Lacustrine environments are closed systems that are sensitive to natural and anthropogenic changes. These small-scale systems offer a window into how lake environments are crucial for understanding the impact of anthropogenic effects. Conesus lake, a finger lake in western New York, is a lacustrine system that has been continuously influenced by a long history of anthropogenic impacts. This investigation compares the north-south end of Conesus lake to determine the state of the lake system by examining the live-dead biodiversity of macroinvertebrates and the presence of chemical contaminants in their mineralized skeletons. The working hypothesis is that the live-dead community of macroinvertebrates in the southern portion of the lake represent the natural ecosystem of the lake while the macroinvertebrates in the northern region depict a more anthropogenically influenced environment.

Multiple surface samples were collected from the south and north ends of Conesus lake along a 40-meter transect perpendicular from the shore. Surface samples were collected every 10 meters. Live and dead skeletal and soft-bodied macroinvertebrates were sieved from the sediment and identified to the lowest taxonomic level.

The live-dead taxa will be analyzed using quantitative methods such as biodiversity analysis and ICP-MS of surface sediment and skeletal remains. ICP-MS analysis of skeletal material will yield the type and magnitude of chemical pollutants present during the lifetime of the macroinvertebrate and will allow comparisons between modern and past environmental changes. Biodiversity analyses is used to show stressed habitats and changes in diversity in past generations. The expected results are that the south end of the lake will have a higher agreement between the live and dead population, greater biodiversity, and less chemical contaminates compared to the northern region.