Location
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
Start Date
4-1-2026 9:30 AM
End Date
4-1-2026 11:30 AM
Presentation Date
April 1, 2026; 9:30am-11:30am
Description
Urban ponds are subject to nutrient influxes from stormwater runoff, and blooms of harmful algae can develop in response. One management strategy includes deployment of Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) or floating mats of aquatic plants designed to maximize uptake of nutrients to plant biomass. An understudied component of these artificial systems is their potential to provide microhabitat for aquatic biota. This study focused on the intersection of aquatic insect communities and fish presence between natural and artificial habitat types. Insect communities were found to be weakly dissimilar between habitat types (ANOSIM: R=0.254, p=0.048). Specifically, Anisoptera and Zygoptera were absent or reduced in the FTW habitat. Fish sampled from the FTW corresponded to higher fitness values, which potentially describes some variance of the insect communities as a function of predation. We conclude that artificial wetlands provide accessible habitat, but insect communities diverge between habitat types.
Biography
Keagen Miller:
Keagen is motivated by the wonders of our world and our places in it. He believes that passion and excitement are foremostly important in our lives: in the work we do, the relationships we make, and what we pay attention to. Despite this, he understands hardship and the human condition and strives to support others and the communities he finds himself in. Keagen believes in the power of science, art, and community. He understands that every person is individually distinct, has a unique perception of our world, and deserves to be heard. In believing this, he also understands the necessity of communities bound by education and participation in the arts and scientific process. He also really likes bugs and plants.
Uma Adrianna Misra:
My name is Uma Adrianna Misra. I am a senior undergraduate student at Missouri University of Science and Technology pursuing a bachelor of science in environmental science along with a minor in biology and geology. As an aspiring marine biologist with a lot of passion for fish biology and aquatic ecosystems, I was drawn to this project through my broader interest in freshwater ecology and the ways human altered systems impact aquatic communities. I am currently working as an undergraduate research assistant in Dev Niyogi’s freshwater ecology lab and have field experience with the Missouri Department of Conservation conducting electrofishing, habitat assessments, and environmental monitoring. I plan to continue my academic career at the graduate level, where I hope to transition my freshwater research experience into the study of marine systems and fish ecology.
Meeting Name
2026 - Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
Department(s)
Biological Sciences
Document Type
Poster
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
event
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 The Authors, All rights reserved
Included in
Community Dynamics in Urban Ponds Could be Influenced by Artificial Habitats
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
Urban ponds are subject to nutrient influxes from stormwater runoff, and blooms of harmful algae can develop in response. One management strategy includes deployment of Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) or floating mats of aquatic plants designed to maximize uptake of nutrients to plant biomass. An understudied component of these artificial systems is their potential to provide microhabitat for aquatic biota. This study focused on the intersection of aquatic insect communities and fish presence between natural and artificial habitat types. Insect communities were found to be weakly dissimilar between habitat types (ANOSIM: R=0.254, p=0.048). Specifically, Anisoptera and Zygoptera were absent or reduced in the FTW habitat. Fish sampled from the FTW corresponded to higher fitness values, which potentially describes some variance of the insect communities as a function of predation. We conclude that artificial wetlands provide accessible habitat, but insect communities diverge between habitat types.
Comments
Advisor: Dev Niyogi, niyogid@mst.edu
Winner - Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation - Team