Here are some gift ideas for that gardener on your holiday list.
By Victoria Witke
Christina Petalas, a doctoral student McGill University, studies herring gulls to learn about plastic pollution near the St. Lawrence River. Across two studies, she found plastic additives in every bird sampled, which could have human health consequences.
The post What herring gulls tell us about plastic pollution first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva
The U.S. Geological Survey has began large-scale low-level airplane flights over Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin to obtain high-resolution data on subsurface mineral structures and bedrock composition. The data will be used to create two- and three-dimensional maps to better understand the geological structure at depths of about 10,000 feet.
The post Scientists update geological map of northern Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
The Ripley and District Horticultural Society’s (RDHS) Nov. 19 meeting at the Ripley-Huron Community Centre had something for everyone: creative arrangements, Christmas decorations and gardening advice. The usual business reports were presented including the annual summary of the For Our Youth group activities. The youth wing of the local horticultural society enjoyed another successful season […]
By Eric Freedman
Tiny pieces of moss can be crime-busters, says a study examining how law enforcement agencies, forensic teams and botanists have used moss to solve murders, track missing people, calculate how long ago someone died and – in a notorious Mason County case – try to locate the body of a baby murdered by her father.
The post Green clues: Crime-busters turn to moss to help solve crimes first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
By Georgia Hill
Scientists studying the body size and growth patterns of non-native earthworms in the UP’s Huron Mountains say they are disrupting forest ecosystems. Contrary to popular belief, most North American earthworms are invaders unintentionally introduced during European colonization. They have a significant impact on ecosystems, especially in the Great Lakes region where they affect soil structure, nutrient cycling and biodiversity.
The post New research in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula shows how invasive earthworms are changing forest soils first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
By Victoria Witke
New research shows Anishinaabe fire practices shaped today’s Great Lakes ecosystems. The region’s forests never existed and can’t continue to exist without people – or fire.
The post Anishinaabe fire practices shaped Great Lakes ecosystems, new research shows first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
I am a lazy gardener and I mulch leaves with my lawnmower.
New industrial plants in St. Thomas, Ontario, will need a $400-million upgrade to the water system serving the area, and property owners in London and Elgin might be on the […]
By Eric Freedman
Empty lots in deindustrialized cities like Detroit may contribute to bird species diversity, says a new study by researchers at MSU and Carleton University in Canada. The study is based on sound recordings collected at 110 sites in 11 Detroit neighborhoods. The study recommends that vacant land management in the city takes a balanced approach that considers the needs of both residents and birds. There are other concerns about vacant land, too, including as sites for solar arrays.
The post Vacant lots boost diversity among Detroit’s birds, study finds first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Is it a bump in a long, automotive road or the future of the industry here?
The Ripley and District Horticultural Society (RDHS) Oct. 15 meeting featured a first-person account of viticulture – the practice of growing grapes for the purpose of making wine by member Susan Miszturak. She and her husband spent 23 years in the Niagara region growing grapes and making wine before retiring home to Ripley in 2024. […]