For immediate release
Contact: Aman Kohli, akkohli@ncsu.edu
or Tim Ellis, tim.ellis@deq.nc.gov

Mary Kate Rinderle is the 2025 Graduate Fellow in Estuarine Research, a joint fellowship from North Carolina Sea Grant and the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP). Rinderle, a Ph.D. candidate in marine ecology at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, will study how some cyanobacteria use atmospheric N₂ gas as an alternative nitrogen source and the resulting ecological effects.

“By integrating biological nitrogen fixation into the lake’s overall nitrogen budget and evaluating its relationship to toxin production, this project will strengthen understanding of how internal processes regulate water quality and phytoplankton dynamics, advancing North Carolina Sea Grant’s Healthy Coastal Ecosystems goals,” says Aman Kohli, North Carolina Sea Grant’s research and program coordinator.

Rinderle’s interest in this project stems from having worked in Lake Mattamuskeet in Hyde County for about two years: “I’ve seen firsthand both the beauty of the lake and the severity of its current degradation, so my interest in this project stems from a desire to understand the factors contributing to chronic cyanobacterial blooms that impair the health of this lake and so many lakes like it.”

She explains that cyanobacteria’s use of atmospheric N₂ gas can be advantageous to those species, shaping phytoplankton community composition and potentially influencing bloom toxicity. Her work will explore an aspect of Lake Mattamuskeet’s nutrient budgets that has not yet been considered but that can further future restoration efforts.

“After 10 successful years of this partnership, we’re excited to see the fellowship continue to grow. It has now expanded from a one-year, $10,000 award to a two-year, $20,000 award, providing even greater support for student researchers,” says Kohli.

This joint fellowship supports graduate students from institutions based in North Carolina and Virginia who conduct applied research within the APNEP management area located in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System. This area covers most of the Albemarle-Pamlico watershed, including the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, Pasquotank, Chowan, lower Roanoke river basins, as well as parts of the White Oak river basin.

“Lake Mattamuskeet provides critical habitat for diverse wildlife in the Albemarle-Pamlico estuary but is a degraded ecosystem that has long suffered from poor water quality, including persistent harmful algal blooms,” says Tim Ellis, APNEP’s quantitative ecologist. “Rinderle’s work will address important data gaps to help inform developing nutrient management strategies for the lake aimed at improving water clarity and restoring foundational species like submerged aquatic vegetation.”

Nathan Hall, a research assistant professor at UNC, will serve as Rinderle’s faculty advisor for her research.

Read more about this and other Sea Grant fellowships and funding opportunities.