Today's Messages

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar “The Quiet Reshaping of Lake Erie: How Invaders Change What We Can’t See”, presented by Lynne Beaty today at 3:00 p.m. in SAMC 151. Attendees are welcome to arrive at 2:50 p.m. to enjoy coffee and cookies leading up to the seminar.

Research Abstract: Much of the ecological change happening in Lake Erie is subtle, unfolding beneath the surface and often going unnoticed. This talk explores how invasive species quietly reshape the lake’s coastal ecosystems by altering food webs, behavior, physiology, and species interactions. I highlight research on round gobies and invasive mystery snails, including habitatdriven differences in goby morphology and population structure, and the hidden mechanisms by which invasive snails accumulate and redistribute metals across tissues and sites. I also introduce future work on mudpuppy–goby interactions and how invasive species may alter parasite dynamics in freshwater systems. Together, these studies reveal the often-unseen processes by which invaders influence native species and ecosystem function.