2017 09/19

The meeting was held at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL) located in the former Coast Guard station along the Muskegon Channel.

Our speaker was Ashley Elgin, Ph.D.  She is a Research Benthic Ecologist. This is a person who studies organisms that make up bottom communities (sediments, sea grass communities and rock outcrops in lakes, streams, estuaries and oceans) to determine environmental health and conducts environmental impact studies. Her specialty is the study of invasive mussels in the Great Lakes.

There are currently more than 180 aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes, many from Europe and Asia. They arrive here in ballast water from ships, aquarium release and recreational boating. A list with photos of these species can be found at https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/greatLakes/SpeciesList.aspx?SpeciesCategory=3&Group=&HUCNumber=&Genus=&Species=&ComName=&status=0&pathway=0&Sortby=1

Her work has shown that zebra mussels are mainly now found in inland lakes and rivers, while a different type of mussel, called a Quagga mussel has become predominate in the Great Lakes. Quagga mussels started to appear in 2000 and now cover most of the bottom of lakes Michigan, Erie and Ontario. These mussels have negative impacts on infrastructure, short circuit food webs and are harmful to native species.

The meeting was adjourned at 8PM. The board is working on future meetings for the end of October and perhaps early December. The October meeting will review the solar eclipse and the huge amount of flooding around Mt. Pleasant this past June. The possible December meeting will feature Maria Molina from CMU discussing hurricanes.

Respectfully submitted        

Craig James Woods

Secretary