By Nate Coe
Western Herald
Western Michigan University’s Dr. Carla Koretsky, associate professor of geosciences, is continuing her research on the growth of purple loosestrife at the Kleinstuck Preserve.
Recently, Koretsky was able to secure a new grant from the National Science Foundation to extend her research.
In addition, Koretsky was able to recruit two Sturgis high school science teachers, Keith Lang and Lance Goodluck.
Purple loosestrife is a perennial wetland plant, brought in to look pretty in gardens, but has recently been declared a noxious weed or invasive species all around the Midwest.
The problem is purple loosestrife disrupts the habitat it invades by crowding out native plants, which in turn disrupts the biological diversity of the area. It threatens the survival of native wetland plants and wildlife if left unchallenged.
The teachers are using microelectrode equipment to test the water trapped in between sedimentary grains in the wetlands.
“A question we’re trying to answer is whether the purple loosestrife is growing because of the soil or is the purple loosestrife changing the soil to grow in.”
Dr. Koretsky has been working at the Kleinstuck Preserve on and off for the past eight years.
After her proposal to teach a summer class at the marsh was funded, she decided during the course to study purple loosestrife and its effects on the environment and found it becoming a problem.
“Though my involvement with purple loosestrife was sort of by accident,” she said. “It’s definitely become a problem already and something that’s not good for the habitat.”
