Harmful algal blooms often seem to spring up out of nowhere, forcing public health officials scrambling to issue water quality advisories, while people headed out to recreate on a lake, river or reservoir are met …
Ecological Processes
Study of “Annual Life Cycle” in Wisconsin Lakes Finds Unpredictable Fate “Up North,” While Southern Waters Routinely Run Out of Air
A new study has found that, despite relatively similar climate conditions, there is a big difference in how lakes in northern and southern Wisconsin are responding to a warmer, wetter world. Using data collected on …
Tiny Invertebrates and The Great Aquatic Migration
by Christina Weatherford When looking at the lakes near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, you might appreciate how scenic they are, or how many trophy fish they contain. However, UW Center for Limnology scientists at Trout Lake …
Beneath the Surface, Long-Term Lake Monitoring Reveals the Drama of a Food Web in Flux
Seen from shore, it doesn’t look like a lot is going on in Trout Lake in northern Wisconsin. Aside from windy days that shove waves against its mostly wooded shoreline, the lake presents, more often …
Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind: How Will Zooplankton Fare in Warmer Lakes?
by Cassie Gauthier — When I walked out of my cabin, it was pouring. It was my first week on station and had been raining almost every day. I went to the station and layered …
Scientists Turn to Satellites to Study Lakes of Many Colors
by Hilary Dugan – Why are lakes blue? Or green? Or brown? The color of a lake reflects what’s in the water. Pure water appears blue, lakes with a lot of algae appear green, and …
Clear Water? Yes. Green Scum? Also yes. What’s Going on Out There?
by Jake Vander Zanden — You may have noticed that, In the last week or so, the Madison lakes have been crystal clear, with visibility of up to 30 feet recorded in Lake Mendota by …
Seeping Salt: Study Finds “Slow and Steady” Salinization of North American Lakes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Many North American lakes are getting saltier, thanks primarily to the road salt used to keep winter roads free of ice and snow. While this salt can keep precipitation from freezing …
Study Finds Link Between Climate Change and Longer “Dead Zones” in Lakes
A new study in the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences is linking climate change to yet another environmental impact – longer lasting “dead zones” In lakes. According to the study, warm summer weather is …
Algae Blooms Aren’t Just for Summer
Earlier this month, Richard “Dick” Lathrop, a long-time limnologist and honorary fellow at the Center for Limnology headed out to Devil’s Lake in Devil’s Lake State Park to take a sample of an algae bloom. …