1/12
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdowns, we were unable to collect benthic samples in 2020. Instead, GLC worked on alternative projects. Erik Hartnett, Brianne Tulumello, Susan Daniel, and Kit Hastings (not pictured).
2/12
One task was archiving all of the samples from the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program from 1997-2019. Erik Hartnett was in charge of examining and archiving 18,538 vials.
3/12
The samples from the early years (1997-1999) were processed differently than later years. These samples were collected by a different agency and stored by EPA GLNPO. Some of the samples from 1997 were in poor condition.
4/12
One task was archiving all of the samples from the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program from 1997-2019. Brianne Tulumello inventoried 17,122 slides, including these slides from 1997-1999. The slides were placed in the drawer without dividers.
5/12
Some of the 1997 slides were stuck together and needed to be carefully separated.
6/12
Some of the 1997 slides were stuck together and needed to be carefully separated.
7/12
Some of the 1997 slides were stuck together and needed to be carefully separated. Brianne used a scalpel.
8/12
Despite the care taken separating slides that were stuck together, some of the cover slips came off or stuck to the wrong slide, leaving organisms exposed. These slides needed to be wrapped in parafilm.
9/12
Despite the care taken separating slides that were stuck together, some of the cover slips came off or stuck to the wrong slide, leaving organisms exposed. These slides needed to be wrapped in parafilm.
10/12
When the slides were preserved and archived, they were put into slide boxes for storage. Now the slides are carefully spaced so they won't stick together, and any exposed organisms are wrapped in parafilm.
11/12
Susan Daniel checked the taxonomic identification of the organisms on the slides. In the case of the early years (1997-1999), organisms were sometimes identified to genus instead of species, and we re-identified the same organisms to species level.
12/12
Kit Hastings focused on the GLNPO Benthic Invertebrate Reference Guide, creating an image database for all Great Lakes species identified during the GLNPO Biology Monitoring Program. This is an image of Spirosperma ferox, a common Great Lakes oligochaete.
