What are the aquatic invasive species that Great Lakes experts wish you knew more about? Megan and Carolyn discuss with TMATGL all-stars El Lower, Katie O'Reilly, and Brian Roth.

Links:

• Past episodes featuring today's guests 13: It Smells Like Science, 27: The Claws Have the Sweetest Meat, 46: It's All Stuff That I've Eaten, Teach Me About the Great Lakes | 55: Ask Dr. Fish, Ask Dr. Fish, Teach Me About the Great Lakes | A Really Nice Thickness of Cheese
• Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) 
• New state-record flathead catfish weighs in above 64 pounds 
• Marmorkrebs (Procambarus virginalis)
• Marbled crayfish becomes plentiful species thanks to genetic mutation  
• Marbled crayfish raises eyebrows, and concerns | Great Lakes Now  
• Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 
• Keep, Cool, Call: What to do if you capture a black carp 
• Lake Michigan Quagga Mussel Density 
• Signal crayfish | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
• New invasive crayfish found in Minnesota | UMN Extension  
• Research reveals hope for managing invasive red swamp crayfish | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 
• Invasive Crayfish Collaborative: Prevention, Regulations
• National Invasive Species Awareness Week: Water hyacinth - MSU Extension
• Article: Pretty but problematic: Aquatic plants to avoid   
• GLANSIS: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory - Ann Arbor, MI, USA 
• Invasive water hyacinths are effective at removing microplastics, study finds
• Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) | Minnesota DNR
• Grant supports educational resources for Chicago area boaters, harbormasters, shoreline property owners | Illinois  
• Ballast Water - Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System
• How Invasions Happen: Aquariums 
• Bellflower Restaurant
• The Bread Company
• Phở Số 1 
• Belle Isle Conservancy 
• Bradford Beach | Travel Wisconsin 
• Bellaire Chamber of Commerce 
• Honourable mentions for titles: These are not small fish; Catch ‘em and keep ‘em; Perpetual crayfish machine; It’s very, very pretty, it’s really hard to kill; If you’re not sure what it is, take it off your boat

Stuart and Megan talk coastal resilience in southern Lake Michigan with Drs. Sarah Peterson and Hillary Glandon. 

Links:
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG)

Dr. Sarah Peterson, Coastal Engineering Specialist 

Dr. Hillary Glandon, Coastal Ecosystem Specialist 

IISG on YouTube (coastal resilience videos mentioned will be available here!) 

Illinois Beach State Park 

Isle Royale National Park 

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore 

Droopy's in Zion, IL 

In this episode, Stuart and Carolyn speak with Dr. Jay Austin about stratification in lakes and how the Great Lakes behave differently, stratificationally speaking. Plus: fancy meat!

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Links:

• Jay Austin | Swenson College of Science and Engineering | UMN Duluth 
• Winter thermal structure across the Laurentian Great Lakes - ScienceDirect 
• In winter, the waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron separate into layers. Not anymore. Why? 
• Data: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory - Ann Arbor, MI, USA 
• An abrupt decline in springtime zooplankton diel vertical migration due to a shift in stratification regime - ScienceDirect 
• Teach Me About the Great Lakes | Most of My Babies Are Buoys
• Teach Me About the Great Lakes | 62: The G.L.O.A.T.  
• Northern Waters Smokehaus 
• Blue Heron | Swenson College of Science and Engineering | UMN Duluth 
• Slate Islands Provincial Park  

In this episode, Stuart and Carolyn speak with Dr. Susan Kooiman about Indigenous agriculture in the Great Lakes region, what studying the past can teach us about the present, and extracting nut lipids.

Show Links

• https://www.siue.edu/artsandsciences/anthropology/about/Kooiman_Susan.shtml 
• Cahokia Mounds 
• Drummond Island
• Ganawenindiwag Manoomin Anishinaabeg | Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission 
• Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin 
• Archaeological evidence of intensive indigenous farming in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, USA | Science 
• Massive Fields Where Native American Farmers Grew Corn, Beans and Squash 1,000 Years Ago Discovered in Michigan  
• Yummy Donut Palace
• Grand Island Ferry Service 
• Tuna Salad Recipe
• Lidar

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Show Credits:

Host: Stuart Carlton, Carolyn Foley

Senior Producer: Carolyn Foley

Producers: Megan Gunn and Renie Mills

Associate Producer and Fixer: Ethan Chitty

Editor: Sandra Svoboda

Podcast Art by: Joel Davenport

Music by: Stuart Carlton

Dr. Chris Winslow just won a major award at the International Association for Great Lakes Research conference!! To celebrate, here is our conversation from September 2022. Recorded live in Cleveland, Ohio, we talked with Chris about Lake Erie, poo, and the fabulous Stone Lab.   

Episode recorded live at Masthead Brewing Company. If you want to donate to Ohio Sea Grant and the Stone Lab, please visit their website:

https://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/giving

Show credits:
Host & Executive Producer: Stuart Carlton
Co-Hosts: Hope Charters & Carolyn Foley

Producers: Hope Charters, Carolyn Foley, Megan Gunn, & Irene Miles

Associate Producer: Ethan Chitty
Edited by: Quinn Rose
Podcast art by: Joel Davenport

Music by: Stuart Carlton

This episode discusses the issue of microplastics in the Great Lakes, featuring experts from the International Joint Commission (IJC) and universities. Dr. Rebecca Rooney and Eden Hadley explain the standardized definition of microplastics, ranging from 5 millimeters to 1 micron, and their sources, including nurdles, tire wear, and synthetic clothing fibers. The IJC's report highlights the need for standardized monitoring and harmonized methods to assess microplastic concentrations accurately. Recommendations include listing microplastics as a contaminant of mutual concern and promoting life cycle responsibility for producers. Individual actions, such as using microfiber filters in washing machines, can also help reduce microplastic pollution.

Episode Links: 
https://ijc.org/sites/default/files/SAB_MicroplasticsReport_2024.pdf

https://ijc.org/en/sab/monitoring-ecological-risk-assessment-and-management-microplastics-laurentian-great-lakes

https://ijc.org/sites/default/files/SAB_MicroplasticsRpt_SuppMaterialsA.pdf

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Show Credits:

Host: Stuart Carlton

Senior Producer: Carolyn Foley

Producers: Megan Gunn and Renie Mills

Associate Producer and Fixer: Ethan Chitty

Editor: Sandra Svoboda

Podcast Art by: Joel Davenport

Music by: Stuart Carlton

(New episodes coming soon!)

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/too-many-geese-and-not-enough-mussels/

Episode Links:

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2025/01/giant-sturgeon-attacks-mermaid-aquarium-china-video

https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/02/let-us-spray-river-dolphins-launch-pee-streams-into-air/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/sports/sturgeon-michigan-black-lake.html?unlocked_article_code=1.v04.UlcR.kPF-9mN6HIsK&smid=url-share

Growing up with multiple newspapers delivered to her home and spending a lot of time outside in Michigan, maybe it was inevitable that Kelly House would become an environmental journalist extraordinaire. She joins TMATGL to talk about her work, why journalism matters, and what gives her hope for the future of her profession and the natural world.

Show Links:

Kelly’s work at Bridge Michigan

Sign up for Kelly’s newsletter HERE

Kelly’s Sandwich Pick: Babe's Corner

Show Credits:

Host: Stuart Carlton

Senior Producer: Carolyn Foley

Producers: Megan Gunn and Renie Mills

Associate Producer and Fixer: Ethan Chitty

Editor: Sandra Svoboda

Podcast Art by: Joel Davenport

Music by: Stuart Carlton

The nonprofit Freshwater Future has had much success working with local communities toward cleaner, safer drinking water. Jill Ryan, executive director, and Ann Baughman, associate director, patiently play Stuart’s favorite game, counting down the top five threats to our drinking water as they know them. SPOILER ALERT: Two of them surprised Stuart.

Show Links:

Freshwater Future Website

TMATGL Episode 74 “It Depends How You Do a One” - whatever that means

Ann’s Donut Pick: Hinkley Bakery

Jill’s Taco Pick: Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant

Show Credits:

Host: Stuart Carlton

Senior Producer: Carolyn Foley

Producers: Megan Gunn and Renie Mills

Associate Producer and Fixer: Ethan Chitty

Editor: Sandra Svoboda

Podcast Art by: Joel Davenport

Music by: Stuart Carlton