Dr. Courtney Wigdahl-Perry, Ph.D.

I am an aquatic ecologist, interested in lake response to natural and human-caused environmental changes on different spatial and temporal scales.

Teaching Interests

Introductory biology courses, Aquatic ecology, Global Change Biology, Environmental Science courses

Research Interests

Lake ecology; paleolimnology; diatoms; zooplankton; habitat zonations in lakes; saline lakes; harmful algae blooms; water quality; water chemistry; phytoplankton

Awards and Honors

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, SUNY (2022).

Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Programs

• Harmful Algae Bloom Surveillance Program: Water Quality Groundtruthing, N/A (2019).

Intellectual Contributions

• "Nutrient function over form: Organic and inorganic nitrogen additions have similar effects on lake phytoplankton nutrient limitation.," Limnology and Oceanography (2022).
• "Prevalence of nitrogen and phosphorus related to nutrient stoichiometry, land use, and primary producer biomass across the northeastern United States.," Inland Waters (2020).
• "Comprehensive Lake and Watershed Management Plan for Bear Lake, New York," N/A (2018).
• "Transparency, geomorphology and mixing regime explain variability in trends in lake temperature and stratification across Northeastern North America (1975-2014)," Water (2017).
• "Investigating potential effects of zooplankton grazing on diatom-inferred drought reconstructions," Hydrobiologia (2017).
• "High-frequency lake data benefits society through broader engagement with citizens, stakeholders, and decision makers: a synthesis of GLEON data use survey and member experiences," Inland Waters (2016).
• "Response of temperate lakes to drought: a paleolimnological perspective on the landscape position concept using diatom-based reconstructions," Journal of Paleolimnology (2016).
• "The influence of basin morphometry on the regional coherence of patterns of diatom-inferred salinity in lakes of the northern Great Plains (USA).," The Holocene (2014).
• "Multiproxy paleolimnological assessment of biogeochemical versus food web controls on the trophic states of two shallow, mesotrophic lakes.," Journal of Paleolimnology (2011).
• "Dissolved organic matter composition and photoreactivity in prairie lakes of the U.S. Great Plains.," Limnology and Oceanography (2011).
• "How do UV radiation, temperature, and zooplankton influence the dynamics of alpine phytoplankton communities?," Hydrobiologia (2010).
• "Effects of nutrients and dissolved organic matter on the response of phytoplankton to ultraviolet radiation: experimental comparison in spring versus summer.," Hydrobiologia (2009).
• "Phytoplankton productivity across prairie saline lakes of the Great Plains (USA): A step toward deciphering patterns through lake classification models.," Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (2009).
• "Patterns of seasonal phytoplankton distribution in prairie saline lakes of the northern Great Plains (U.S.A.).," Saline Systems (2009).

Presentations

• "Potential exposure to cyanotoxins in splash while recreating during cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms.," Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society Annual Meeting (2022).
• "Potential exposure to cyanotoxins in splash while recreating , seasonally dynamic microcystin indicators.," Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting (JASM) (2022).
• "Identification of Discontinuous Thermal Stratification In the South Basin of Chautauqua Lake," Regional Science Consortium (2022).
• "The use of drones and hyperspectral imaging to understand inland lake HABs.," U.S. Symposium on Harmful Algae (2022).
• "Identification of Fossilized Diatoms from Sediment Cores at Chautauqua Lake," Biology Department Summer Research Symposium (2022).
• "Monitoring Algae Communities in Chautauqua Lake with Iron Limitation Experiments and Remote Sensing," Biology Department Summer Research Symposium (2022).
• "The History of the Chautauqua Lake Ecology and Diatoms," Lake Walk Series (2022).
• "Temporal perspectives: Lake ecology and algae communities through time at Chautauqua Lake.," Chautauqua Water Quality Conference (2022).
• "Science Denial," SUNY Fredonia Brown Bag Series (2021).
• "Environmental Science and Policy," The 2020 election is over…now what? ADP & DEI Series (2021).
• "Algae: Friend or Foe? Understanding the Base of Food Webs in Lakes.," N/A (2021).
• "Exchange between two basins through a narrow by in an unstratified Chautauqua Lake, N.Y.," North American Lake Management Society Annual Meeting (2021).
• "Algae Bloom Surveillance: Drones and Hyperspectral Imaging Update," Finger Lakes Institute’s Harmful Algal Bloom Conference (2021).
• "High frequency monitoring of the thermal stratification in the South Basin of Chautauqua Lake.," Biology Department Summer Research Symposium (2021).
• "The Effects of Iron on Harmful Algal Blooms in Chautauqua Lake.," Biology Department Summer Research Symposium, SUNY Fredonia (2021).
• "Water, Water, Everywhere: Aquatic Ecology Research at Fredonia," Diane Pennica Faculty Research Award Talk (2021).
• "Aerial surveillance of algae blooms: Using hyperspectral imaging and drones to track bloom dynamics," Chautauqua Lake Water Quality Panel (2021).
• "Thermal stratification at Chautauqua Lake (NY): Implications for internal phosphorus loading.," North American Lake Management Society International Symposium (2020).
• "Thermal stratification and implications for internal phosphorus loading; Drone surveillance of harmful algae blooms.," Chautauqua Lake Water Quality Panel (2020).
• "Nutrient Limitation of Plankton Communities in Lakes Across Northeastern North America," North American Lake Management Society International Symposium (2019).
• "Detection: Project Overview and Update on Drone Surveillance of Algae Blooms with Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI)," Harmful Algal Bloom Conference (2019).
• "Small but Mighty: Algae Communities at Chautauqua Lake," Lake Walk Series (2019).
• "Algae: Understanding the Base of Chautauqua Lake’s Food Web," Chautauqua Lake Conference (2019).
• "Going Green? Understanding Harmful Algae Blooms at Chautauqua Lake," Dunkirk-Fredonia Rotary Club Luncheon (2019).
• "Lakeside Lab – Exploring Chautauqua Lake’s Underwater Life," Lake Walk Series (2018).