The Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) is multidisciplinary with faculty and collaborators from many disciplines, including biology, geology, chemistry, engineering, marine biology, molecular biology, genetics and ecology.
Researchers at GLIER address complex environmental problems that cross conventional disciplinary boundaries such as the effects of multiple environmental stressors on large lakes, their watersheds and marine environments.
GLIER's multidisciplinary focus on research and graduate training has faculty and graduate students conducting research both locally within the Great Lakes Basin and around the world.
The institute has extensively equipped laboratories, core facilities, and dedicated research vessels.
GLIER researchers hold NSERC Canada Research Chairs in Great Lakes Research, Trophic Ecology, and Environmental Genomics, as well as a Department of Fisheries and Oceans Research Chair in Invasion Biology.
The Scientific Director of the Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN) is a faculty member at GLIER.
Submissions from 2015
PCB Food web dynamics quantify nutrient and energy flow in aquatic ecosystems, Anne M. McLeod, Gord Paterson, Ken G. Drouillard, and Douglas G. Haffner
Impacts of food web structure and feeding behavior on mercury exposure in Greenland Sharks (Somniosus microcephalus), Bailey C. McMeans, Michael T. Arts, and Aaron T. Fisk
Food Web Structure in Temporally-Forced Ecosystems, Bailey C. McMeans, Kevin S. McCann, Murray Humphries, Neil Rooney, and Aaron T. Fisk
Effect of COD: SO42- Ratio, HRT and Linoleic Acid Concentration on Mesophilic Sulfate Reduction: Reactor Performance and Microbial Population Dynamics, Chungman Moon, Rajesh Singh, Sathyanarayan S. Veeravalli, Saravanan R. Shanmugam, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel D. Heath
Geographic and temporal variation in the trophic ecology of a small-bodied shark: Evidence of resilience to environmental change, Samantha E.M. Munroe, Michelle R. Heupel, Aaron T. Fisk, and Colin A. Simpfendorfer
Regional movement patterns of a small-bodied shark revealed by stable-isotope analysis, S. E.M. Munroe, M. R. Heupel, A. T. Fisk, M. Logan, and C. A. Simpfendorfer
Niche plasticity in invasive fishes in the Great Lakes, Harri Pettitt-Wade, Kyle W. Wellband, Daniel D. Heath, and Aaron T. Fisk
Behaviour of perch, C. A.D. Semeniuk, C. Magnhagen, and G. Pyle
Evaluation of Lake Ontario salmonid niche space overlap using stable isotopes, Michael J. Yuille, Aaron T. Fisk, Tom Stewart, and Timothy B. Johnson
Submissions from 2014
Breeding strategy and rearing environment effects on the disease resistance of cultured Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), L. A. Becker, M. Kirkland, J. W. Heath, Daniel D. Heath, and B. Dixon
Identification of factors constraining nitrate assimilation in Lake Superior, Laurentian Great Lakes, John A. Berges, Yuelu Jiang, Robert W. Sterner, George S. Bullerjahn, Natalia A. Ivanikova, and Robert M.L. McKay
Abundance and diversity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in sediments of trophic end members of the laurentian Great Lakes, Erie and Superior, Annette Bollmann, George S. Bullerjahn, and Robert Michael McKay
Polychlorinated biphenyl profiles in ringed seals (Pusa Hispida) reveal historical contamination by a military radar station in Labrador, Canada, Tanya M. Brown, Aaron T. Fisk, Caren C. Helbing, and Ken J. Reimer
Satellite telemetry informs PCB source apportionment in a mobile, high trophic lemel marine mammal: The ringed seal (Pusa hispida), Tanya M. Brown, Sebastian Luque, Becky Sjare, Aaron T. Fisk, Caren C. Helbing, and Ken J. Reimer
PCB related effects thresholds as derived through gene transcript profiles in locally contaminated ringed seals (Pusa hispida), Tanya M. Brown, Peter S. Ross, Ken J. Reimer, Nik Veldhoen, Neil J. Dangerfield, Aaron T. Fisk, and Caren C. Helbing
Standardization of fertilization protocols for the European eel, Anguilla anguilla, Ian A.E. Butts, Sune R. Sorensen, Sebastian N. Politis, Trevor E. Pitcher, and Jonna Tomkiewicz
Novel molecular approach demonstrates that turbid river plumes reduce predation mortality on larval fish, Lucia B. Carreon-Martinez, Kyle W. Wellband, Timothy B. Johnson, Stuart A. Ludsin, and Daniel D. Heath
The last frontier: Catch records of white sharks (carcharodon carcharias) in the northwest pacific ocean, Heather M. Christianson, Victor Lin, Sho Tanaka, Anatoly Velikanov, Henry F. Mollet, Sabine T. Wintner, Sonja V. Fordham, Aaron T. Fisk, and Nigel E. Hussey
Making connections in aquatic ecosystems with acoustic telemetry monitoring, Michael R. Donaldson, Scott G. Hinch, Cory D. Suski, Aaron T. Fisk, Michelle R. Heupel, and Steven J. Cooke
Amino acid sequence of the AHR1 ligand-binding domain predicts avian sensitivity to dioxin like compounds: in vivo validation in European starlings, M Eng, J E. Elliott, S Jones, T D. Williams, K G. Drouillard, and S Kennedy
Inter-conversion of various indicator PCB, sum-PCB and dioxin-like PCB toxic equivalent levels in fish, N Gandhi, S Bhavsar, E Reiner, M Neff, T Chen, D Morse, G Arhonditsis, and Ken G. Drouillard
Persistent organic pollutant concentrations in fledglings of two arctic seabird species, Matthew M. Guzzo, Norith H. Eckbo, Geir W. Gabrielsen, Aaron T. Fisk, Ketil Hylland, and Katrine Borgå
Dissolved organic matter quality and bioavailability changes across an urbanization gradient in headwater streams, Jacob D. Hosen, Owen T. McDonough, Catherine M. Febria, and Margaret A. Palmer
A review of detection range testing in aquatic passive acoustic telemetry studies, S. T. Kessel, S. J. Cooke, M. R. Heupel, N. E. Hussey, C. A. Simpfendorfer, S. Vagle, and A. T. Fisk
Nitrogen Removal by Stormwater Management Structures: A Data Synthesis, Benjamin J. Koch, Catherine M. Febria, Muriel Gevrey, Lisa A. Wainger, and Margaret A. Palmer
Multigenerational outbreeding effects in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Sarah Lehnert; Oliver P. Love; Trevor E. Pitcher; Dennis M. Higgs; and Daniel D. Heath,
Temporal and spatial variation in polychlorinated biphenyl chiral signatures of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) and its arctic marine food web, Zhe Lu, Aaron T. Fisk, Kit M. Kovacs, Christian Lydersen, Melissa A. McKinney, Gregg T. Tomy, Bruno Rosenburg, Bailey C. McMeans, Derek C.G. Muir, and Charles S. Wong
Risk-benefit of consuming Lake Erie fish, M R. Neff, F Ni, D O. Caprenter, Ken G. Drouillard, A T. Fisk, and M T. Arts
Age-related polychlorinated biphenyl dynamics in immature bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), Jill A. Olin, Marina Beaudry, Aaron T. Fisk, and Gordon Paterson
Preservation Effects on Stable Isotope Values of Archived Elasmobranch Fin Tissue: Comparisons between Frozen and Ethanol-Stored Samples, Jill A. Olin, Gregg R. Poulakis, Philip W. Stevens, Jacquelyn A. DeAngelo, and Aaron T. Fisk
Ecological tracers reveal resource convergence among prey fish species in a large lake ecosystem, G Paterson, S A. Rush, M T. Arts, K G. Drouillard, G D. Haffner, T B. Johnson, B F. Lantry, C E. Hebert, and D J. McGoldrick
Feeding Ecology of the Snake Community of the Red Hills Region Relative to Management for Northern Bobwhite: Assessing the Diet of Snakes Using Stable Isotopes, Scott A. Rush, Kim Sash, John Carroll, Bill Palmer, and Aaron T. Fisk
Using a statistical approach to model hydrogen production from a steam exploded corn stalk hydrolysate fed to mixed anaerobic cultures in an ASBR, Saravanan R. Shanmugam, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel Heath
Effect of inhibitors on hydrogen consumption and microbial population dynamics in mixed anaerobic cultures, Saravanan R. Shanmugam, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel D. Heath
Statistical optimization of conditions for minimum H-2 consumption in mixed anaerobic cultures: Effect on homoacetogenesis and methanogenesis, Saravanan R. Shanmugam, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel D. Heath
A molecular genetic lab to generate inclusive and exclusive forensic evidence: Two suspects, a victim, and a bloodstained T-shirt, Julie Smit, Daniel D. Heath, and Ryan P. Walter
Taxonomic assessment of a toxic cyanobacteria shift in hypereutrophic Grand Lake St. Marys (Ohio, USA), Morgan M. Steffen, Zhi Zhu, Robert Michael L. McKay, Steven W. Wilhelm, and George S. Bullerjahn
Spatial variability in iron nutritional status of large diatoms in the Sea of Okhotsk with special reference to the Amur River discharge, K. Suzuki, A. Hattori-Saito, Y. Sekiguchi, J. Nishioka, M. Shigemitsu, T. Isada, H. Liu, and R. M.L. McKay
Fermentative H-2 production using a switchgrass steam exploded liquor fed to mixed anaerobic cultures: Effect of hydraulic retention time, linoleic acid and nitrogen sparging, Sathyanarayanan S. Veeravalli, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel D. Heath
Optimizing hydrogen production from a switchgrass steam exploded liquor using a mixed anaerobic culture in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, Sathyanarayanan S. Veeravalli, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel D. Heath
Rapid genetic identification of brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), black bullhead (Ameiurus melas) and their hybrids, R. P. Walter, E. S. Gnyra, L. I. Soederberg, and Daniel D. Heath
First record of living Manta alfredi x Manta birostris hybrid, R. P. Walter, S. T. Kessel, N. Alhasan, Aaron T. Fisk, Daniel D. Heath, T. Chekchak, R. Klaus, M. Younis, G. Hill, B. Jones, C. D. Braun, M. L. Berumen, J. D. DiBattista, M. A. Priest, and Nigel E. Hussey
Seasonal changes in microbial community structure and activity imply winter production is linked to summer hypoxia in a large lake, Steven W. Wilhelm, Gary R. Lecleir, George S. Bullerjahn, Robert M. Mckay, Matthew A. Saxton, Michael R. Twiss, and Richard A. Bourbonniere
Performance comparison of genetic markers for high-throughput sequencing-based biodiversity assessment in complex communities, Aibin Zhan, Sarah A. Bailey, Daniel D. Heath, and Hugh J. MacIsaac
Reproducibility of pyrosequencing data for biodiversity assessment in complex communities, Aibin Zhan, Song He, Emily A. Brown, Frederic J. J. Chain, Thomas W. Therriault, Cathryn L. Abbott, Daniel D. Heath, Melania E. Cristescu, and Hugh J. MacIssaac
Submissions from 2013
Physiological functions of osmolality and calcium ions on the initiation of sperm motility and swimming performance in redside dace, Clinostomus elongatus, Ian A.E. Butts, Sayyed Mohammad Hadi Alavi, Ali Mokdad, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Development of a Sperm Cryopreservation Protocol for Redside Dace: Implications for Genome Resource Banking, Ian A. E. Butts, Ali Mokdad, Edward A. Trippel, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Diet-and tissue-specific incorporation of isotopes in the shark Scyliorhinus stellaris, a North Sea mesopredator, Stephane Caut, Michael J. Jowers, Loïc Michel, Gilles Lepoint, and Aaron T. Fisk
Influence of linoleic acid, pH and HRT on anaerobic microbial populations and metabolic shifts in ASBRs during dark hydrogen fermentation of lignocellulosic sugars, Subba Rao Chaganti, Brahmaiah Pendyala, Jerald A. Lalman, Sathyanarayanan S. Veeraoalli, and Daniel D. Heath
To Tag or not to Tag: Animal Welfare, Conservation, and Stakeholder Considerations in Fish Tracking Studies That Use Electronic Tags, Steven J. Cooke, Vivian M. Nguyen, Karen J. Murchie, Jason D. Thiem, Michael R. Donaldson, Scott G. Hinch, Richard S. Brown, and Aaron Fisk
The effect of food provisioning on persistent organic pollutant bioamplification in Chinook salmon larvae, Jennifer M. Daley, Todd A. Leadley, Trevor E. Pitcher, and Ken G. Drouillard
Diatom assemblages promote ice formation in large lakes, N. A. D'souza, Y. Kawarasaki, J. D. Gantz, R. E. Lee, B. F.N. Beall, Y. M. Shtarkman, Z. A. Koçer, S. O. Rogers, H. Wildschutte, G. S. Bullerjahn, and R. M.L. McKay
Behavioural and genetic analyses of mate choice and reproductive success in two Chinook salmon populations, Melissa L. Evans, Bryan D. Neff, and Daniel D. Heath
Associations Between Female Reproductive Traits and Polychlorinated Biphenyl Sediment Concentrations in Wild Populations of Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), Michelle Farwell, Ken G. Drouillard, Daniel D. Heath, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Reproductive investment patterns, sperm characteristics, and seminal plasma physiology in alternative reproductive tactics of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Erin W. Flannery, Ian A.E. Butts, Mariola Slowinska, Andrzej Ciereszko, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Ovarian fluid influences sperm performance in lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, Patrick M. Galvano; Katelynn Johnson; Chris C. Wilson; Trevor E. Pitcher; and Ian A.E. Butts,
Sperm Quality of Hatchery-Reared Lake Trout Throughout the Spawning Season, Katelynn Johnson, Ian A.E. Butts, Chris C. Wilson, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Detection and expression of genes for phosphorus metabolism in picocyanobacteria from the Laurentian Great Lakes, Olga A. Kutovaya, Robert Michael L. McKay, and George S. Bullerjahn
Influence of wintering area on persistent organic pollutants in a breeding migratory seabird, Eliza H.K. Leat, Sophie Bourgeon, Ellen Magnusdottir, Geir W. Gabrielsen, W. James Grecian, Sveinn A. Hanssen, Kristin Olafsdottir, Aevar Petersen, Richard A. Phillips, Hallvard Strøm, Sandra Ellis, Aaron T. Fisk, Jan Ove Bustnes, Robert W. Furness, and Katrine Borgå
Ecological and genetic risks arising from reproductive interactions between wild and farmed Chinook salmon, Sarah J. Lehnert, John W. Heath, and Daniel D. Heath
Effect of parental mate choice and semi-natural early rearing environment on the growth performance and seawater tolerance of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, B. N. Madison, J. W. Heath, Daniel D. Heath, and N. J. Bernier
The foraging ecology of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) during open water (July-August) in Allen Bay, Arctic Canada, Jordan K. Matley, Aaron T. Fisk, and Terry A. Dick
Global change effects on the long-term feeding ecology and contaminant exposures of East Greenland polar bears, Melissa A. Mckinney, Sara J. Iverson, Aaron T. Fisk, Christian Sonne, Frank F. Rigét, Robert J. Letcher, Michael T. Arts, Erik W. Born, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, and Rune Dietz
The role of Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) in an Arctic ecosystem: Assessed via stable isotopes and fatty acids, Bailey C. McMeans, Michael T. Arts, Christian Lydersen, Kit M. Kovacs, Haakon Hop, Stig Falk-Petersen, and Aaron T. Fisk
Food web structure of a coastal Arctic marine ecosystem and implications for stability, Bailey C. McMeans, Neil Rooney, Michael T. Arts, and Aaron T. Fisk
Associations between vitamins A and E and legacy POP levels in highly contaminated Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus), Kristine Molde, Tomasz M. Ciesielski, Aaron T. Fisk, Christian Lydersen, Kit M. Kovacs, Eugen G. Sørmo, and Bjørn M. Jenssen
Variable δ15N Diet-Tissue Discrimination Factors among Sharks: Implications for Trophic Position, Diet and Food Web Models, Jill A. Olin, Nigel E. Hussey, Alice Grgicak-Mannion, Mark W. Fritts, Sabine T. Wintner, and Aaron T. Fisk
Using a food and paper-cardboard waste blend as a novel feedstock for hydrogen production: Influence of key process parameters on microbial diversity, Brahmaiah Pendyala, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, Daniel D. Heath, Saravanan R. Shanmugam, and Sathyanarayanan S. Veeravalli
Evolution of mating systems and sexual size dimorphism in North American cyprinids, M. Pyron, Trevor E. Pitcher, and S. J. Jacquemin
Quantification of cormorant litter and nutrient deposition to Great Lakes island ecosystems, Scott A. Rush, Tammy Dobbie, and Aaron T. Fisk
Rates and controls of nitrification in a large oligotrophic lake, Gaston E. Small, George S. Bullerjahn, Robert W. Sterner, Benjamin F.N. Beall, Sandra Brovold, Jacques C. Finlay, Robert M.L. McKay, and Maitreyee Mukherjee
Effect of furans and linoleic acid on hydrogen production, Sathyanarayanan Sevilimedu Veeravalli, Subba Rao Chagantib, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel D. Heath
Environmental associations with gene transcription in Babine Lake rainbow trout: evidence for local adaptation., K. W. Wellband and Daniel D. Heath
The relative contribution of drift and selection to transcriptional divergence among Babine Lake tributary populations of juvenile rainbow trout, K. W. Wellband and Daniel D. Heath
High sensitivity of 454 pyrosequencing for detection of rare species in aquatic communities, Aibin Zhan, Martin Hulak, Francisco Sylvester, Xiaoting Huang, Abisola A. Adebayo, Cathryn L. Abbott, Sarah J. Adamowicz, Daniel D. Heath, Melania E. Cristescu, and Hugh J. MacIsaac
Submissions from 2012
Sex-biased genetic component distribution among populations: additive genetic and maternal contributions to phenotypic differences among populations of Chinook salmon, T. Aykanat, C. A. Bryden, and Daniel D. Heath
Additive, non-additive and maternal effects of cytokine transcription in response to immunostimulation with Vibrio vaccine in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Tutku Aykanat, John W. Heath, Brian Dixon, and Daniel D. Heath
Spawning coloration, female choice and sperm competition in the redside dace, Clinostomus elongatus, Jean-Marc J. Beausoleil, Stephanie M. Doucet, Daniel D. Heath, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Spawning coloration, female choice and sperm competition in the redside dace, Clinostomus elongatus, Jean-Marc J. Beausoleil, Stéphanie M. Doucet, Daniel D. Heath, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Range expansion by invasion: genetic characterization of invasion of the greenside darter (Etheostoma blennioides) at the northern edge of its distribution, Courtney L. Beneteau, Ryan P. Walter, Nicholas E. Mandrak, and Daniel D. Heath
Individual variation in biomarkers of health: Influence of persistent organic pollutants in Great skuas (Stercorarius skua) breeding at different geographical locations, Sophie Bourgeon, Eliza H.K. Leat, Ellen Magnusdóttir, Aaron T. Fisk, Robert W. Furness, Hallvard Strøm, Sveinn Are Hanssen, Ævar E. Petersen, Kristin Olafsdóttir, Katrine Borgå, Geir W. Gabrielsen, and Jan Ove Bustnes
Ovarian fluid enhances sperm velocity based on relatedness in lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, Ian A. E. Butts, Katelynn Johnson, Chris C. Wilson, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Primary and secondary sexual characters in alternative reproductive tactics of Chinook salmon: Associations with androgens and the maturation-inducing steroid, Ian A. E. Butts, Oliver P. Love, Michelle Farwell, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Impact of culture source and linoleic acid (C18:2) on biohydrogen production from glucose under mesophilic conditions, Noori M. Cata Saady, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel Heath
16S rRNA gene based analysis of the microbial diversity and hydrogen production in three mixed anaerobic cultures, Subba Rao Chaganti, Jerald A. Lalman, and Daniel D. Heath
Bioamplification and the Selective Depletion of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Chinook Salmon Larvae, Jennifer M. Daley, Todd A. Leadley, Trevor E. Pitcher, and Ken G. Drouillard
Contemporary gene flow between "paired" silver (Ichthyomyzon unicuspis) and northern brook (I. fossor) lampreys: implications for conservation, Margaret F. Docker, Nicholas E. Mandrak, and Daniel D. Heath
Low Levels of Extra-Pair Paternity in a Neotropical Duetting Songbird, the Rufous-and-White Wren (Thryothorus rufalbus), Sarah B. Douglas, Daniel D. Heath, and Daniel J. Mennill
Multiple paternity, reproductive skew and correlates of male reproductive success in a wild population of the Trinidadian guppy, Karen E. Elgee, Indar W. Ramnarine, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Acclimation of life-history traits to experimental changes in environmental contaminant concentrations in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), Michelle Farwell, Ken G. Drouillard, Daniel D. Heath, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Acclimation of life-history traits to experimental changes in environmental contaminant concentrations in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), Michelle Farwell, Ken G. Drouillard, Daniel D. Heath, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Bacterial community dynamics in the hyporheic zone of an intermittent stream, Catherine M. Febria, Paul Beddoes, Roberta R. Fulthorpe, and D. Dudley Williams
Archival pop-Off tag tracking of Greenland sharks Somniosus microcephalus in the High Arctic waters of Svalbard, Norway, Aaron T. Fisk, Christian Lydersen, and Kit M. Kovacs
Iron bioavailability in the southern ocean, C. S. Hassler, V. Schoemann, M. Boye, A. Tagliabue, M. Rozmarynowycz, and R. M.L. Mckay
Local retention, dispersal and fluctuating connectivity among populations of a coral reef fish, J. Derek Hogan, Roger J. Thiessen, Peter F. Sale, and Daniel D. Heath
Evidence against fluvial seeding of recurrent toxic blooms of Microcystis spp. in Lake Erie's western basin, Olga A. Kutovaya, Robert Michael L. McKay, Benjamin F.N. Beall, Steven W. Wilhelm, Douglas D. Kane, Justin D. Chaffin, Thomas B. Bridgeman, and George S. Bullerjahn
A missing piece in the Arctic food web puzzle? Stomach contents of Greenland sharks sampled in Svalbard, Norway, Lisa Marie E. Leclerc, Christian Lydersen, Tore Haug, Lutz Bachmann, Aaron T. Fisk, and Kit M. Kovacs
Sperm trait differences between wild and farmed Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Sarah J. Lehnert, Daniel D. Heath, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Sperm trait differences between wild and farmed Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Sarah J. Lehnert, Daniel D. Heath, and Trevor E. Pitcher
Composition and temporal variation in the diet of beluga whales, derived from stable isotopes, Marianne Marcoux, Bailey C. McMeans, Aaron T. Fisk, and Steven H. Ferguson