“We’re pleased that the federal government has given MSU these funds so we can get an accurate assessment of what we can accomplish at Saginaw Bay,” said Christopher Mansour, Kildee’s chief of staff. “We need to make sure we protect our natural resources.”

Instead of examining one aspect of the bay’s ecosystem, the study will aim to develop a comprehensive model of how a number of ecological factors, including water quality, invasive species, recreation activities and global climate change, interact and affect the bay, said MSU fisheries and wildlife professor Scott Peacor, who is helping lead the study.

“The idea is we don’t want to study in a vacuum,” Peacor said. “We want to integrate the feedback between the scientists and the managers.”

Peacor said his study will bring together information from local and state agencies, scientists and residents. The move could lead to improved management strategies and program monitoring.

The economic value of Saginaw Bay’s ecological resources will be another aspect of the study.

MSU agricultural economics professor Frank Lupi will be trying to answer questions including what changing ecological factors mean to people and how the changing factors affect the economic value of the ecosystem. For example, when trying to promote swimming in Saginaw Bay, scientists may kill large underwater plants. And that action could unexpectedly affect the management of the area’s sportfishing industry.

“It helps us figure out the importance of those ecological services to people,” Lupi said. “Ecosystems provide services to people, those services have value even though they don’t appear in market value.”