Meet the Scientist

Name: Jamie Ladonski
Position/Title: Collection Assistant
Department: Zoology

1. What do you study related to biodiversity (what are your research questions, what organisms do you work on)?

I am interested in aquatic biodiversity and environmental education, and conduct an active outreach program through local nature centers and park departments. Activities consist of public programs such as lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on field trips, with topics ranging from aquatic insects to freshwater fishes. Recent field projects I have participated in include the 2002 Calumet BioBlitz, held at three locations in the Calumet region of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana: Wolf Lake and the William W. Powers State Conservation Area, Eggers Woods Forest Preserve, and Powderhorn Lake Forest Preserve. During the BioBlitz (a 24-hour period on August 23 and 24), more than 130 scientists and volunteers from both states recorded over 2,200 species of plants and animals in these areas.

2. How do you study biodiversity (for example, what technological tools and methodologies do you use in your research)?

Programs incorporate a variety of live and preserved specimens, as well as slide shows and hands-on field trips. The specimens I use have been collected by either myself or colleagues, most of whom are Field Museum scientists. We use a variety of gear and techniques to make these collections, depending on the target organisms. When collecting aquatic insects, particularly larvae, we use relatively simple equipment such as dip nets and basic visual examination of submerged structures such as rocks or woody debris. Fishes are also sampled using nets, although some habitats require more specialized gear such as electrofishing equipment. Where water clarity allows, I conduct behavioral observations by snorkeling.

3. Where do you study biodiversity?

I am interested in the Great Lakes region, specifically lakes, rivers and streams in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.

4. How might your research have implications for biological conservation?

Education is the bridge between research and conservation. Compared to terrestrial habitats, most people know very little about aquatic ecosystems and the organisms that call such environments home. Many people can identify the plants, birds, and mammals they see around their homes every day, but few are as familiar with the amazing variety of life found in their local rivers or lakes, simply because that diversity is underwater and hidden from their view. However, aquatic ecosystems are critically important (for both humans and other organisms), and education programs focusing on these areas are essential to developing a sound understanding of conservation issues. By highlighting the diversity of these areas, I hope people will develop a fascination and appreciation for what lives beneath the water's surface.

5. How did you become interested in science? What made you want to be a scientist, and how did you get to The Field Museum?

Growing up, I was an avid angler and loved being on or around the water. I majored in Fisheries and Wildlife as an undergraduate at Michigan State University and hoped to pursue a career in natural resource management. As a graduate student at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale my interests shifted towards general zoology, and I was introduced to biological collections. I came to The Field Museum in December 2000.

6. Describe important collaborations for your scientific endeavors (describe your work with other researchers, organizations, or scientific groups, local or indigenous peoples, etc.)

In 2003, I presented lectures at the Kalamazoo Nature Center (Michigan), St. Joseph County Parks (Indiana), Porter County Parks (Indiana), and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

back to Living Waters >>