Research on lakes and freshwater. Covers waterborne illness, AI algal-bloom technology, freshwater carbon, and cyanobacteria toxin detection.
Scientists have assembled a 150-year lake and river ice record spanning the Northern Hemisphere, showing a steady warming trend. The average rate of change over the 150-year period was 8.7 days later for freeze dates and 9.8 days earlier for breakup dates.
A Wisconsin lake study has found that acid rain effects can last for decades, with the chemistry of the lake correcting itself naturally within two years. However, the biological changes took much longer to recover, with some species thriving while others were decimated.
A new study by researchers at Dartmouth College found that fertilized lakes in Ontario, Canada, exhibit unpredictable algal composition and abundance fluctuations from year to year. This unpredictability makes it challenging for lake managers to make accurate predictions for planning management and research efforts.
Researchers at Cornell University found that larger lakes have longer food chains than smaller ones, contrary to previous assumptions about energy availability. The study suggests that the size of an ecosystem, not energy levels, constrains food-chain length.
The introduction of non-native smallmouth and rock bass into Canadian lakes has profound effects on native fish populations, particularly lake trout. The study uses stable isotope techniques to quantify the food-web consequences of recent invasions, revealing a dramatic impact on ecosystem functioning.
Biologists at Cornell University and Max Planck Institute found that Daphnia crustaceans can evolve quickly to cope with polluted water. The study showed that these tiny crustaceans adapted to handle less nutritious food, becoming a natural control for toxic cyanobacteria in Lake Constance.
The catastrophic draining of two gigantic glacial lakes in Canada's Hudson Bay region led to the most abrupt, widespread cold spell on Earth during the last 10,000 years. Temperatures dropped by as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit in central Greenland and by nearly 6 degrees F in Western Europe.
A team of geologists and aid workers warn that the Sarez Lake in Tajikistan is a ticking time bomb, with a natural dam on the verge of breaching. If the dam fails, it could unleash a wall of water devastating hundreds of mountain villages and killing hundreds of thousands of people.
A recent UB study found that women eating Lake Ontario fish have higher levels of PCBs and pesticides in their breast milk than non-fish-eaters. The study, conducted on lactating women in the New York State Angler Cohort, shows a decline in toxicant concentrations with increasing number of children and time spent breastfeeding.
A UB Study found no correlation between male consumption of Lake Ontario fish contaminated with PCBs and pesticides, and delayed conception in women. The study analyzed data from 785 women who had conceived between 1991-93, but did not find a significant link to conception delay, despite concerns about potential reproductive effects.
Researchers found up to 30% of fish showed signs of damage, including open wounds and underdeveloped ovaries, affecting reproduction. A thorough investigation is underway to determine the cause and potential consequences for other landfill sites.
Researchers have discovered reproductive and hormonal problems in alligators from Lake Okeechobee, similar to those found in the highly polluted Lake Apopka. The study suggests that environmental toxicants can affect thyroid function and growth in animals.
Researchers found a small association between eating Lake Ontario fish and shortened menstrual cycles, with an average reduction of 1.1 days. The study also reported a statistically insignificant delay in the time it took women to become pregnant.
Researchers found that manipulating fish populations can alter the flow of carbon between lakes and the atmosphere, with implications for global climate. The study reveals that even slight rearrangements of an intact ecosystem's food web can have far-reaching consequences.
Researchers at UC Davis analyzed eight lake studies and found that limiting nutrient supply is a stronger mechanism for controlling algae blooms than tinkering with food webs. This challenges the 'trophic cascade hypothesis,' which suggests manipulating food web structure can regulate lake clarity.
The Variegated Glacier surged hundreds of yards by the end of summer, surprising scientists with an early start. Researchers believe the glacier will follow similar surge-and-rest patterns in the future.