Article
Limnology
Alan D. Steinman, Emily Kindervater
Summary: The ecosystem services of large freshwater systems are under various stresses from human activities. The management and protection of these systems require a robust monitoring network, early warning systems, and effective enforcement of regulations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lorna Howlett, Emma F. Camp, John Edmondson, Russell Hosp, Ben Taylor, Philip Coulthard, David J. Suggett
Summary: Tourism-led stewardship projects in the Great Barrier Reef have implemented coral propagation and out-planting practices to improve ecosystem function. Benthic surveys conducted over a 24-month period showed significant increases in hard coral cover at some out-planting sites, particularly for commonly out-planted genera. Despite variations in coral community responses, this tourism-led approach has demonstrated potential for increasing hard coral cover through coral propagation.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rebecca Nixon, J. Stuart Carlton, Zhao Ma
Summary: Sediment remediation and habitat restoration projects in the coastal areas of the Great Lakes have been employed to improve environmental quality and support community revitalization. The study reveals that besides environmental cleanup, anchor institutions, housing and economic development, and local events are also driving factors for revitalization. Environmental cleanup and revitalization drivers are found to overlap in time and space. Furthermore, there is significant variation within and across AOCs in terms of socioeconomic contexts, planning capacities, and existing partnerships.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kimberly B. Fitzpatrick, Allison T. Moody, Austin Milt, Matthew E. Herbert, Mary Khoury, Eugene Yacobson, Jared A. Ross, Patrick J. Doran, Michael C. Ferris, Peter B. McIntyre, Thomas M. Neeson
Summary: The study evaluated whether a small number of indicator species could be used to efficiently select barrier removal projects to restore breeding habitat access for many other Great Lakes migratory fishes in the highly fragmented tributaries of the North American Great Lakes.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Juliane Mai, Hongren Shen, Bryan A. Tolson, Etienne Gaborit, Richard Arsenault, James R. Craig, Vincent Fortin, Lauren M. Fry, Martin Gauch, Daniel Klotz, Frederik Kratzert, Nicole O'Brien, Daniel G. Princz, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Tirthankar Roy, Frank Seglenieks, Narayan K. Shrestha, Andre G. T. Temgoua, Vincent Vionnet, Jonathan W. Waddell
Summary: This study conducted a model intercomparison to compare different model setups in simulating outputs in the Great Lakes region. The results showed that the machine-learning-based model performed the best in simulating streamflow, while the locally calibrated models and regionally calibrated models showed varying performances in different areas. The study also compared additional model outputs, such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and snow water equivalent, against gridded reference datasets.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zoe A. Pollard, Jillian L. Goldfarb
Summary: By converting waste cherry pits into biochars and activated biochars, efficiency of nutrient use in soil can be improved, reducing nutrient run-off, and potential alleviation of regional environmental issues by removing metals.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Shane C. Lishawa, Amy J. Schrank, Beth A. Lawrence, Andrew M. Monks, Dennis A. Albert
Summary: Coastal wetlands provide critical habitat and ecosystem services, but invasive cattails disrupt ecosystems and reduce biodiversity. A study in Great Lakes coastal wetlands showed that harvesting and channel treatments reduced invasive cattail biomass and dominance, increased species richness and fish diversity, and altered community structures. The treatments also increased dissolved oxygen and reduced litter, which likely influenced fish and macroinvertebrate use. Managing invasive macrophytes through harvesting and adding aquatic connectivity channels can improve biodiversity and habitat quality.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nandita B. Basu, J. Dony, K. J. Van Meter, Samuel J. Johnston, Anita T. Layton
Summary: Excess nutrient inputs from agricultural and urban sources have led to eutrophication and algal blooms in the Great Lakes Basin. Using a random forest machine learning model, we found that land use and management, including agricultural and urban land, tile drainage, and wetland density, are important predictors of nutrient concentrations in the basin. The study highlights the importance of livestock and drainage management, as well as wetland restoration, in addressing eutrophication in intensively managed landscapes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emily H. Tyner, S. Scott Graham
Summary: Accounting for community opinions is crucial for planning and evaluating environmental restoration initiatives. This study explores the use of social media data to assess online discourse communities' opinions about ecosystem services in the Great Lakes region. The findings highlight the potential of social media data mining as a tool for examining public engagement and conversations about the benefits of restoration projects.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Albert A. Koelmans, Paula E. Redondo-Hasselerharm, Nur Hazimah Mohamed Nor, Todd Gouin
Summary: The Laurentian Great Lakes are important and iconic ecosystems facing the problem of microplastic pollution, among other anthropogenic stressors. This study provides a comprehensive probabilistic risk assessment for these lakes, addressing the uncertainties and misalignments in the exposure and effect data for microplastics. The results show that although there is no lake-wide risk, there is a probability of risk from food dilution in certain parts of the lakes.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Economics
Alecia Cassidy, Robyn C. Meeks, Michael R. Moore
Summary: The Great Lakes and their tributaries are the largest freshwater system on Earth, providing essential resources and recreational opportunities for millions. However, pollution from manufacturing plants has tainted the area's reputation. A research paper finds that the Area of Concern (AOC) Program negatively affects housing prices in the region, while grants have a positive impact. This suggests that consumers highly value clean water and are willing to pay more for it.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
John H. Hartig, Gail Krantzberg
Summary: Congratulating the authors and co-authors of this special issue on their exploration of the social and organizational dimensions of Great Lakes remediation, regeneration, and revitalization, which significantly contributes to our understanding and practice of making the Great Lakes resilient to human pressures.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Keenan Munno, Paul A. Helm, Chelsea Rochman, Tara George, Donald A. Jackson
Summary: Freshwater ecosystems, especially in Lake Ontario, are highly contaminated with microplastics, with fish ingesting a significant amount of anthropogenic particles, mostly microfibers. The most common microplastics found in the gastrointestinal tracts of fish were polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene. The abundance of anthropogenic particles in fish increased with size and there is concern that the environmental exposure may exceed risk thresholds.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alejandro Molina-Moctezuma, Eric Ellis, Kevin L. Kapuscinski, Edward F. Roseman, Terry Heatlie, Ashley Moerke
Summary: The study evaluated the physical and ecological responses to the restoration of the Little Rapids area in the St. Marys River. Following restoration, total suspended solids remained low, while abundance and richness of benthic macroinvertebrates decreased, and richness of larval fish increased.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rachel M. Orzechowski, Alan D. Steinman
Summary: This study examined the macroinvertebrate community assemblages in the littoral zone of an impacted lake. The results showed differences in the macroinvertebrate community composition between the restored and reference sites, but both were dominated by tolerant generalist species.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2022)