Pressing Issues in Great Lakes Coastal Research
include...
Research into effects of Global Climate Change, specifically reduced water levels in Lake Superior, NAO oscillations, reduced winter ice cover, increased coastal water temperatures, changes in onset of lake stratification;
Development of realistic terrestrial-aquatic coupling models (GIS-based, Remote Sensing merged with Ecosystem Models);
Impacts of non-indigenous nuisance species, resulting in imbalances in aquatic communities and loss of biodiversity;
Ecology, management and conservation of native fish stocks;
Habitat Restoration: degradation and loss of near shore habitat including coastal wetlands and historical habitat in tributaries;
Investigating historical contamination from mining activities, impact of persistent toxic contaminants;
Assessing impacts of eutrophication in harbors, embayments, and along developed coastlines on coastal biodiversity and dispersal (Application of Metapopulation Theory)