Chippewa Valley Times

In the summers of 2018 and 2019, a team of female scientists conducted research on Iceland's glaciers to study the interactions between glacial systems, climate change, and methane emissions. Their findings have been published in Scientific Reports, focusing on how melting glaciers release methane and how microbes in glacial streams and lakes prevent this greenhouse gas from reaching the atmosphere.

The research was led by Kristin Strock, a 2019 National Geographic Explorer and associate professor of environmental studies at Dickinson College. The team included Nicole Hayes, an assistant professor at UW-Stout; Bridget Deemer, a U.S. Geological Survey research ecologist; and Dickinson student Rachel Krewson.

"Studies that span the land, ice, water, and air are rare because it requires an interdisciplinary and full ecosystem kind of perspective," said Strock. Hayes’ research focuses on climate change effects on aquatic ecosystems like lakes and reservoirs. She met Strock and Deemer during their PhD studies, leading them to apply for a National Geographic Explorer grant for researching "Thermal controls on methane dynamics in Icelandic lakes."

“These ecosystems are really interesting because as they start to warm, they release greenhouse gases that have been trapped under the ice,” said Hayes. “We know that under glaciers is the right environment for methane-producing microbes to live.”

During their expedition across Iceland, samples were collected from Langjökull, Snæfellsjökull, and Sólheimajökull glaciers. They reached these sites using rented vehicles and carried all necessary equipment without any lab base support.

“There were constant 20 miles-per-hour winds. It was very challenging to do fieldwork,” Hayes remarked about their experience in Iceland.

The team employed the headspace equilibrium method to test glacial meltwater samples onsite. “Methane is an important molecule for some microbes,” explained Hayes regarding their methodology.

The study found that microbial processes could reduce atmospheric methane emissions from glaciers by up to 53%, providing more accurate assessments of melting glaciers' impact on global climate.

Locally inspired by this work, Hayes has considered how climate change might affect Lake Menomin near UW-Stout. “Climate change is affecting our winter conditions here in Wisconsin too,” she noted.

Hayes advocates for government policies and individual actions as effective means to combat climate change impacts globally.

UW-Stout environmental science Program Director Mandy Little commented: "We are lucky that our faculty are highly engaged in globally important research."

The study originated from Krewson’s senior thesis proposal at Dickinson College with funding support from various organizations including the National Geographic Society.

UW-Stout offers undergraduate degrees in several scientific disciplines such as applied biochemistry, molecular biology; applied science; biology; environmental science along with conservation biology programs.