Freshwater ecosystems provide essential resources such as drinking water, irrigation, and recreation

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Northwest Indian College $350,000 on December 1, 2025, under the 1994 Institutions Research Grants program (CFDA 10.227) to investigate the effects of cyanotoxins on aquatic insects, specifically dragonflies and damselflies, in freshwater ecosystems.

The research employs a two-pronged approach: expanding toxin monitoring efforts at Northwest Indian College to assess aquatic insect communities and detect changes linked to natural cyanotoxin events, and collaborating with Michigan State University to experimentally evaluate cyanotoxin effects on dragonflies and damselflies across critical life stages. The work addresses the 500 percent increase in reported cyanotoxin events over the past decade and their documented risks to human health and food supply security in rural and tribal communities. Aquatic insects serve as bioindicators of water quality and ecosystem health through their role in linking food webs and cycling nutrients between aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

The award provides hands-on learning opportunities for students at both Northwest Indian College and Michigan State University. Work is performed in Bellingham, Washington, with a period of performance from December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2027. Support from Lummi Natural Resources is integrated into the project design.

They are also vital to tribal subsistence and commercial harvests. However, these ecosystems face growing threats from harmful blue-green algae. Toxins produced by harmful blue-green algae, known as cyanotoxins, pose significant risks to human health, causing liver damage and promoting tumor growth. Over the past decade, the U.S. Has experienced a 500% increase in reported cyanotoxin events, posing a serious threat to our food supply (USDA strategic goal 4) and the quality of life in rural and tribal communities (USDA strategic goal 5).aquatic insects are critical components of freshwater ecosystems, linking food webs between microscopic organisms and larger consumers, and cycling nutrients between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Consequently, the resilience of freshwater ecosystems and the services they provide will depend on the sensitivity of insects to cyanotoxins. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how cyanotoxins impact insects. As bioindicators of water quality, changes in aquatic insect communities can also signal ecosystem health.with support from lummi natural resources, this proposal will investigate the effects of cyanotoxins on aquatic insects, focusing on the survival, development, and fitness of dragonflies and damselflies: key freshwater insect groups. Our two-pronged approach will expand toxin monitoring efforts at northwest indian college to include assessments of aquatic insect communities, detecting changes linked to natural cyanotoxin events, and collaborate with michigan state university to experimentally evaluate the effects of cyanotoxins on dragonflies and damselflies across critical life stages. In addition to advancing our understanding of insects as sentinels for toxin monitoring, this work will provide hands-on learning opportunities for students at northwest indian college and michigan state university, fostering leadership, scientific expertise, and career readiness in agriculture, resource management, and academic research.