Leo Bodensteiner gets National Park Service grant to study alpine lake ecosystems

Western Washington University professor Leo Bodensteiner has received a $42,744 grant to study aquatic alpine ecosystems in the North Cascades National Park complex.

The grant allows Bodensteiner to continue his research characterizing baseline conditions in the ecosystems, which includes surveying fish, amphibians, and invertebrates. He is also studying water chemistry characteristics, mapping of the lakes, and human disturbance. The grant is the first National Park Service grant Bodensteiner has received although he previously worked contractually with the National Park Service on lake assessments and restoration efforts. He began his grant-funded research this past summer.

Bodensteiner said the North Cascades National Park complex is an exceptional region to study because of its biodiversity and limited access.

“The biodiversity and extreme topography, including glaciers and snow-fed watersheds, make it well suited for climate change studies on hydrology and ecology,” said Bodensteiner. “The remoteness means complications from human disturbances are minimized.”

Bodensteiner’s research is part of the National Park Service’s larger effort to understand lake disturbances and develop restoration projects in the North Cascades, Mount Rainer and Olympic national parks. Bodensteiner also said the ongoing research in Washington state will allow WWU Environmental Sciences students to participate and gain professional experience in their field of study.

For more information, contact Leo Bodensteiner at (360) 650-7375 or leo.bodensteiner@wwu.edu.