnological Society of America and the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, is a scientific society established in 1936 with the goal of advancing the sciences of limnology and oceanography. With approximately 4,000 members in nearly 60 different countries, ASLO is the largest scientific society, worldwide, devoted to either limnology or oceanography or both.

The G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award is an award granted annually by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography to a mid-career scientist for work accomplished during the preceding 5–10 years for excellence in any aspect of limnology or oceanography. The award is named in honor of the ecologist and limnologist G. Evelyn Hutchinson. Hutchinson requested that recipients of the award have made considerable contributions to knowledge, and that their future work promise a continuing legacy of scientific excellence.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was first presented in 1994 to honor major long-term achievements in the fields of limnology and oceanography, including research, education and service to the community and society. In 2004, the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography board renamed the award in honor of Alfred C. Redfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen R. Carpenter</span> American lake ecologist

Stephen Russell Carpenter is an American lake ecologist who focuses on lake eutrophication which is the over-enrichment of lake ecosystems leading to toxic blooms of micro-organisms and fish kills.

Carla Cáceres is a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign known for her research in population, community and evolutionary ecology, focusing on the origins, maintenance, and functional significance of biodiversity within ecosystems. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Ecological Society of America, and the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography

Margaret A. Palmer is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Maryland and director of the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). Palmer works on the restoration of streams and rivers, and is co-author of the book Foundations of Restoration Ecology. Palmer has been an invited speaker in numerous and diverse settings including regional and international forums, science-diplomacy venues, and popular outlets such as The Colbert Report.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's (MBARI's) Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) is a "lab in a can" designed for autonomous deployment. The ESP—provides on-site collection and analysis of water samples from the subsurface ocean. The instrument is an electromechanical/fluidic system designed to collect discrete water samples, concentrate microorganisms or particles, and automate application of molecular probes which identify microorganisms and their gene products. The ESP also archives samples so that further analyses may be done after the instrument is recovered.

Polly A. Penhale is an American biologist and Environmental Officer at the National Science Foundation. She is a leading figure in Antarctic research, and has been recognized for contributions to research, policy, and environmental conservation. Penhale Peak in Antarctica is named for her.

Limnology and Oceanography (L&O) is a bimonthly peer-reviewed scientific journal focused on all aspects of limnology and oceanography. It was established in 1956 and originally published through the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), and now published in partnership with John Wiley and Sons. Occasionally, L&O publishes special issues focused on a specific topic in aquatic systems in addition to the six regular issues published each year.

Limnology and Oceanography: Methods is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal focused on methodological aspects of the aquatic sciences, such as new measurement equipment and techniques or evaluations and comparisons of existing methods. It was established in 2003 and originally published through the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), and now published in partnership with John Wiley and Sons. Occasionally, L&O Methods publishes special issues focused on a specific topic in aquatic systems in addition to the twelve regular issues published each year.

Walles Thomas Edmondson, also known as "Tommy" amongst his peers, was a prominent professor of zoology at the University of Washington. Edmondson was also leading American limnoecologist and writer, whose research focused on the causation and effects of eutrophication by plankton and his early work on rotifer taxonomy from Hispaniola, the Himalayas and lakes across the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinwamakwad (Long) Lake</span> Lake in Michigan, United States

Kinwamakwad Lake, also known as Long Lake, is a seepage at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center in Gogebic County, Michigan. The lake has been studied since the mid-1900s and used as an experimental lake for ecological studies.

The Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) is an international scientific society whose members study freshwater ecosystems and ecosystems at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

C. Susan Weiler is an aquatic scientist known for developing mentoring programs for scientists as they navigate the transition from student to independent researcher.

Yvette Hardman Edmondson was the editor of Limnology and Oceanography the premier journal of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography and was an aquatic scientist known for her research on bacteria in aquatic systems.

Susanne Menden-Deuer is an oceanographer and marine scientist known for her work on marine food webs, including their structure and function. As of 2022, she is president-elect of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans W. Paerl</span> American professor

Hans W. Paerl is a Dutch American limnologist and a Kenan Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Institute of Marine Sciences. His research primarily assesses microbially-mediated nutrient cycling, primary production dynamics, and the consequences of human impacts on water quality and sustainability in waters around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water clarity</span> How deeply visible light penetrates through water

Water clarity is a descriptive term for how deeply visible light penetrates through water. In addition to light penetration, the term water clarity is also often used to describe underwater visibility. Water clarity is one way that humans measure water quality, along with oxygen concentration and the presence or absence of pollutants and algal blooms.

References

  1. 1 2 Pollard, Amina I.; Hampton, Stephanie E.; Leech, Dina M. (2018). "The Promise and Potential of Continental-Scale Limnology Using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Lakes Assessment". Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin. 27 (2): 36–41. Bibcode:2018LimOB..27...36P. doi: 10.1002/lob.10238 . ISSN   1539-6088.
  2. 1 2 US EPA, OW (2015-04-13). "National Lakes Assessment". US EPA. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  3. 1 2 "Murky lakes now surpass clear, blue lakes in US". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  4. "Longwood ecologist, Dina Leech finds that lakes across the U.S. are getting murkier". www.longwood.edu. Longwood University. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  5. "ASLO : Board of Directors". www.aslo.org. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  6. Wickland, Kimberly P.; Pollard, Amina I. (2019). "The ASLO Awards Program Primer: How it Works, Historical Trends, and How You Can Get Involved". Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin. 28 (2): 70–74. Bibcode:2019LimOB..28...70W. doi: 10.1002/lob.10306 . ISSN   1539-6088.
  7. "Researchers". NSERC Canadian Lake Pulse Network. 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  8. "North American Lake Management Society (NALMS)". North American Lake Management Society (NALMS). Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  9. 1 2 Pollard, Amina I. (2002). Patterns of Invertebrate Distribution in Connected Lentic and Lotic Ecosystems (PhD dissertation). University of Wisconsin–Madison. ProQuest   3072759.
  10. Pollard, Amina I.; Reed, Tara (2004). "Benthic invertebrate assemblage change following dam removal in a Wisconsin stream". Hydrobiologia. 513 (1): 51–58. doi:10.1023/b:hydr.0000018164.17234.4f. ISSN   0018-8158. S2CID   41946412.
  11. 1 2 3 ASLO (2018-10-23), 2018 ASLO Summer Meeting - Tiara Moore introduces Amina Pollard , retrieved 2019-05-02
  12. Leech, Dina M.; Pollard, Amina I.; Labou, Stephanie G.; Hampton, Stephanie E. (2018). "Fewer blue lakes and more murky lakes across the continental U.S.: Implications for planktonic food webs". Limnology and Oceanography. 63 (6): 2661–2680. Bibcode:2018LimOc..63.2661L. doi:10.1002/lno.10967. ISSN   1939-5590. PMC   6961962 . PMID   31942083.
  13. Giaimo, Cara (2018-08-30). "The Murky Future of America's Lakes". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
  14. Yuan, Lester L.; Pollard, Amina I. (2019-04-01). "Combining national and state data improves predictions of microcystin concentration". Harmful Algae. 84: 75–83. Bibcode:2019HAlga..84...75Y. doi:10.1016/j.hal.2019.02.009. ISSN   1568-9883. PMC   7147962 . PMID   31128815.
  15. Mushet, David M.; Alexander, Laurie C.; Bennett, Micah; Schofield, Kate; Christensen, Jay R.; Ali, Genevieve; Pollard, Amina; Fritz, Ken; Lang, Megan W. (2019). "Differing Modes of Biotic Connectivity within Freshwater Ecosystem Mosaics". JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association. 55 (2): 307–317. Bibcode:2019JAWRA..55..307M. doi:10.1111/1752-1688.12683. ISSN   1752-1688. PMC   6876646 . PMID   31787838.
  16. Kratz, Timothy; University Of Wisconsin; Pollard, Amina; NTL LTER (2013), Landscape Position Project at North Temperate Lakes LTER: Benthic Invertebrate Abundance 1998 - 1999, Environmental Data Initiative, doi:10.6073/pasta/908630afffa393cef9a5a21d35485d27 , retrieved 2021-07-14
  17. Stoddard, John L.; Van Sickle, John; Herlihy, Alan T.; Brahney, Janice; Paulsen, Steven; Peck, David V.; Mitchell, Richard; Pollard, Amina I. (2016-04-05). "Continental-Scale Increase in Lake and Stream Phosphorus: Are Oligotrophic Systems Disappearing in the United States?". Environmental Science & Technology. 50 (7): 3409–3415. Bibcode:2016EnST...50.3409S. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05950 . ISSN   0013-936X. PMID   26914108.
  18. US EPA, ORD (2015-04-03). "Authors and Contributors to CADDIS". US EPA. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  19. United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Research and Development. (2017). "Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System (CADDIS)". CADDIS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development.
  20. Moore, Tiara (2018). "The Only Black Person in the Room". Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin. 27 (4): 114–115. Bibcode:2018LimOB..27..114M. doi: 10.1002/lob.10269 . ISSN   1539-6088.
  21. ASLO (2018-09-08), 2018 ASLO Plenary: Amina Pollard on the US National Lakes Assessment , retrieved 2019-05-02
  22. "Candidate for Member at Large: Amina Pollard".
  23. "ASLO Election 2021".
  24. 1 2 "North American Lake Management Society (NALMS)". North American Lake Management Society (NALMS). Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  25. "Embassy Science Fellows Program". www.state.gov. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  26. agus2. "Seminar titled "Management of Water Quality in the USA: An Overview of Framework, Challenges and Successes."". www.saras-institute.org. Retrieved 2019-05-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. "Hacia un Sistema Nacional de monitoreo". www.mvotma.gub.uy. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  28. US EPA, ORD (2015-09-29). "Scientific and Technological Achievement Award (STAA)". US EPA. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  29. US EPA, OW (2015-04-13). "National Lakes Assessment". US EPA. Retrieved 2020-08-16.