Invasions by dreissenid mussels and the round goby have altered the makeup of benthos in many areas of the Great Lakes complicating the use of benthic invertebrate composition as an indicator of environmental conditions. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has been monitoring the composition of benthos at nearshore stations since the 1990s. The interactive influences

Increasing production and usage of phthalate esters (PAEs) has made them ubiquitous in the environment. In this study, the distribution and source of PAEs in the surface water of Xingkai Lake, China were analyzed. The concentration of ΣPAEs in the water of Xingkai Lake ranged from 0.26 to 3.83 μg/L with a median of 1.28 μg/L. It was observed that the difference in the concentration of ƩPAEs between

Restoration of a wild-produced lake trout Salvelinus namaycush population in Lake Ontario has not been successful despite the adult population often meeting or exceeding restoration targets. Lack of high-quality spawning habitat in Lake Ontario is suggested as one impediment to recruitment of wild lake trout, although the quantity and location of spawning habitat is poorly understood. If high-quality

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) within the waters of Green Bay, Lake Michigan have recently shown a substantial increase in abundance. Furthermore, after over 100 years of extirpation, adult lake whitefish are found spawning within major Wisconsin tributaries to Green Bay. Many knowledge gaps still exist with respect to the chronology of adult river migrations, including the physical characteristics

A new high-resolution (500 × 500 m), three-dimensional hydrodynamic model was applied to Lake Winnipeg to study summer and winter water circulation, temperature, and ice-cover during 2016–17. The model was run with a combination of buoy-based observations and the outputs from the Global Environmental Multiscale model forcing. Four primary riverine inflows and two outflows were considered in the model

The distribution, density, biomass and size-structure of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) population in Lake Winnipeg were examined between 2017 and 2019. Zebra mussels have colonized most of the available hard substrate in the south basin and Narrows region, but colonization of the north basin remains low at present, even on suitable substrate. Numerical densities and shell free biomass peaked

Mysis diluviana is one of the most abundant zooplankton by biomass in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America, a predator of other zooplankton and an important prey for fishes. Studies of long-term trends in Lake Michigan have shown 2005–2016 densities to be 50–80% lower than 1990s densities, but these observations have been based on annual monitoring that is either spatially or seasonally limited

The knowledge about the distribution of small-scale turbulence in Lake Erie is limited. The present study analyzed >600 temperature microstructure casts, from multiple stations collected during the spring and summer of 1997 and 2008–09, to map the characteristic distributions of the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy (ε) and the vertical turbulent diffusivity (Kz) in Lake Erie. The observations

Using the psychometric paradigm of risk in conjunction with surveys of the Michigan public (n = 638) and a regional planning organization (n = 65), we examine the perceived risk and concerns associated with underwater oil pipelines, the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline in particular, and oil spills under ice. The fate of Line 5 is heavily debated in Michigan, specifically the portion that traverses the Straits

The extent of nutrient enrichment over the urbanized shoreline of western Lake Ontario bordering the Cities of Toronto and Mississauga was investigated in 2018. Concentrations of total phosphorus were higher and more wide-ranging compared with nearshore reference areas in eastern Lake Ontario. Area-weighted chlorophyll a was higher over the shoreline from the mouth of the Credit River to Humber Bay

After 42 years of stocking in Lake Champlain, recruitment of wild juvenile lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) was first observed in 2015. Abundance of wild lake trout juveniles was spatially heterogeneous. Recruitment of wild fish to age-1 and subsequent survival are likely related to growth including overwinter growth. We hypothesized that growth potential or growth-related mortality of wild and stocked

Nutrient export from agricultural land to surface waters is a significant environmental concern within the Great Lakes Basin (GLB). A field-based watershed-scale study was completed to investigate spatial and temporal variations of phosphorus and nitrate to assess nutrient transport pathways and groundwater-surface water interactions in an agriculturally dominated clay plain system. This was conducted

It is well known that lake-effect snowfall (LES) attributed to Lake Michigan has a significant impact on transportation in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (LPM). Better understanding of the inter-annual variability and factors contributing to LES will provide a sound basis for local and regional community safety management and improve weather forecasting. This study attempts to examine the trend in

We examined three decades of changes in dreissenid populations in Lake Ontario and predation by round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). Dreissenids (almost exclusively quagga mussels, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) peaked in 2003, 13 years after arrival, and then declined at depths <90 m but continued to increase deeper through 2018. Lake-wide density also increased from 2008 to 2018 along with average

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous in freshwater systems worldwide, and the Laurentian Great Lakes are no exception. We conducted a systematic review to synthesize the current state of the literature on plastic pollution, including macroplastics (>5 mm) and microplastics (<5 mm), in the Great Lakes. Thirty-four publications were used in our systematic review. We found ubiquitous contamination of microplastics

High-resolution lake ice/water observations retrieved from satellite imagery through efficient, automated methods can provide critical information to lake ice forecasting systems. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data is well-suited to this purpose due to its high spatial resolution (approximately 50 m). With recent increases in the volume of SAR data available, the development of automated retrieval

Non-point source nutrient pollution can cause eutrophication, hypoxic events, and harmful algal blooms in surface waters. Surface water eutrophication is frequently attributed to agricultural runoff, a known source of inorganic and organic nutrients to surface and subsurface waters. Analysis of dissolved organic matter (DOM) using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry is an effective tool for characterizing

Mixing dynamics in the bottom boundary layer (BBL) of lakes is of primary importance for mediating mass and heat fluxes across the upper sediment. In lakes with depth of several hundred meters, the BBL mixing is often suggested to be low; however, quantitative information from these depths is extremely rare. We assessed the mixing conditions in the BBL of Lake Iseo, a 256 m deep, meromictic Italian

In large and shallow lakes, the role of the redox-related release of phosphorus (P) from sediments has remained in the shadow of sediment resuspension. In the current study, we concentrated on this knowledge gap regarding factors controlling lake water quality. We combined long-term monitoring data with the studies on sediment P mobility in August 2018 by measuring redox potential, pore water concentrations

Eutrophication has been linked to increased greenhouse gas emissions from inland waters. Phytoplankton blooms in Lake Erie have increased since the 1990s, although its greenhouse gas emissions are not well characterized. We measured CH4 and N2O concentrations and diffusive fluxes in four seasons around the entire lake, and CO2 fluxes in one summer season. Lake Erie is a source of CH4 all year across

A deep chlorophyll layer (DCL) is a common feature of many deep, oligotrophic lakes including Lake Superior. Mechanisms generating and maintaining DCLs are variable across lakes, and seasonal patterns and relationships of DCL structure to physical variables are not well described. Using vertical profile data for physical and biological variables from western and central Lake Superior, we described

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are prevalent in aquatic landscapes and may be a factor in population declines of aquatic and terrestrial fauna. Yet, there are limited data to assess the impacts of CECs to species. Understanding CEC impacts is particularly important for imperiled freshwater mussels which provide valuable ecosystem services. CEC exposure of freshwater mussels was characterized

Limnothrissa miodon is a small pelagic clupeid that was introduced into Lake Kivu in the late 1950s to fill an empty niche. Since then, it has become the main fishery in the lake. The fish stocks were estimated by hydroacoustics between 2012 and 2018 to provide information on the fishery in the current context of changing environmental factors. The main objectives were to determine the most appropriate

Tributaries provide spawning habitat for three of four major sub-stocks of Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus). Despite anthropogenic degradation and the extirpation of other potamodromous species, the Maumee River, Ohio, USA continues to support one of the largest fish migrations in the Laurentian Great Lakes. To determine if spawning habitat availability and quality could limit production of Maumee

Identification of lake trout spawning sites has focused on cobble substrates associated with bathymetric relief (e.g., ‘contour’ or ‘slope’ along reefs), but this ‘model’ may be narrow in scope. Previous telemetry work conducted near Drummond Island, USA, Lake Huron, identified egg presence in substrates at the base of large boulders (>1 m diameter); however, the extent of this phenomenon was unknown

Lake Michigan salmon and trout populations are important species for recreational fisheries and food web management, and are largely supported through stocking efforts, with varying degrees of natural recruitment. Ongoing fisheries management of these salmonine populations is dictated by relationships between predator and prey abundance as well as community structure within the lake. However, while

Renibacterium salmoninarum (RS), the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease, has been a serious threat to salmonid health in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Despite its wide spread presence in the Great Lakes basin, little is known about RS ecology and the potential role of non-salmonid species as one of the pathogen’s reservoirs. This information is of paramount importance to fishery managers in

Four of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair serve as part of the 5261 km coastline of the State of Michigan. Understanding of the relationship between Michigan residents and these Lakes are important for the creation of messages designed to instill the desire to become better stewards of the Michigan coastline. Focus groups totaling 100 Michigan residents were held across the State to learn how residents

Despite sustained attention to water resource issues in the Great Lakes and around the world, many water problems remain unresolved because their sources or causes are external to the water sector. Water governance often is based on water-centric problem framings that do not take sufficient account of the role of external actors, institutions, and drivers. Recognition of this problem is growing, but

The fisheries of Lake Tanganyika play an important role in food security in Central and Eastern Africa. Conservation of these valuable fish stocks will benefit from documenting the ideas, opinions and observations of stakeholders. Knowledge of the perceptions and an understanding of the concerns and struggles of stakeholders of these fisheries can provide policy-makers with recommendations for more

Crocodiles play important roles in many ecosystems, but their populations worldwide are threatened by human exploitation and habitat destruction. We studied ontogenetic changes in habitat use and seasonal activity patterns in a population of Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) inhabiting the Lake Albert Delta Wetland System, a Ramsar Site of international importance in Murchison Falls National Park

Using mobile environmental monitoring can aid in gathering ecological data to meet fish community goals in the Great Lakes. One such approach is the use of large Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to gather data, or the potential use of AUV swarms, where multiple small AUVs work together with each having different data-gathering capabilities. To understand data needs that could be collected by mobile

Bioenergetics and food web models are tools available for understanding and projecting the impacts of aquatic species invasions on food web structure and energy allocation of an ecosystem. However, uncertainty is inherent in modeling the impact of invasive species in novel ecosystems as assumptions must be made about physiological responses to novel environments and interactions with existing (native

In the Lake Winnipeg Basin (LWB), at both basin and regional scales, there are currently gaps regarding the significance of groundwater as a mediator of nutrient and contaminant fluxes to Lake Winnipeg. During 2018, surface water and groundwater samples were collected from various locations across the largest sand and gravel aquifer (Assiniboine Delta Aquifer [ADA]; 3800 km2) in the LWB as well as

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) reared in hatcheries are exposed to an environment and feeding regime that is different from wild lake trout, and are stocked at substantially larger sizes with higher lipid reserves. In addition to differences in diet and growth, this early experience may alter habitat use compared to the wild cohort. We used seasonal data on the depth and temperature distribution

Lake Ontario water levels were the highest in recorded history in 2017 and 2019, resulting in significant impacts to shoreline properties and observable (but not previously quantified) changes in coastal wetland vegetation. In this study, we assessed differences in coverage of five plant community guilds (submerged aquatic vegetation, Typha, meadow marsh, shrub, and upland) along the shoreline elevation

Urban centers line western Lake Ontario where urban rivers, wastewater treatment plants and stormwater load nutrients, major ions and suspended solids to the nearshore. In 2018, nearshore water quality and associated physical conditions bordering the cities of Toronto and Mississauga were assessed as a benchmark for future effects of urban growth and municipal infrastructure projects to improve water

In this study, we provide the first genetically verified distribution record beyond its native range of Ligula pavlovskii, a high-impact endoparasite of Ponto-Caspian gobies. According to parasitological surveys, ligulosis was detected for the first time in monkey goby individuals collected from Lake Balaton in 2004, 34 years after the first record of monkey goby in the lake. During a Lake Balaton

Sediment quality of the Toronto and Region Area of Concern (AOC) waterfront was assessed using a weight of evidence approach following the Sediment Quality Triad, with the addition of contaminant bioaccumulation data, to determine current status following the 2013 re-designation of the “degradation of benthos” Beneficial Use Impairment as “no longer impaired.” Five stations within the AOC were sampled

Lamprey culture methods are needed for use in both control of invasive sea lamprey in the Laurentian Great Lakes and restoration of imperiled species. Control purposes include the use of cultured animals to develop population control methods (e.g., gene drives), the production of hard-to-find life stages for research (e.g., age-0 larvae, metamorphosed juveniles), or the recovery of native lampreys

The control of invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes basin has been highly successful, but has deleteriously affected native lamprey species. American brook, northern brook, silver and chestnut lampreys are all susceptible to lampricide treatments. Incidental catch from surveys that targeted sea lamprey were used to determine changes in distributions and catch rates of these native species within

The rapid rise in availability of large geospatial datasets for the development of hydrological models such as Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has led to a dramatic increase in both the demand and availability of web services and tools that assist watershed modellers in incorporating data and knowledge into their modelling frameworks. Within the Canadian Great Lakes region, there is a huge potential

Carbon dioxide (CO2) mixed into water is being explored as a possible management strategy to deter the upstream movements of invasive carps through navigation locks and other migratory pinch-points. This study used two-dimensional acoustic telemetry to assess the effectiveness of dissolved CO2 as a chemosensory deterrent to two carp species in a large U-shaped pond. Free-swimming movements of telemetered

The Prairie landscape consists of numerous pothole depressions which produce complex fill-and-spill runoff generation processes that result in intermittent hydrologic connectivity and dynamic contributing areas (DCA). We investigated the effect of including DCA in the modified version of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and its implication on future streamflow projection for the pothole

The lower 3.5 km of Eighteenmile Creek, a tributary to Lake Ontario in New York, was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1985 under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement due to extensive contamination of bed sediments by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other toxicants. Five beneficial use impairments (BUIs) have been identified in this AOC, including degraded fish and wildlife populations

The Cheboygan River, Michigan, is the only tributary to the upper Great Lakes where sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) are known to complete their entire life cycle. The Upper and Lower reaches are separated by the Cheboygan Lock and Dam located about 2 km from Lake Huron. In the Upper River, the Pigeon, Sturgeon, and Maple Rivers provide nursery habitat for larval sea lamprey. Burt and Mullett Lakes

The set of ancient lakes on Sulawesi, Indonesia, represents a unique global hotspot of aquatic biodiversity. These lakes have been recognized widely because of their high number of endemic species with specialized and distinctive morphological characters, life history and ecological adaptations. An interesting case of unusual life history involving brood care exists in the planorbid limpets of the

We investigated the hypothesis that ostracode populations are sensitive to variations in sediment discharge related to watershed differences at Lake Tanganyika. Many ostracode species are documented to be sensitive to high turbidity which increases during runoff from strong rainfall events and changes in ostracode populations can impact organisms higher in the food web. We compared surficial death

Spatiotemporal relationships between developmental stages (cydippid, transition and adult) of the comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi and environmental parameters were seasonally evaluated using the random forest (RF) model along the Iranian coasts of the Caspian Sea. The mean density of M. leidyi in spring, summer, autumn and winter were 8, 54, 130, and 15 ind m−3, respectively. The density of various stages

The tubenose goby (Proterorhinus semilunaris) entered the Great Lakes in the 1990s via ballast water, but remains poorly studied within North America, making it difficult to predict its effects on native ecosystems. Dietary breadth and somatic growth rate have important ramifications for survival, competitiveness, and dispersal ability of a fish species, and thereby its ecological impact. We studied

With the exception of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), relatively little is known about the early life history of larval coregonines in the Laurentian Great Lakes. For example, our knowledge of the feeding ecology of larval coregonines (excluding lake whitefish) is based on only 900 stomachs reported in the literature. Here, we describe the diets and demographics of larval coregonines from

Underwater video is increasingly used to study aspects of the Great Lakes benthos including the abundance of round goby and dreissenid mussels. The introduction of these species has resulted in major ecological shifts in the Great Lakes, but the abundance and impacts of these species have heretofore been underassessed due to limitations of monitoring methods. Underwater video (UVID) can “sample” hard

A successful management plan requires clear goals and a process for evaluation. Without them, managers risk operational shifts in which continuous changes disguised as improvements may have little beneficial effect. The conception, design, and operation of an electric barrier and fishway on the Pere Marquette River of Lake Michigan serve as an illustration. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission operated

Identification of sources of fecal pollution in urban areas is critical for protecting public health, the environment, and guiding remediation. We collected 670 water samples at 46 sites in 2018 to study fecal pollution in the Toronto Harbour and Don River watershed. Water samples were analyzed for E. coli, wastewater chemicals, and microbial source tracking DNA markers using a digital PCR technique

Ten anadromous lamprey species (Petromyzontiformes) are recognized around the world, including four species in the Southern Hemisphere and six in the Northern Hemisphere. Eleven threats to these anadromous lampreys have been identified: climate change, shifting oceanographic regimes, artificial barriers, low water quantity/flow management, habitat degradation, poor water quality, reduced habitat availability

Freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) may be a predator of the invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), which established in Lake Winnipeg in 2013. In this study, the diets, trophic position, and growth of 51 freshwater drum collected in 2019 (six years post-zebra mussel invasion) were compared to 64 freshwater drum sampled in 2000. Benthic insect larvae were the dominant food items in both

The contribution of septic systems to watershed nutrient loads is poorly quantified although they are often cited as potentially important nutrient sources. The study used a geospatial model to estimate P loads from septic systems to the tributaries of the Canadian Lake Erie Basin to inform Lake Erie nutrient management initiatives. There is currently no inventory of septic systems in the Lake Erie

During the period February to June 2020, heavy rainfall caused increases in levels and flooding in many lakes in East Africa. This coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. These calamities affected ecosystems and livelihoods, especially of fishers who depend on fisheries as their only source of livelihood. This study examined the effects of COVID-19 and flooding on the major inland capture fisheries in