by Jake Vander Zanden On Mothers Day evening I began receiving a barrage of texts along the lines of ‘What is up with these bugs outside?’ Anyone anywhere near Lake Monona would have undoubtedly noticed these impresive swarms of buzzing insects. These swarming insects are midges – also known as lakeflies or chironomids. Despite the …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [MADISON, WI] By Adam Hinterthuer and Madelyn Anderson – A report on more than forty years of research on Wisconsin lakes is highlighting some of the lessons scientists have learned about aquatic invasive species. For example, far more ecosystems are playing host to non-native species than were previously thought. However, the authors …
The Department of the Interior today announced the location of the newest Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC), the ninth and final CASC in the national network dedicated to providing science to help managers of the country’s fish and wildlife resources adapt to climate change. The U.S. Geological Survey has finalized an agreement with a consortium …
by Nadja Neumann, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Many of the world’s well-known clear lakes are deteriorating at an alarming rate: at the shore, where people want to play and swim, the lake bottom is covered with green carpets of algae. These are mass accumulations of filamentous algae that have recently appeared …
When an invasive species overruns an ecosystem, it is often assumed that the organism recently arrived at its new home and rapidly took over. But a report published in the journal, BioScience, says that many new arrivals aren’t nearly as impatient as this narrative implies. In fact, it is not uncommon for “sleeper populations” of …
by Moira Harrington, Wisconsin Sea Grant In a new video released today, Wisconsin Sea Grant illuminates the varied coregonines, a sudfamily of fish commonly known as cisco, which have pulsed through Great Lakes waters for 12,000 years. Due to human influences, the fork-tailed fish are diminished in number and range, and display less diverse forms. …
In the Upper Midwest, the water temperature in a lake may be as different from the lake next door as one at the opposite end of the state. While this may save Midwesterners a long drive “up north” to find a lake cool enough to beat the summer heat, it also has important implications when …
by Mary Magnuson, University Communications Invasive Eurasian water milfoil is flourishing in Wisconsin’s lakes, sometimes outcompeting native plants and creating floating mats that cause problems for people, boats and property values. But new research shows that the benefits of using one type of historical lake-wide herbicide treatment may be outweighed by the costs to native …
By — Adam Hinterthuer, hinterthuer@wisc.edu MADISON – Over the last few decades, walleye in Wisconsin have been on a downward trend. As lakes in the upper Midwest warm thanks to climate change, they offer less and less habitat for this cool-water species to thrive. Add in factors like lakefront development and loss of shoreline habitat, …
In a state with 15,000 lakes and 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, it can be difficult to know where to focus efforts to protect freshwater ecosystems. That’s especially the case with aquatic invasive species (AIS), plants like Eurasian water milfoil and animals like the zebra mussel, that can have a profound impact on native …