Moriya Rufer

RMB Environmental Laboratories, Inc.
Lakes Program Coordinator
22796 County Hwy. 6
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

B.A. Biology, St. John’s University/College of St. Benedict, 1999
Advisor: Dr. James Poff

M.S. Entomology, University of Minnesota, January 2007
Advisor: Dr. Leonard C. Ferrington, Jr.

Background:

Growing up, I spent summers at my family’s cabin on Leech Lake in northern Minnesota. It was there that I first became fascinated with the many varieties of fish and insects that can be found in the lake. Spending so much time on the lake also helped me realize the importance of clean water in our lakes and streams. I have known ever since those summers on Leech Lake that I wanted to work among the water and its creatures for the rest of my life.

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree from the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN. I was a biology major and developed an interest in insects from my advisor who was an Entomologist. He warned me when taking his Biology of Insects class that I may really start to enjoy collecting and identifying insects and he was right!

I began my M.S. degree in September 2004 at the Entomology Department of the University of Minnesota with Dr. Leonard C. Ferrington, Jr as my advisor. My main research interests are in aquatic ecology. More specifically, I am fascinated by the roles played by aquatic insects, and their presence as indicators of water quality and ecosystem health. You can read more about my thesis project by clicking on the link under projects below. I earned a degree in entomology because I want to apply my enjoyment of collecting and identifying insects to real world problems and have my work create positive change in land management and water quality.

I currently live in Detroit Lakes, MN and am a Lake Water Quality Specialist for RMB Environmental Laboratories. I am in charge of lake monitoring for the Pelican Group of Lakes Improvement District, and write up the assessments for numerous other lakes in northwestern Minnesota.

Projects

Chironomids as water quality indicators in Twin Cities urban lakes (MS Thesis Project)

Identification of the benthic macroinvertebrates of Voyageur’s National Park (Research Assistantship)

Illustration of Pseudosmittia (Research Assistantship)

Poster presentation at 2005 North American Benthological Society Meeting

Oral presentation at the 2006 North American Benthological Society Meeting (3MB pdf)

Taxonomic Guide

Rufer, M. M. and L. C. Ferrington, Jr. 2007. Key to the Chironomidae Pupal Exuviae in the Twin Cities Metro Area Lentic Waters. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA.

Publications

Rufer, M.M. and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2006. Sampling frequency required for community resolution of Chironomidae communities in urban lakes with contrasting trophic states. Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal (in-press).

Rufer, M.M. and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2006. Rapid-bioassessment technique for resolving composition of Chironomidae in urban lakes with contrasting trophic states. (Abstract). Bulletin of the North American Benthological Society 23 (1): 167.

Serieyssol, C.A., R.W. Bouchard Jr., A.W. Sealock, M.M. Rufer, J. Chirhart, J. Genet and L.C. Ferrington Jr. 2005. Bottle traps and dipnetting: Evaluation of two sampling techniques for assessing macroinvertebrate biodiversity in depressional wetlands. (Abstract). Bulletin of the North American Benthological Society 22 (1): 327.