Too Much of a Good Thing: The Role of Nutrients in Water

Host Jeff Berckes kicks-off season two by discussing the role of nutrients in water quality. He is joined by professors Jamie Vaudrey and Jim Cotner to speak about phosphorus and nitrogen – two common nutrients found in freshwater and coastal ecosystems. They explore what these nutrients are, where they come from, and how they impact water quality.

About our guests:

Jamie Vaudrey is an assistant research professor with the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut. She also serves as the research coordinator for NOAA’s Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve. Vaudrey is involved with EPA’s National Estuary Program, serving on Narraganset Bay’s science advisory committee and the Long Island Sound Study’s science and technical advisory committee. She received a Bachelors in biology with a minor in philosophy from Wellesley College, and completed her Ph.D. in oceanography at the University of Connecticut.

James (Jim) Cotner is a professor of ecology, evolution and behavior at the University of Minnesota. He has studied freshwater and marine ecosystems for more than 30 years, primarily focused on heterotrophic bacteria and ecological stoichiometry. Cotner holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.

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