Liquid Science Speaker Series
February – September 2004

Soak up the latest information concerning the Great Lakes and Minnesota's waters. Presentations are free and for the public. All talks are scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. with receptions immediately following to encourage conversations with the researchers. Liquid Science is hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Mid-Continent Ecology Division and the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program in cooperation with Hartley Nature Center, North House Folk School, and the Lake Superior Coastal Program.

Here's the complete Liquid Science Speaker Series schedule:

February – Resurgence of Lake Sturgeon
Duluth, Hartley Nature Center (3001 Woodland Ave.), February 10
Grand Marais, North House Folk School (500 W. Highway 61), February 11

Nancy Auer, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Michigan Technological University, plans to tell stories and discuss the unusual life and odd habits of this large bony-plated fish. Based on her 16 years of sturgeon research in the Sturgeon River, MI, she will review hopeful management practices and research directions for these "living fossils of fish evolution" in the Lake Superior region.

March – E. coli in Lake Superior
Duluth, Hartley Nature Center, March 9
Grand Marais, North House Folk School, March 10

Randall Hicks, associate professor and head of the Department of Biology at the University of Minnesota Duluth, will present, Hicks will speak about the life of bacteria, the pathogen Salmonella, and his current research which, in part, is determining what portions of the E. coli found in the region's streams comes from humans, shorebirds, other wildlife, agricultural animals, and pets. He will also discuss last year's beach closings and answer audience questions.

April – WOW! Water on the Web
Duluth, Hartley Nature Center, April 13
Grand Marais, North House Folk School, April 14

Cynthia Hagley of the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program will demonstrate the ease with which anyone with Internet access can obtain information about streams and lakes in our own back yard. Water on the Web (www.waterontheweb.org) and Duluth Streams (www.duluthstreams.org) bring continuously-collected (in the ice-free season, that is) water quality data, maps, pictures, explanations of how lakes and streams work and how storm water and contaminants impact them, and curricula for science classes to your home or office. Best of all, the data are easy to visualize and interpret using the animation tools available on the Web sites. Whether you are interested in data to help you better manage local resources or simply want to know more about lakes and streams in our region, these Web sites are for you.

May – Linking Land Use to Water Quality
Duluth, Hartley Nature Center, May 11
Grand Marais, North House Folk School, May 12

Jesse Schomberg of the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program will discuss how land use and development affects our local water quality, and what we can do to protect our shared water resources. Water quality has been making the news this year in Northern Minnesota, and the headlines aren't always encouraging. The largest source of pollution to our waterbodies comes right from the lands we live on, and is called nonpoint source pollution. Find out how you can contribute to improved water quality.

June – Invasive Species of the Great Lakes
Duluth, EPA Gitchee Gumee Conference Facility (6201 Congdon Blvd.), June 8
Grand Marais, North House Folk School, June 9

Doug Jensen of the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program will describe the aliens that lurk below the surface of Lake Superior. From alewife to zebra mussels, non-native species have a long history of accidental and intentional introductions and impacts on the fishery in the "Big Lake." Come learn how we got to where we are, what these species look like, and how to stop the alien invasion.

July – On the Edge! Great Lakes Coastal Research
Duluth, EPA Gitchee Gumee Conference Facility, July 13
Grand Marais, North House Folk School, July 14

Jack Kelly of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Mid-continent Ecology Division will discuss research involving Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes to develop techniques to understand, assess, and report on the ecological condition of their shallow-water coastal areas. These "edges" are viewed as the lakes' frontline. Due to their vulnerability to human impact, it is important to monitor their status. The Grand Marais talk will feature a tour of the research vessel Lake Explorer.

August – Great Lakes in a Changing Climate
Duluth, EPA Gitchee Gumee Conference Facility, August 10
Grand Marais, North House Folk School, August 11

Lucinda Johnson of the University of Minnesota Natural Resources Research Institute will discuss how the climate in Minnesota is changing. This region is already experiencing warmer temperatures and increased precipitation compared with records collected over the last century. By 2100, summer temperatures near Lake Superior are expected to be similar to those currently seen in Kansas. Come learn about ways our ecosystems have been changing and what the latest climate research suggests about the future of the Great Lakes.

September – Restoring Coaster Brook Trout
Duluth, EPA Gitchee Gumee Conference Facility, September 7
Grand Marais, North House Folk School, September 8

In this final talk of the Liquid Science series, Jeffrey Gunderson of the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program will describe how, by the early 1900s, coaster brook trout were nearly eliminated from Lake Superior and its tributaries by human impacts. Research and history suggest that rehabilitation of this native trout will require careful planning and cooperation. Come learn about the biology and management of coaster brook trout, and the partnerships that are creating a future for this magnificent fish.

This series was made possible in part by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources-Waters and Minnesota's Lake Superior Coastal Program through the Coastal Zone Management Act, which is administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.