lakes – envirobites

The pharmaceutical and personal care products we use daily enter aquatic environments. Phytoplankton, or microscopic algae, are important pieces of the aquatic food chain. Phytoplankton exposed to pharmaceutical and personal care products in two Norwegian lakes responded quickly and dramatically – altering their community structure. The effects of these compounds on phytoplankton suggest these compounds have the potential to alter the food webs of entire aquatic ecosystems.

Climate Environmental Science

Work smarter and harder: a fieldwork fable involving the investigation of lake greenhouse gas emissions

May 10, 2018May 29, 2018 Sarah Waldo 0 Comments ecosystems, environmental science, greenhouse gases, lakes, nonpoint source pollution, water quality

“Are you sure this is the ramp?” my colleague, Dr. Jake Beaulieu asked the head field researcher, Adam Balz, as we drove up to the site.

The three of us took in the view of the crumbling asphalt inclined plane that disappeared into the lake. According to the map, this was the boat launch. But the usage of the lake had changed from allowing motorized craft to “paddle craft only” several years ago, and now the disused ramp was covered in layers of sandy sediment.

Environmental Science

Near-shore or open-water food? Fish like it all!

September 28, 2017 Lushani Nanayakkara 0 Comments fisheries, food webs, lakes

We can apply results from food web studies to understand how land-use and invasive species may force diet shifts in economically important fishes such as walleye.