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Freshwater Colloquium: Microbial drivers of environmental mercury methylation in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin
November 4, 2024 @ 3:00 pm - 3:50 pm

Ben Peterson will present “Microbial drivers of environmental mercury methylation in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin” as part of the School of Freshwater Sciences Fall colloquium.
Dr. Ben Peterson is a School of Freshwater Sciences Assistant Professor. Dr. Peterson’s research focuses on contaminant and microbial biogeochemistry, with a specific emphasis on using advanced microbial methods to link water quality conditions and biogeochemical cycles to contaminant transformations. He has previously worked in a number of different ecosystems, from thawing Alaskan permafrost, to peatlands in the Florida Everglades, arid western reservoirs, eutrophic temperate lakes in Wisconsin, and mining-impacted lakes in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This variety of systems has cultivated his research to be highly interdisciplinary and collaborative. As a result of this, he has worked extensively with labs across government, industry/private partners and other academic institutions.
The formation of methylmercury from inorganic mercury by microorganisms is the key process that leads to mercury accumulation in aquatic food webs. Here, DNA and RNA sequencing methods were used along with enriched stable isotope incubations and biogeochemical measurements to parse out how biogeochemical and microbial factors influence the formation of methylmercury in the water column of Lake Mendota, a eutrophic inland lake.
Please join us to hear more about this fascinating study. As always, come to the GLRF Ballroom a few minutes before the start of the seminar and grab a snack to enjoy during the event.
This presentation is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the public.
Fall 2024 Colloquium Series schedule. The Colloquium series creates a platform where students, faculty, and scientists discuss emergent issues related to freshwater science research. Invited speakers present specific topics of their research, as well as policy, commercial, and industrial experiences. Everyone is welcome.