“The report from the multi-institution EcoFore-Lake Erie project states that a 46 percent reduction in the amount, or load, of phosphorus pollution would be needed to shrink Lake Erie’s Central Basin hypoxic zone to a size last seen in the mid-1990s—a time that coincided with the recovery of several recreational and commercial fisheries in the lake’s west and central basins.Phosphorus is a nutrient used in crop fertilizers. Excess phosphorus washes off croplands during rainstorms and flows downstream in rivers that feed the Great Lakes. Once in the lakes, phosphorus can trigger algae blooms. When the algae die and sink to the lake bottom, oxygen-consuming bacteria feed on them and create hypoxic zones in the process. Many fish shun these oxygen-starved waters, which significantly reduce the amount of suitable habitat available to the fish.The study, accepted for publication in a forthcoming edition of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, calls for Central Basin phosphorus reductions considerably higher than other recent recommendations, including a proposal issued last year by the Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force aimed at avoiding Western Basin toxic algae blooms. The new report is a synthesis of the major findings from the EcoFore-Lake Erie project, created in 2005 and supported by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research.”
Category:
Lake Erie “dead zone” research includes work by IISG specialist
March 3rd, 2014 by iisg_superadminKnauss fellow Will Tyburczy continues on with science collaboration work at NOAA
February 28th, 2014 by iisg_superadminA Ph.D. candidate at University of Chicago, Will spent the bulk of the last year helping NOAA’s Regional Collaboration Network coordinate the work of NOAA’s five main offices—Weather Service, Fisheries Service, Satellite and Information Service, Ocean Service, and Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. The efforts of these offices often overlap on major issues like climate change, habitat conservation, and emergency response. It was Will’s job, along with the other network members, to find opportunities for collaboration and help NOAA make progress on these issues. He also served as a liaison between NOAA regional staff and organization leaders, ensuring that each group had the information and resources they need to effectively meet program goals.
Popular lawn care site “Lawn Talk” launches Spanish-language version
February 26th, 2014 by iisg_superadminWith help from these sites, homeowners and landscape professionals in northern Illinois can cultivate healthy lawns while still conserving water and preventing harmful chemicals from washing into nearby lakes and rivers. Specific natural lawn care tips include testing soil and adjusting nutrient levels as needed at the start of the season, choosing the right grass for the site, and letting lawns go dormant during dry months. The sites also provide information on lawn cultivation equipment and choosing lawn care services.
Discovery Grants fund promising Great Lakes research projects
February 25th, 2014 by iisg_superadminSo, what are these projects exactly? We’re glad you asked. Discovery Grant Projects II shines a light on unexpected and emerging contaminants in stream water. Other featured projects examine the market for domestic seafood and give Hoosiers real-time access to fish consumption advisories. And another still paints a clearer picture of how Asian carp are changing the food web in the Illinois River.
Award winning GO TO 2040 development plan features work from several IISGers
February 12th, 2014 by iisg_superadminIn the news: River otters tell the tale of chemicals affecting the environment
February 11th, 2014 by iisg_superadmin“‘Thus otters serve as biomonitors – organisms that contain information on the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the environment – of wildlife exposure,’ according to a new study. They also serve as biomonitors for human health because the same toxic chemicals found in otters have also been found in people who eat contaminated fish.The study published in the journal ‘Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety’ found high concentrations of chemical compounds in the livers of 23 otters in central Illinois.Especially troubling were the highest concentrations of dieldrin ever reported in otters anywhere in the United States, said lead author Samantha Carpenter, a wildlife technical assistant at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.Dieldrin is one of the organochlorine insecticides banned in 1978. More than three decades later, high levels of the chemicals remain in river sediments and accumulate in the fish that otters and people may eat.The compound has been linked to neurological, behavioral and immune-suppression problems in wildlife. Scientific studies disagree on adverse human effects, but some studies have linked dieldrin to asthma, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer, Carpenter said.”
IISG plants outreach seeds at Indiana veterinary conference
February 7th, 2014 by iisg_superadminFrom UnwantedMeds.org
In the news: A “stirring” solution to algae problems?
February 6th, 2014 by iisg_superadmin“The N.C. General Assembly authorized a $1.44 million plan to put 36 floating water circulators into the lake. It’s a hefty price tag, but is actually one of the drivers for the experiment. If it works, the savings could be huge as costs for implementing the EPA rules are estimated at $1 to $2 billion.Representatives from Medora Corporation, the company that will supply the mixers, say that the mixing process may confuse the algae, making them think they’re at different depths in the water. It could make them more vulnerable to viruses. The reps also say the mixers will work, claiming a 90 to 95 percent success rate in other lakes.”
In the news: Winter cold brings good news for the Great Lakes
February 5th, 2014 by iisg_superadmin“Nearly 60% of the lakes are now under a cover of ice, according to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich.The ice cover could help lake levels this summer, but that is far from certain. And biologists are keeping a close eye on northern Lake Superior in the hope that an ice bridge will link Ontario to Isle Royale.The island is the home to a struggling gray wolf population in desperate need of new genetic stock — and more wolves.One possible effect of so much ice this winter is that come summer the ‘lake effect’ in cities such as Milwaukee, Chicago and Duluth, Minn., could be even cooler.The ice cover this winter is a stark contrast to last winter, when the five lakes had only 38% cover, according to the research laboratory, which tracks ice conditions on the lakes. The long-term average of the lakes is about 50%, according to George Leshkevich, a scientist with the laboratory, which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”
Recent News
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant announces funding for southern Lake Michigan region research
- IISG has an opportunity for an experienced communication coordinator
- Middle schoolers join a Chicago research lab in the quest for new antibiotics
- You can take steps to reduce your exposure to PFAS contaminants
- IISG summer initiatives include interns, water safety, and aquatic invasive species
IISG Tweets
Categories
- Aquaculture
- Aquatic Invasive Species
- Buoys
- Climate Ready Communities
- Director's Blog
- Education
- Featured
- Fellowships
- Fisheries
- Funded Research
- Funding
- Great Lakes Cleanup
- Great Lakes Data
- Healthy Waters
- Internships
- Jobs
- K-12 Education
- News
- Photos
- Program
- Recreation & Tourism
- Resources
- Sea Grant Scholars
- Stormwater & Green Infrastructure
- Sustainable Community Planning
- The Helm
- Uncategorized
- Video
- Water Supply