Diversity and succession of pelagic microorganism communities in a newly restored Illinois River floodplain lake

While the success of restoration efforts frequently depends on reconstructing ecological communities, time series observations of community structure over the course of restoration are rare. Here, frequent sampling of bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, planktonic protozoa (ciliates and testaceans), and zooplankton was done along with measurements of select physical and chemical parameters during the first year of ecological restoration of Thompson Lake (TL), an Illinois River floodplain lake not connected to the river. The primary objective was to describe the microbial composition, diversity, and seasonal dynamics in TL and compare these results to similar measurements made in a nearby reference lake, river flood-pulsed Lake Chautauqua (LC). Strong seasonal patterns in bacterioplankton diversity were observed for both lakes. While TL phytoplankton diversity was lower and blooms more erratic than in LC, ciliate richness and abundance patterns were similar in both lakes. Rotifers and microcrustaceans were about 5× more abundant in TL than LC, with copepods and cladocerans exhibiting a fall abundance peak only in TL. When compared to temporal patterns of planktonic microorganisms in the reference lake (LC), the microbial dynamics in a lake recovering from decades of agriculture and drainage (TL) reflect the instability associated with early stages of ecological restoration.Ope

UIS Conservation Academy at Emiquon

The UIS Conservation Academy at Emiquon began when a local school district approached science professors at UIS with the idea that their two educational institutions could partner together to strengthen science education for high school students, improve science test scores and increase student awareness of careers in the sciences. The proposed Conservation Academy will provide an opportunity for 10th and 11th grade students to engage in scientific activities related to various environmental fields, meet conservation scientists and professionals, view presentations about science careers, and contribute to the conservation of the environment through service activities. The location of Emiquon lends itself well to opening the Conservation Academy to CFCI area schools. School districts that have indicated a strong interest include Peoria district 150, Havana district 126 and Lewistown district 97. The Academy will take place on a designated day per week for four consecutive weeks. The students will participate in a variety of science experiments at the UIS Thirkildsen Field Station laboratory at Emiquon. To raise awareness of the Conservation Academy, UIS professors will present information at the schools. Interested students will be selected by their teachers for enrollment in the Academy.Community Foundation of Central IllinoisU of I OnlyThis funded grant proposal is for UI faculty and staff to use as a model for future grant proposals. Public release could give UI competitors an advantage in obtaining funding

UIS Conservation Academy at Emiquon

The UIS Conservation Academy at Emiquon began when a local school district approached science professors at UIS with the idea that their two educational institutions could partner together to strengthen science education for high school students, improve science test scores and increase student awareness of careers in the sciences. The proposed Conservation Academy will provide an opportunity for 10th and 11th grade students to engage in scientific activities related to various environmental fields, meet conservation scientists and professionals, view presentations about science careers, and contribute to the conservation of the environment through service activities. The location of Emiquon lends itself well to opening the Conservation Academy to CFCI area schools. School districts that have indicated a strong interest include Peoria district 150, Havana district 126 and Lewistown district 97. The Academy will take place on a designated day per week for four consecutive weeks. The students will participate in a variety of science experiments at the UIS Thirkildsen Field Station laboratory at Emiquon. To raise awareness of the Conservation Academy, UIS professors will present information at the schools. Interested students will be selected by their teachers for enrollment in the Academy.Community Foundation of Central IllinoisU of I OnlyThis funded grant proposal is for UI faculty and staff to use as a model for future grant proposals. Public release could give UI competitors an advantage in obtaining funding

Collaborative Project Gemini XRD: Powder X-ray Diffraction in Undergraduate Chemistry Courses

Incorporation of powder X-ray diffraction training and experiences into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum at two public institutions of higher education.NSF DUE-0410607U of I OnlyCompetition for federal fundin

Photobehavior of (α-Diimine)dimesitylplatinum(II) Complexes

The photobehavior of complexes of the type Pt(diimine)(mes)2 is investigated (where diimine = 2,2?-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (tmp), 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (2,9-dmp), 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5,6-dmp), and 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dpp) and mes = the mesityl (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) anion). For all compounds studied, solution RT emission is observed to be weak and excited-state lifetimes are found to be short (-‰¤20 ns) regardless of solvent choice. Evidence is presented for energy-transfer quenching of Pt(dpp)(mes)2 luminescence in toluene by dissolved O2 (primarily producing singlet oxygen) with an observed quenching rate constant of kq -‰¥ 1.3 ? 109 M-1 s-1. Electron-transfer quenching is also observed in the presence of 3,5-dinitrobenzonitrile, yielding a quenching rate constant of kq -‰¥ 1.6 ? 109 M-1 s-1. The latter observation suggests that these Pt(II) systems may have future value as excited-state reductants. All of the complexes display a much more intense and longer-lived luminescence in the solid state at room temperature. Several possible explanations for this dependence on phase are proposed, with the most probable mechanism involving radiationless deactivation in solution via rotation of the o-methyl groups of the mesityl ligands. The photobehavior of complexes of the type Pt(diimine)(mes)2 is investigated (where diimine = 2,2?-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (tmp), 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (2,9-dmp), 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5,6-dmp), and 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dpp) and mes = the mesityl (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) anion). For all compounds studied, solution RT emission is observed to be weak and excited-state lifetimes are found to be short (-‰¤20 ns) regardless of solvent choice. Evidence is presented for energy-transfer quenching of Pt(dpp)(mes)2 luminescence in toluene by dissolved O2 (primarily producing singlet oxygen) with an observed quenching rate constant of kq -‰¥ 1.3 ? 109 M-1 s-1. Electron-transfer quenching is also observed in the presence of 3,5-dinitrobenzonitrile, yielding a quenching rate constant of kq -‰¥ 1.6 ? 109 M-1 s-1. The latter observation suggests that these Pt(II) systems may have future value as excited-state reductants. All of the complexes display a much more intense and longer-lived luminescence in the solid state at room temperature. Several possible explanations for this dependence on phase are proposed, with the most probable mechanism involving radiationless deactivation in solution via rotation of the o-methyl groups of the mesityl ligands

Short term effects of initial flood disturbance on restoration projects

NSF RAPID grant proposal to sample nutrients, processes (e.g., denitrification), and communities (e.g., microbes and zooplankton) that respond quickly to disturbances at two floodplain restoration sites on the Illinois River that flooded for the first time during the record flood of April 2013. We will also document the longer-term responses of submerged macrophytes and higher level consumers (birds and fishes) using existing data sets and on-going sampling programs.The flood event at one site (Emiquon) approximated a natural seasonal flood because the flood overtopped the levee for a few days but did not breach the levee. In contrast, the levees breached at the other site (Merwin), and river water continues to flood through Merwin. We hypothesize that the restoration trajectory has been reset at Merwin.NSF DEB-134707

CCDC 190576: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: K.E.Dungey, L.L.Wright, B.D.Thompson, R.D.Walsh, W.T.Pennington|2003|J.Chem.Cryst.|33|425|doi:10.1023/A:1024238332476,An entry from the Cambridge Structural Database, the world’s repository for small molecule crystal structures. The entry contains experimental data from a crystal diffraction study. The deposited dataset for this entry is freely available from the CCDC and typically includes 3D coordinates, cell parameters, space group, experimental conditions and quality measures

100,000 Strong in the Americas: Conservation or Restoration proposal

Proposal to the Partners for the Americas 100,000 Strong in the Americas competition #11. Three components of a project to compare the restoration and conservation efforts of two large rivers in the Americas: the Illinois River in USA and the Rio Parana in Brazil. First, a student and faculty exchange through a short term summer program. Second, the engagement of the study abroad students in original research. Third, the design and implementation on an online bilingual course on the topic co-taught by faculty from both countries. funded100,000 Strong in the AmericasU of I OnlyIntellectual property from competitive proces