EMU Today

YPSILANTI — A shared passion for wildlife research brought Eastern Michigan University alumni Dorothy Zahor and Kenneth Glynn together in the lab—and then in life. Their multi-year study on American robins has revealed insights into how these birds can be bioindicators of lead contamination in urban and rural environments.

Their research, which began in 2018, focused on birds from EMU’s campus and several sites in Flint, Michigan, where elevated lead levels were detected during the Flint Water Crisis. While their collaboration started as a scientific endeavor, it eventually led to a lifelong partnership.

Zahor first became interested in how urban wildlife interacts with human-made pollutants as an undergraduate. She quickly realized that American robins—backyard birds known for their diet of earthworms—were ideal candidates for studying soil pollution.

“I was an undergraduate student when I became interested in how wildlife and humans share urban spaces, and how they might be exposed to our urban pollutants,” said Zahor. “American robins are a common backyard bird specializing in earthworm consumption, so they were perfect for investigating soil pollution in urban landscapes.”

Zahor initially launched her research under the mentorship of an EMU biology professor. When Glynn, who studied under the same professor, learned about her work, he was eager to contribute. 

Glynn and Zahor hypothesized wildlife that indirectly consumed soil could reflect the soil’s lead contamination through their blood contamination levels. This relationship could be used to gain a deeper understanding of how humans would be exposed to lead contamination in their communities. 

Glynn and Zahor captured robins and collected blood samples during their breeding season, which lasts from April to August. To compare lead contamination levels, soil samples were collected at locations in Flint and EMU’s campus. 

The pair spent many months collecting the data necessary for the study. However, Glynn and Zahor realized there was more between them than research. “We spent so much time in the field together that we decided to spend the rest of our lives together, too,” said Zahor. 

“Not surprisingly, we found a positive relationship between the two, suggesting that robins who foraged heavily at sites with elevated soil lead also had elevated blood lead levels,” said Glynn. “Now, an exciting prospect from our research is the possibility of using a common species like the American robin as a bioindicator for pollution exposure.”

Now, Zahor and Glynn are pursuing their doctorates together at Oregon State University, where they work in the biology department. While their study on robins and lead contamination has concluded, Zahor studies the relationship between outdoor cats and birds, while Glynn studies how drought impacts migration patterns and bird health. 

Zahor holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from EMU, while Glynn holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology. Both received their master’s degrees in ecology evolution and organismal biology from EMU, with Zahor in 2021 and Glynn in 2022. 

To learn more about Zahor and Glynn’s research, visit the website. 

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, EMU is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves nearly 13,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.