Laura T. Johnson

Curriculum Vitae

National Center for Water Quality Research • Heidelberg University • Tiffin, OH 44883

ljohnson@heidelberg.edu

 (419) 448-2056 • (574) 261-1267

Education

2008     Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame.

Dissertation title: The influence of land use on the role of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in stream nutrient processing. Advisor: Dr. Jennifer L. Tank.

2002     B.S., Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Commonwealth Scholar, Magna Cum Laude.

Undergraduate research: Nutrient limitation of respiration on wood biofilm in streams from New Mexico, North Carolina, and Tennessee.  Advisor: Dr. Jackson R. Webster.

Research Interests

Aquatic biogeochemistry, nutrient transport and transformation, water quality, stream and river ecology, anthropogenic impacts on water resources, microbial ecology 

Professional Experience

2016-present     Director- National Center for Water Quality Research, Heidelberg University, Tiffin, OH.

2013-2015         Research Scientist- National Center for Water Quality Research, Heidelberg University, Tiffin, OH.

2008-2012         Postdoctoral Research Associate- with Dr. Todd V. Royer at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 

2006-2007         Research Assistant- The Nature Conservancy Two Stage Ditch Project, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame

2002-2006         Research Assistant- Lotic Intersite Nitrogen eXperiment II, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame

2002-2008         Teaching Assistant, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame

2000-2002         Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship and laboratory assistant, Stream Ecology Laboratory, Virginia Tech

2000                 Volunteer ANAI Association Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Project

Publications

1.  Mulholland, P.J., A.M. Helton, G.C. Poole, R.O. Hall, S.K. Hamilton, B.J. Peterson, J.L. Tank, L.R. Ashkenas, L.W. Cooper, C.N. Dahm, W.K. Dodds, S.E. Findlay, S.V. Gregory, N.B. Grimm, S.L. Johnson, W.H. McDowell, J.L. Meyer, H.M. Valett, J.R. Webster, C.P. Arango, J.J. Beaulieu, M.J. Bernot, A.J. Burgin, C.L. Crenshaw, L.T. Johnson, B.R. Niederlehner, J.M. O’Brien, J.D. Potter, R.W. Sheibley, D. J. Sobota, and S.M. Thomas. 2008. Stream denitrification across biomes and its response to anthropogenic nitrate loading. Nature 452: 202-246. 

2.  Arango, C.P., J.L. Tank, L.T. Johnson, and S.K. Hamilton. 2008. Assimilatory uptake rather than nitrification and denitrification determines nitrogen removal patterns in streams of varying land use.  Limnology and Oceanography 53(6): 2558-2572. 

3.  Hall, R.O., J.L. Tank, D. J. Sobota, P.J. Mulholland, J.M. O’Brien, W.K. Dodds, J.R. Webster, H.M. Valett, G.C. Poole, B.J. Peterson, J.L. Meyer, W.H. McDowell, S.L. Johnson, S.K. Hamilton, N.B. Grimm, S.V. Gregory, C.N. Dahm, L.W. Cooper, L.R. Ashkenas, S.M. Thomas, R.W. Sheibley, J.D. Potter, B.R. Niederlehner, L.T. Johnson, A.M. Helton, C.L. Crenshaw, A.J. Burgin, M.J. Bernot, J.J. Beaulieu, and C.P. Arango. 2009. Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by 15N addition experiments: Total uptake. Limnology and Oceanography 54(3): 653-665.

4.  Mulholland, P.J., R.O. Hall, D. J. Sobota, W.K. Dodds, S.E. Findlay, N.B. Grimm, S.K. Hamilton, W.H. McDowell, J.M. O’Brien, J.L. Tank, L.R. Ashkenas, L.W. Cooper, C.N. Dahm, S.V. Gregory, S.L. Johnson, J.L. Meyer, B.J. Peterson, G.C. Poole, H.M. Valett, J.R. Webster, C.P. Arango, J.J. Beaulieu, M.J. Bernot, A.J. Burgin, C.L. Crenshaw, A.M. Helton, L.T. Johnson, B.R. Niederlehner, J.D. Potter, R.W. Sheibley, and S.M. Thomas. 2009. Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by 15N addition experiments: Denitrification. Limnology and Oceanography 54(3): 666-680.

5.  Johnson, L.T., J.L. Tank, and W.K. Dodds.  2009. The influence of land use on stream biofilm nutrient limitation across eight North American ecoregions.  Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 66: 1081-1094.

6.  Johnson, L.T., and J.L. Tank. 2009. Diurnal variations in dissolved organic matter and ammonium uptake in six open-canopy streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 28(3): 694-708. 

7.  Johnson, L.T., C.P. Arango, and J.L.Tank.  2009. The effect of land use on dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen uptake in streams. Freshwater Biology 54: 2335-2350.

8.  Bernot, M.J., D.J. Sobota, R.O. Hall, P.J. Mulholland, W.K. Dodds, J.R. Webster, J.L. Tank, L.R. Ashkenas, L.W. Cooper, C.N. Dahm, N.B. Grimm, S.V. Gregory, S.K. Hamilton, S.L. Johnson, W.H. McDowell, J.L. Meyer, B.J. Peterson, G.C. Poole, H.M. Valett, C.P. Arango, J.J. Beaulieu, A.J. Burgin, C.L. Crenshaw, A.M. Helton, L.T. Johnson, J. Merriam, B.R. Niederlehner, J.M. O’Brien, J.D. Potter, R.W. Sheibley, S.M. Thomas, and K.Wilson.  2010. Inter-regional comparison of land-use effects on stream metabolism. Freshwater Biology 55: 1874-1890.

9.   Beaulieu, J.J., J.L. Tank, S.K. Hamilton, W.M. Wollheim, R.O. Hall, P.J. Mulholland, B.J. Peterson, L.R. Ashkenas, L.W. Cooper, C.N. Dahm, W.K. Dodds, N.B. Grimm, S.L. Johnson, W.H. McDowell, G.C. Poole, J.L. Meyer, H.M. Valett, J.R. Webster, C.P. Arango, M.J. Bernot, A.J. Burgin, C.L. Crenshaw, A.M. Helton, L.T. Johnson, J.M. O’Brien, J.D. Potter, R.W. Sheibley, D. J. Sobota, and S.M. Thomas. 2010. Nitrous oxide emission from denitrification in stream and river networks.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108: 214-219. 

10.  Roley S.S., J.L.Tank, M.L. Stephen, L.T. Johnson, J.J. Beaulieu, and J.D. Witter. 2012. Floodplain restoration enhances denitrification and reach-scale nitrogen removal in an agricultural stream. Ecological Applications 22: 281-297.

11.  Baxter, A.M., L.T. Johnson, J. Edgerton, T.V. Royer, and L.G. Leff. 2012. Structure and function of denitrifying bacterial assemblages in low order Indiana streams. Freshwater Science (formerly Journal of the North American Benthological Society) 31: 304-317. 

12.  Johnson, L.T., T.V. Royer, J.M. Edgerton, and L.G. Leff.  2012. Manipulation of the dissolved organic carbon pool in an agricultural stream: responses in microbial community structure, denitrification, and assimilatory nitrogen uptake.  Ecosystems 15: 1027-1038.

13.  Baxter, A.M., L.T. Johnson, T.V. Royer, and L.G. Leff. 2013. Spatial differences in denitrification and bacterial community structure of streams: relationships with environmental conditions. Aquatic Sciences 75: 275-284

14. Oviedo-Vargas, D., T.V. Royer, and L.T. Johnson. 2013. Dissolved organic carbon manipulation reveals coupled cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in a nitrogen-rich stream. Limnology and Oceanography 58: 1196-1206. 

15. Johnson, L.T.,J.L. Tank, R.O. Hall, P.J. Mulholland, S.K. Hamilton, H.M. Valett, J.R. Webster, C.P. Arango, J.J. Beaulieu, M.J. Bernot, W.H. McDowell, B.J. Peterson, and S.M. Thomas. 2013. Quantifying the production of dissolved organic nitrogen in headwater streams using 15N tracer additions.  Limnology and Oceanography 58: 1271-1285.

16. Griffiths, N.A., J.L. Tank, T.V. Royer, S.S. Roley, E.J. Rosi-Marshall, M.R. Whiles, J.J. Beaulieu, and L.T. Johnson. 2013. Agricultural land use alters the seasonality and magnitude of stream metabolism. Limnology and Oceanography 58: 1513-1529.  

17.  Smith, D., K. King, L.T. Johnson, W. Francesconi, R.P. Richards, D. Baker, and A. Sharpley. 2014 Surface runoff and tile drainage transport of phosphorus in the Midwestern United States.  Journal of Environmental Quality 44: 495-502.

18. Baker, D.B., D.E. Ewing, L.T. Johnson, J.W. Kramer, and B.J. Merryfield. 2014. Phosphorus loading to Lake Erie from the Maumee, Sandusky, and Cuyahoga rivers: The importance of bioavailability. Journal of Great Lakes Research 40:502-517.  

19.  Baker, D.B., D.E. Ewing, L.T. Johnson J.W. Kramer, B.J. Merryfield, R.B. Confesor, R. P. Richards, and A.A. Roerdink. 2014. Lagrangian analysis of the transport and processing of agricultural runoff in the lower Maumee River and Maumee Bay. Journal of Great Lakes Research 40: 479-495.

20.  Johnson, L.T., D.B. Baker, R.B. Confesor, K.A. Krieger, and R.P. Richards. 2014.  Research to help Lake Erie: Proceedings of the “Phosphorus along the land-river-lake continuum” research planning and coordination workshop. Journal of Great Lakes Research 40: 574-577.

21.  Manis, E., T.V. Royer, L.T. Johnson, and L.G.Leff. 2014. Denitrification in agriculturally impacted streams: seasonal changes in structure and function of the bacterial community. PLoS ONE 9(8): e105149.

22. LINX collaborators. 2014. The Lotic Intersite Nitrogen Experiments: an example of successful ecological research collaboration. Freshwater Science 33: 700-710.

23. Stow, C.A., Y. Cha, L.T. Johnson, R. Confesor, and R.P. Richards. 2015. Long-term and seasonal trend decomposition of the Maumee River nutrient inputs to Western Lake Erie. Environmental Science & Technology 49: 3392-3400.

24. Kleinman, P.J.A., A.N. Sharpley, P.J.A. Withers, L.Bergstrom, L.T. Johnson, and D.G. Doody. 2015. Implementing agricultural phosphorus science and management to combat eutrophication. AMBIO 44:S297-S310.

25.  Stow, C.A., Y. Cha, L.T. Johnson, R. Confesor, and R.P. Richards. 2015. Long-term and seasonal trend decomposition of the Maumee River nutrient inputs to Western Lake Erie. Environmental Science & Technology 49: 3392-3400.

26.  Matisoff, G., E.M. Kaltenberg, R.L. Steely, S.K. Hummel, J. Seo, K.J. Gibbons, T.B. Bridgeman, Y. Seo, M. Behbahani, W.F. James, L.T. Johnson, P. Doan, M. Dittrich, M.A. Evans, and J.D. Chaffin. 2016. Internal loading of phosphorus in western Lake Erie. Journal of Great Lakes Research 42: 775-788.

27.  Stumpf, R.P., L.T. Johnson, T.T. Wynne, and D.B. Baker. 2016. Forecasting annual cyanobacterial bloom biomass to inform management decisions in Lake Erie. Journal of Great Lakes Research 42: 1174-1183.

28.  Williams, M.R., K.W. King, D.B. Baker, L.T. Johnson, D.R. Smith, and N.R. Fausey. 2016. Hydrologic and biogeochemical controls on phosphorus export from Western Lake Erie tributaries. Journal of Great Lakes Research 42: 1403-1411.

29.  MacDonald, G.K., H.P. Jarvie, P.J.A. Withers, D.G. Doody, B.L. Keeler, P.M. Haygarth, L.T. Johnson, R.W. McDowell, M.K. Miyittah, S.M. Powers, A.N Sharpley, J. Shen, D.R. Smith, M.N. Weintraub, and T. Zhang.  2016. Guiding phosphorus stewardship for multiple ecosystem services. Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. 2(12):e01251. 10.1002/ehs2.1251

30.  Jarvie, H.P., L.T. Johnson, A.N. Sharpley, D.R. Smith, D.B. Baker, T.W. Bruulsema, and R. Confesor. 2017. Increased soluble phosphorus loads to Lake Erie: Unintended consequences of conservation practices? Journal of Environmental Quality 46: 123-132.

31. Baker, D.B., L.T. Johnson, R.B. Confesor, and J.P. Crumrine. 2017. Vertical Stratification of Soil Phosphorus as a Concern for Dissolved Phosphorus Runoff in the Lake Erie Basin. Journal of Environmental Quality 46: 1287-1295.

32. King, K.W., M.R. Williams, L.T. Johnson, D.R. Smith, G.A. LaBarge, and N.R. Fausey. 2017. Phosphorus Availability in Western Lake Erie Basin Drainage Waters: Legacy Evidence across Spatial Scales. Journal of Environmental Quality 46: 466-469.

33. Jacquemin, S.J., L.T. Johnson, T.A. Dirksen, and G. McGlinch. 2018. Changes in Water Quality of Grand Lake St. Marys Watershed Following Implementation of a Distressed Watershed Rules Package. Journal of Environmental Quality 47: 113-120.

34. Smith, D.R., R.S. Wilson, K.W. King, M. Zwonitzer, J.M. McGrath, R.D. Harmel, R.L. Haney, and L.T. Johnson. 2018.  Lake Erie, phosphorus, and microcystin: Is it really the farmer’s fault? Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 73: 48-57.

35. Griffiths, N.A., L.T. Johnson, and P.J. Mulholland. 2018. Influence of dual nitrogen and phosphorus additions on nutrient uptake and saturation kinetics in a forested headwater stream. Freshwater Sciences 37: 810-825.  

36.  Macintosh, K.A., D.G. Doody, P.J.A. Withers, R.W. McDowell, D.R. Smith, L.T. Johnson, T.W. Bruulsema, V. O’Flaherty, and J.W. McGrath. 2019. Transforming soil phosphorus fertility management strategies to support the delivery of multiple ecosystem services from agricultural systems. Science of the Total Environment 649: 90-98.

37. Wilson, R.S., M.A. Beetstra, J.M. Reutter, G. Hesse, K.M. DeVanna Fussell, L.T. Johnson, K.W. King, G.A. LaBarge, J.F. Martin, and C. Winslow. 2019. Commentary: Achieving phosphorus reduction targets for Lake Erie. Journal of Great Lakes Research. In press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2018.11.004

38.  Choquette, A.F., R.M. Hirsch, J.C. Murphy, L.T. Johnson, R.B. Confesor. 2019. Tracking changes in nutrient delivery to western Lake Erie: Approaches to compensate for variability and trends in streamflow. Journal of Great Lakes Research. In press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2018.11.012

39. Baker, D.B., L.T. Johnson, R. B. Confesor, J. Crumrine, T. Guo, and N. Manning. In Press. Needed: Early-term adjustments for Lake Erie phosphorus target loads to address western basin cyanobacterial blooms. Journal of Great Lakes Research.

Grants (total over $2.7 million)

2013-2015         Assessment of nutrient/eutrophication dynamics in Western Lake Erie. Lead PI: the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, many co-PIs. USEPA-GLRI ($95,000 to Heidelberg).

2014-2019         Evaluating the 4R nutrient stewardship concept and certification program in the Western Lake Erie basin. Lead PI: Kevin King, USDA-ARS, many co-PIs.  The 4R Research Fund. ($253,000 to Heidelberg).

2014-2015         An online tributary loading tool to support harmful algal bloom forecasting in Lake Erie. Lead PI: Tad Slawecki, LimnoTech. NOAA-GLOS ($25,000 to Heidelberg).

2015-2017         Identifying the best strategy to reduce phosphorus loads to Lake Erie from agricultural watersheds. Lead PI: Laura Johnson, Heidelberg. Ohio Department of Higher Education (total $251,565) and OSU Field to Faucet (total $199,925). ($182,600 to Heidelberg)

2015-2017         Opening the black box of nutrient processing in a Great Lakes coastal wetland.  Lead PI: Lauren Kinsman-Costello, Kent State University. Ohio Sea Grant. ($3,318 to Heidelberg).

2016-2018         Determining sources of phosphorus to western Lake Erie from field to lake. Lead PI: Laura Johnson, Heidelberg. Ohio Department of Higher Education (total $199,266). ($33,472 to Heidelberg)

2017-2018         Sandusky Bay Initiative integrated monitoring and data assessment. Lead PI: Laura Johnson, Heidelberg. Ohio Department of Natural Resources/NOAA. ($25,850 to Heidelberg).

2017-2019         Sondes and Data Management: Blanchard River Sediment Reduction.  Lead PI: Laura Johnson, Heidelberg.  Ohio Department of Natural Resources/NOAA. (total $16,000).

2017-2022         Expanding the Heidelberg Tributary Loading Program. Lead PI: Laura Johnson, Heidelberg. Ohio EPA/Ohio Department of Higher Education. (total $1,000,000). 

2017-2021         Assessing the watershed scale effects of implementing conservation management practices. Lead PI: Kevin King, USDA-ARS. USDA NRCS Conservation Effects Assessment Project. ($275,000 to Heidelberg).

2018-2020         Glyphosate runoff dynamics in tributaries draining into Lake Erie. Lead PI: Laura Johnson, Heidelberg. Ohio Sea Grant. (total $119,095).

2018-2020         Ohio Partnership for Water, Industrial, and Cyber Security. Lead PI: Terra State Community College facilitated by Seneca Industrial & Economic Development Corp. Ohio State Capital Budget Request. ($700,000 to Heidelberg). 

Awards/Fellowships

2018     Journal of Environmental Quality best paper award for “Increased Soluble Phosphorus Loads to Lake Erie: Unintended Consequences of Conservation Practices?” by Helen P. Jarvie, Laura T. Johnson, Andrew N. Sharpley, Douglas R. Smith, David B. Baker, Tom W. Bruulsema, and Remegio Confesor.

2017     Acknowledged for Associate Editor term at JEQ.

2012     Acknowledged for an outstanding review, Freshwater Science 31(4): 1291-1292.

2008     Kaneb Center Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Award for Excellence in Teaching

2007     Bayer Fellowship. The influence of land use on the role of DOC and DON in stream nutrient processing.

2006     Center for Aquatic Conservation Graduate Fellowship. The effect of two-stage ditch construction on stream ecosystem function. 

2006     North American Benthological Society Presidential Award. The influence of land use on the role of DOC and DON in stream nutrient processing.

2004     Selected participant in Fundamentals of Ecosystem Ecology course, Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY

2003     Notre Dame Environmental Education and Research (NDEER) symposium Graduate Poster Session Award. Taylor, L.C., J.L.Tank, and G.A.Lamberti. How the addition of salmon carcasses vs. salmon analog affects nutrient export in an Alaskan stream. 

Advisory Boards, Taskforces, Workshops or Other Organizational Groups

  • At-Large board member of the All Ohio Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society (2019 to present)
  • Member of the GLWQA Annex 4 Adaptive Management Core Team (2018 to present).
  • Member of the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission Water Quality Task Force (2018 to present)
  • Associate Faculty member of the Greater Ohio Living Agriculture (GOLA) Center (2019 to present).
  • Participant in the Phosphorus Field to Watershed Modelling Workshop by the Sustainable
  • Phosphorus Alliance. Member of the “modelling incidental P loss impacts in Ohio” action group. (2018-present)
  • Participant in the Science and Solutions in Conservation workshop which brought together conservationists from Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio with scientists to discuss how to improve BMP implementation.  Expected white paper due in 2019. 
  • Member of the Watershed Indicators working group for the Western Lake Erie Report card being developed by U of Maryland’s Integration & Application Network. (2018-present).
  • Project Advisory team member for the GLRI Old Woman Creek Pay-for-Performance project led by Winrock International (2016 to present).
  • Member of the Interagency Workgroup on Coordinated Water Quality Monitoring through the National Water Quality Monitoring Council to advance the coordination of water-quality monitoring and reporting nationwide. (2018-present).
  • Advisor to the Toledo area Rotary water monitoring project (2017-present)
  • Member of the ErieStat Workgroup and Water Quality Focus Group (2016 to present)
  • Member of the GLWQA Annex 4 Lake Erie Objectives and Targets Task-Team and co-chair of the Loading and Tributary monitoring subgroup (2016 to present).
  • Board Member of the Ohio Lake Management Society (OLMS) (2015-2018)
  • Member of the HABs Collaboratory and the Lake Erie Area Research Network (LEARN)
  • Invited Member of the New York State initiative, Measuring Success: Monitoring Natural and Nature-Based Features in New York State, Ecological Performance Technical Work Group. (2018)
  • Invited member of the Watershed Stewardship Center Green Infrastructure Advisory Committee (2015-2017).
  • Participant in the Phosphorus Sustainability Research Coordination Network (P RCN) “Coordinating Phosphorus Research to Create a Sustainable Food System.” 2015-2017.
  • Invited participant at the Lake Erie Ecosystem Priority Workshop hosted by the International Joint Commission, Windsor Canada, February 2013.
  • Participated in the TNC aquatic assessment meetings for the Tippecanoe River and St. Joseph River Project Offices.  September and November 2007.
  • Participated in the Lotic Intersite Nitrogen eXperiment II synthesis meeting at Sevilleta LTER, NM.  Presented examples of using multivariate statistics to analyze data, Nov. 2006.
  • Invited Speaker EPA Region 5 Nutrient Technical Assistance Group Meeting (RTAG), May 2005.

Peer-Review

  • Associate Editor, Journal of Environmental Quality. 
  • Manuscript Reviewer for Ecosystems, Freshwater Biology, Global Change Biology, the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, the Journal of Geophysical Research- Biogeosciences, Freshwater Science (formerly the Journal of the North American Benthological Society), Ecological Engineering, Limnology and Oceanography, the Journal of Great Lakes Research, Journal of Environmental Quality, and the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.
  • External proposal reviewer for the NSF DEB Ecosystem Studies program, NSF Geomorphology and Land Use Dynamics (GLD) program, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Ohio Water Resources Center, Ohio SeaGrant, Maryland SeaGrant, North Carolina and Wisconsin SeaGrant.
  • Society for Freshwater Science (formerly the North American Benthological Society) Conference student presentation judge, 2010-2012.
  • Northern Indiana Regional Science Fair judge, 2003-2008.

Scientific Society Service

  • Member of the Annual Meeting Committee for the Society for Freshwater Sciences conference in Salt Lake City Utah in 2019.  Co-chair of the special sessions.
  • Special Sessions co-organized for scientific conferences:
  • “Great Lakes Tributaries: Connecting Land and Lakes.” 62nd Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research in Brockport, NY June 2019.
  • “Re-eutrophication of Lake Erie: Causes, consequences, and possible solutions.” Society for Freshwater Sciences annual meeting in Detroit, MI May 2018.
  • “Feeding a hungry planet: how is agriculture affecting aquatic ecosystems and what role will global change play?” Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting in Portland, Oregon, May 2014.
  • “Human impacts, stream biogeochemistry, and water quality.”  59th annual North American Benthological Society Conference in Providence, RI, May 2011. 

Other Synergistic Activities and Service

  • Participant in the Lake Erie Roundtable discussions held by US Senator Rob Portman in 2015, 2016, and 2018.
  • Active volunteer for the Sandusky River Watershed Coalition. Helped with the annual River Clean, summer meeting/festival, and trail run 5K fundraiser. Helping to organize a Sandusky River brews and news bi-monthly networking meeting.
  • Contributor to the State of the Great Lakes reports (2017, 2019) assembled as part of the GLWQA. Author of the chapter on Tributary Flashiness.
  • Contributor to the annual NOAA Western Lake Erie seasonal and early projection Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast
  • Created and launched LakeErieAlgae.com to help communicate causes for Lake Erie’s Harmful Algal Blooms to the public, 20 July 2015.
  • Organized and hosted a 3 day workshop titled “Phosphorus along the land-river-lake continuum.”  Heidelberg University, 12-14 March 2014.  Over 50 attendees were present to discuss the current state of research on P dynamics in the Lake Erie watershed.

Departmental, College, and University Committee Service

2017-present: Ohio Partnership for Water, Industrial, and Cyber Security (OPWICS) with Terra State Community College, Tiffin University, and Heidelberg University

2018-2019: Committee to develop a watershed science curriculum at Heidelberg University

2016-2017: Heidelberg University Academic Strategic Initiatives for Improvement Plan (ASIIP) Committee on Centralized Themes

2010-2012: Indiana University Women in Science Program conference poster judge

2009: Invited alumni panel member for the University of Notre Dame Career Center workshop- Academic and non-academic jobs

2006-2007: Biology Graduate Student Organization: recruitment weekend organizer

2006: Panel member for Career Center workshop- Making the Most of Your Time in Graduate School

2006: Graduate Student Curriculum committee

2005: Graduate Student faculty candidate search committee

2004: Organization Committee for the 24th annual Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference (MEEC) hosted by the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame.  Developed and maintained website and logo. 

Teaching Experience

  • Part of a committee that developed a Watershed Science concentration for the Environmental Science major at Heidelberg University, 2018-2019. 
  • Co-taught Aquatic Chemistry (graduate level) with Dr. Todd Royer, Spring 2009, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University-Bloomington. 
  • Guest Lecturer for Introduction to Water Resources (Spring 2010), Limnology (Fall 2010, Spring 2012), and Terrestrial Habitat Analysis (Fall 2011), Indiana University-Bloomington.
  • Mentored Rebecca Van Tassell, a Research Experience for Teachers intern, Summer 2011.  Helped develop and lead a stream sampling field-trip for use in an Advanced Placement Environmental Studies class at Herron High School, a charter school in Indianapolis that serves at-risk students.  
  • Teaching Assistant for Biostatistics (Spring 2006, 2008), General Ecology (Spring 2003, 2004, and 2005), and General Biology (Fall 2002), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame.
  • Participated in Designing and Teaching Your First Biology or Chemistry Course taught by Dr. David Hyde, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame.
  • Guest Lecturer for General Ecology taught by Dr. Jennifer Tank (Spring 2005), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame.
  • Participated in a seminar to redesign the General Ecology Laboratory experiments, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame.
  • Aquatic Ecology professional for the 2012 South Central Indiana Regional Envirothon, a contest sponsored by Canon to promote environmental education in high school aged students.

Graduate Student Committees

Melanie Marshall, Bowling Green State University (Advisor: Kevin McCluney)

Whitney King, Ohio State University (Advisor: Jim Hood)

Undergraduate Student Research Projects mentored

2003     Natalie Griffiths, University of Toronto.  Presented research on the effect of antibiotics on nutrient limitation in streams at 52nd annual North American Benthological Society Conference. 

2004     Rachel Clavers, University of Notre Dame, NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Intern.  Presented research on the influence of land use on primary producers in stream ecosystems at the 53rd annual North American Benthological Society Conference.

2009     Leslie Brooks, Indiana University- Bloomington. Presented research at the Indiana Academy of Sciences annual meeting and wrote a senior thesis on the effects of nutrient enrichment on denitrification, aerobic respiration, and chlorophyll a in an agricultural stream using nutrient diffusing organic and inorganic substrata.  

2010     Curtis Pomilia, Indiana University- Bloomington. Senior thesis titled “Interactive effects of atrazine and flooding on soil nitrogen cycling in south central Indiana.”

2011     Erin Looper, Indiana University- Bloomington.  Presented research at the Indiana Water Resources Association annual meeting and wrote a senior thesis on pharmaceutical attenuation in a stream receiving wastewater treatment plant effluent.   

2012     Aida Haddad, Indiana University- Bloomington.  Research in progress on greenhouse gas emissions from a stream receiving wastewater treatment plant effluent.

2013     Rafael Ishikawa, Brazil Scientific Mobility Program Intern.  Summer thesis titled “A comparison of data collected using in situ probes with water quality data from the NCWQR.”

Invited Presentations (2018 only, have given over 100 presentations to date)

  1. 13 February 2018.  Phosphorus and Lake Erie: Perspectives from between the land and lake. Williams County SWCD Winter Meeting, Bryan, OH.
  2. 20 March 2018.  Phosphorus and Lake Erie: Perspectives from between the land and lake. Lake Erie Farm Forum, Oak Harbor, OH.
  3. 22 March 2018.  Updates from the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University Ohio Water Resource council. Columbus, OH.
  4. 13 April 2018.  Updates from tributary monitoring. Lake Erie Waterkeeper Conference. Perrysburg, OH.
  5. 25 April 2018.  A history and overview of the National Center for Water Quality Research. Heidelberg University ACS Chemistry Club. Tiffin, OH.
  6. 30 May 2018. Phosphorus and Lake Erie: Perspectives from between the land and lake.  Northwest District Farm Service Agency (FSA) Managers meeting. Tiffin, OH. 
  7. 11 June 2018. Evaluating the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Concept and Certification Program in the Western Lake Erie Basin. 4R Nutrient Stewardship Summit. Ames, Iowa.  
  8. 12 July 18. Maumee nutrient loading March 1 – July 31, 2018. 2018 HAB Forecast at OSU Stone Laboratory.  Put-in-Bay, OH.
  9. 16 July 18. Water Quality in Lake Erie Tributaries. Soil and Water Summer Supervisors School, Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Toledo, OH.
  10. 1 Aug 2018. Blanchard River CEAP Study. USDA CEAP project meeting at the Annual Soil and Water Conservation Society meeting in Albuquerque, NM.
  11. 9 August 2018. Maumee River Nutrient Loading. Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Meeting. Toledo, OH.
  12. 15 August 2018. Maumee River Nutrient Loading. OSU Stone Laboratory Legislators Day. Put-in-Bay, OH.
  13. 23 August 2018. Trends in phosphorus loads from agricultural watersheds in Lake Erie and the prevalence of soil P stratification. Phosphorus Field to Watershed Modelling Workshop by Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance. Columbus, OH.
  14. 27 August 2018. The Heidelberg Tributary Loading Program: Keeping a Finger on the Pulse of Ohio’s Watersheds.  Ohio American Water Works Association Early Bird Workshop at the State Conference. Columbus, OH.
  15. 28 August 2018. Trends in Maumee River nutrient loading.  Testimony to the “Toward a Cleaner Lake Erie Working Group” in the Ohio Legislature chaired by Former Ohio Senator Brian Hill and Ohio Senator Bob Hackett. Columbus, OH. 
  16. 24 September 2018. Tributary monitoring: What do the rivers tell us about the land? Science and Solutions in Conservation workshop. Fort Wayne, IN.
  17. 24 Oct 2018. Maumee River nutrient loading and bloom recap: 2018.  TMACOG Watersheds Committee meeting. Toledo, OH.
  18. 7 November 2018. Panel Participant at “Keep it Great: The State of Lake Erie” program by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Cleveland, OH.
  19. 3 December 2018. Blanchard River CEAP Study. Presentation to the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association Board meeting.  Delaware, OH.
  20. 4 December 2018. How rivers reflect nutrient management. Managing farm nutrients for water quality. Workshop hosted by Bucyrus SWCD.  Bucyrus, OH.

Presentations at Regional and National Conferences (First author only)

Johnson, L.T., D. Baker, R. Confesor, and E. Ewing. The Heidelberg Tributary Loading Program: Perspectives from Between the Land and Lake. North American Lake Management Society Meeting. Cincinnati, Ohio. November 2018.

Johnson, L.T., J. Boehler, and R. Confesor. Identifying how to reduce phosphorus loads from Lake Erie agricultural tributaries. 61st Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research. Scarborough, ON. June 2018.

Johnson, L.T., D. Baker, R. Confesor, E. Ewing, and J. Kramer. Trends in tributary loading to Lake Erie: The importance of dissolved phosphorus. Society for Freshwater Sciences Annual Meeting. Detroit, MI. May 2018.

Johnson, L.T. Phosphorus along the Land to Lake Continuum. Annual SERA-17 meeting. Oregon, OH.  August 2017

Johnson, L.T., J. Boehler, and R. Confesor. Identifying how to reduce phosphorus loads from Lake Erie agricultural tributaries. Society for Freshwater Sciences Annual Meeting. Raleigh, NC. June 2017

Johnson, L.T., D. Baker, R. Confesor, J. Kramer, D.E. Ewing, B. Merryfield, A. Roerdink, and J. Boehler. Sources, transformation, and measurement of dissolved reactive phosphorus in Lake Erie tributaries. Lake Erie Millenium Network meeting. Windsor, ON. February 2017.

Johnson, L.T., K. King, M. Williams, R. Confesor, and D. Baker. Linking 4R nutrient stewardship at the farm to water quality from the field to watershed. 59th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research. Guelph, Ontario. June 2016

Johnson, L.T., R. Confesor, D. Baker, and K .Krieger. Weak links in communication contribute to harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. 70th Annual Soil and Water Conservation Society Conference. Greensboro, NC. July 2015. 

Johnson, L.T., T. Slawecki, and A. Roerdink. The Heidelberg Tributary Loading Program:
Sharing forty years of data online. 58th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research. Burlington, VT. May 2015.

Johnson, L.T., K. Krieger, D. Baker, Remegio Confesor, Jack Kramer, Aaron Roerdink, Ellen Ewing, Barbara Merryfield, Jakob Boehler.Water quality of Grand Lake St. Marys’ tributaries and potential for in-lake nutrient processing. 43rd annual Water Management Association of Ohio Conference (WMAO). Columbus, OH. November 2014.

Johnson, L.T., D. Baker, R.P. Richards, R. Stumpf, A. Roerdink, R.Confesor, J. Kramer, D.E. Ewing, and B.Merryfield. Historical and seasonal trends in nitrogen loading from Lake Erie tributaries. 57th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research. Hamilton Ontario. May 2014.

Johnson, L.T., J. Boehler, C. Boehler, K. Krieger, and D. Baker. Macroinvertebrate community structure in agricultural ditches, the headwater streams of agro-ecosystems. Joint aquatic sciences meeting. Portland, OR. May 2014.

Johnson, L.T., D. Baker, R.P. Richards, R. Stumpf, A. Roerdink, R.Confesor, J. Kramer, D.E. Ewing, and B.Merryfield. Long-term and Seasonal Trends in Phosphorus Loading to Lake Erie: Links to Harmful Algal Blooms with Insights from 2011 and 2012. 9th National Monitoring Conference. Cincinatti, OH. April 2014.

Johnson, L.T., and K.A. Krieger. Trends in water quality across Ohio watersheds. Ohio Water Resources Council Workgroup for Water Resources Monitoring workshop.  Columbus, OH. Marck 2014

Johnson, L.T. Phosphorus Loading from Agricultural Watersheds and the Role of Soil
 Phosphorus Stratification.  Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference. Ada, OH. March 2014.

Johnson, L.T. The prevalence of soil phosphorus stratification in an agricultural watershed: a potential link to increased dissolved phosphorus loads to Lake Erie.  Water Monitoring Association of Ohio Annual Meeting. Columbus, OH. November 2013.

Johnson, L.T., D.B. Baker, J. Crumrine, C. Brookes, B. Margraf, R. Confesor, and R.P. Richards.  Phosphorus loading from agricultural watersheds and the potential role of soil phosphorus stratification. 21st National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Conference. Cleveland, OH. October 2013.

Johnson, L.T., R.P. Richards, D.B. Baker, J.W. Kramer, D.E. Ewing, and B.J. Merryfield. Long-term trends in total suspended sediments from agricultural tributaries to Lake Erie. 98th Annual Ecological Society of America Meeting.  Minneapolis, MN. August 2013.

Johnson, L.T., D.B. Baker, R.P. Richards, A. Roerdink, R. Confesor, J.W. Kramer, D.E. Ewing, and B.J. Merryfield. The influence of land use and hydrology on annual nutrient yields in Ohio watersheds. 56th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research. West Lafayette, IN, June 2013

Johnson, L.T., D.B. Baker, J. Crumrine, C. Brookes, B. Margraf, R. Confesor, and R.P. Richards. The prevalence of soil phosphorus stratification in an agricultural watershed: a potential link to increase dissolved phosphorus loads to Lake Erie. 61st annual Society for Freshwater Science meeting.  Jacksonville, FL, May 2013

Johnson, L.T., T.V. Royer, R.P. Phillips, and D. Oviedo-Vargas. The role of artificial subsurface drainage in greenhouse gas emissions from an agricultural watershed. 60th annual Society for Freshwater Science meeting.  Louisville, KY, May 2012

Johnson, L.T., T.V. Royer, D. Oviedo-Vargas, and L.G. Leff. Effect of a labile carbon addition on nitrogen cycling in a nitrate-rich stream in Indiana, USA.  59th annual North American Benthological Society Conference.  Providence, RI, May 2011. 

Johnson, L.T., T.V. Royer, J.M. Edgerton, and L.G. Leff. Effect of a labile DOC addition on nitrogen cycling in an agricultural stream. 58th annual North American Benthological Society Conference joint with the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography summer meeting. Santa Fe, NM, June 2010. 

Johnson, L.T., T.V. Royer, L.G. Leff, J.M. Edgerton, A.M. Baxter, M.P. Brennan, and D.Oviedo-Vargas.  The influence of dissolved organic matter on denitrifier community composition and denitrification rates in an agricultural headwater stream.  94th annual Ecological Society of America meeting. Albuquerque, NM, August 2009.  Poster.

Johnson, L.T.,  J.L. Tank, P.J. Mulholland, R.O. Hall, S. Findlay, W.H. McDowell, H. M. Valett, S.K. Hamilton, B.J. Peterson, L.R. Ashkenas, L.W. Cooper, C.N. Dahm, W.K. Dodds, S.V. Gregory, N.B. Grimm, S.L. Johnson, J.L. Meyer, G.C. Poole, J.R. Webster, C.P. Arango, J,J. Beaulieu, M.J. Bernot, A.J. Burgin, C.L. Crenshaw, A. M. Helton, B.R. Niederlehner, J.M. O’Brien, J.D. Potter, R.W. Sheibley, D.J. Sobota, and S.M. Thomas. The fate of assimilated 15N-nitrate in 71 headwater streams. 56th annual North American Benthological Society Conference. Salt Lake City, UT, May 2008. 

Johnson, L.T., J.L. Tank, R.O. Hall, and P.J. Mulholland. The influence of land use on autochthonous DON production in streams from two contrasting biomes. 55th annual North American Benthological Society Conference. Columbia, SC, June 2007. 

Johnson, L.T. and J.L. Tank. The effect of land use on DOC and DON uptake in headwaters stream in the Kalamazoo River basin, Michigan. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Aquatic Sciences Meeting. Sante Fe, NM, February 2007.

Johnson, L.T. and J.L. Tank. Diel fluctuations of DOC and DON uptake in streams. 54th annual North American Benthological Society Conference. Anchorage, AK, June 2006.

Taylor, L.C. and J.L. Tank. The effect of land use on DOC and DON uptake in headwater streams in the Kalamazoo River basin, Michigan.53rd annual North American Benthological Society Conference. New Orleans, LA, June 2005.

Taylor, L.C., J.L. Tank, W.K. Dodds, and K.C. Wilson. The influence of land use on biofilm nutrient limitation across 8 North American biomes. 52nd annual North American Benthological Society Conference. Vancouver, BC, Canada, June 2004.

Taylor, L.C., J.L. Tank, and G.A. Lamberti. 2003. How the addition of salmon carcasses vs. salmon analog affects nutrient export in an Alaskan stream.  51st annual North American Benthological Society Conference. Athens, GA, May 2003. Poster.

Memberships in Professional Associations

Soil and Water Conservation Society

Society for Freshwater Science

International Association for Great Lakes Research

Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society

National Society of Collegiate Scholars