US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Post

Sometimes Great Lakes science is done in very unusual conditions, like a mayfly hatch on #LakeErie! EPA and University of Minnesota-Duluth co-operate the Great Lakes Sediment Surveillance Program, which monitors the spatial distribution and temporal trends of persistent, bioaccumulative, and/or toxic chemicals in sediments of the Great Lakes. To make the research vessel #LakeGuardian a less attractive destination for the mayflies and keep them from landing in the sediment samples being collected, scientists from University of Minnesota-Duluth and EPA worked under red light. Although a bit of a nuisance, mayfly hatches are also indicators of Lake Erie’s health because mayfly populations provide a valuable food source for fish and birds. Fun fact: Mayfly swarms can appear as rainstorms on Doppler radar!

  • Solitary mayfly on the EPA R/V Lake Guardian.
  • Mayflies scooped up by the dozens on the EPA R/V Lake Guardian.
  • Thousands of mayflies attracted to the EPA R/V Lake Guardian.
  • Scientists deploy the box corer near Lorain, OH.
  • Scientists operated under red light to not attract as many mayflies.
Anthony Patrick Urbano

A Helpful tip. PgM™, MMNA™, NAICP,™ xSPAT™

1w

Even a inverted submersion basin mogul dams or "reverse dry docks" can contain micro plastics and other contaminants

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Emma Land

MS student at The Warnell School of Forestry at the University of Georgia; Secretary of the Warnell Graduate Student Association

1w

Meredith Laidly could never forget

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