Mentor’s Name and Department: Dr. Jacques Rinchard, Environmental Science & Ecology
Major and Class Year: Environmental Science, Class of 2027
Long-Term Goals: Work as a fisheries biologist with agencies such as the Department of Environmental Conservation or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, where I can contribute to the management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems.
Project Description:
Collecting large larval, transforming, and juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) for Great Lakes Fishery Commission-funded research has become more difficult and expensive because of improved chemical treatments that control their populations. There is a growing need to develop ways to raise sea lamprey in controlled laboratory conditions. I helped identify optimal environmental conditions and diets to support the growth and development of larval sea lamprey in the lab. I examined how interactions between relative sea lamprey density and abundance affected their lipid and fatty acid profiles. I also investigated how interactions between relative density and food availability influenced these profiles. Lipid content was measured gravimetrically, and fatty acid signatures were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. These results improve our understanding of how environmental factors affect the health and growth of young sea lamprey. By analyzing changes in their fat content and fatty acid composition, we can better understand how to raise sea lamprey in laboratory settings.
How will this experience contribute to your future success?
This research experience contributed to my future success by giving me hands-on knowledge of experimental design, as well as skills in handling and processing biological samples. Additionally, the understanding I gained of aquatic species’ ecology and physiology has been crucial for my career development as a fisheries biologist.
This project was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Award received by Dr. Jacques Rinchard.