The presence of contaminants, such as metals, in water storage systems leads to a risk of adverse effects on human health and aquatic organisms since these substances are difficult to eliminate and are often recycled through physicochemical and biological processes. In recent years, there has been severe hydrological stress in the Madin and Villa Victoria reservoirs, in addition to an increase in industrial and agricultural activities around these systems, so the release of contaminants into the water is becoming more frequent. The objective of this research was to determine the environmental risk associated with the contaminants present in the Madin and Villa Victoria reservoirs, as well as the degree of toxicity of the water, allowing us to obtain a deeper understanding of the water quality of these reservoirs over time. For this, the quality index was established using the physicochemical parameters of interest for the development of aquatic organisms reported from 2013 to 2020 based on the methodology of the Canadian Council of the Ministry of the Environment. In Madin Dam, the water quality was poor and marginal depending on the site, while for Villa Victoria, the index is between marginal and acceptable. It was also observed that water toxicity in species such as Danio rerio, Allium cepa, and Vibrio fischeri, varies based on the amount of metals found in the water samples; therefore, the presence of contaminants in the water can cause potential adverse effects on the aquatic organisms that inhabit these reservoirs, as a risk quotient greater than one was found in both reservoirs.

Abstract The American descendant of an Italian ‘meat’, Fried baloney sandwich, is critically endangered in much of its range. The diversity of Fried baloney sandwiches was found to be significant and included stocks with inter alia, sugar, maple syrup, and ketchup. However, many of these stocks are in decline or extinct. Urgent action is needed to conserve Fried baloney sandwiches and all its diversity for current and future generations.

I can't recall when I first met Bill, but I can remember the most important time I met him. We were sitting together in a bar in Virginia in 2006. Taylor and I were talking about conservation, a topic near and dear to both of us.Having spent time in the conservation policy advocacy arena, I've encountered both remarkable people and charlatans. While the conservation community is not infested with charlatans, I've met enough to know the difference and my preference for spending time with the former and not wasting a lot of time with the latter, even if they are well-meaning.As I talked with Taylor, I knew right away that he was both a thinker of big thoughts and a doer. We were both troubled by the lack of attention and commitment to conservation and worried that future generations were not seeing the connection to conservation and the future of hunting and fishing in this country.Yes, there were good organizations doing important work, but there was a disconnect and even tension between the stakeholders. There were circles of influence talking to themselves but not doing a good job of talking to each other. This was especially true for engaging the hunting and fishing industry who help underwrite a large portion of conservation in the United States.Taylor understood the connection. More importantly, he knew he needed to find a way to make those he directly influenced not only understand it intellectually but see it in practice. It was that type of thinking that made Taylor special. What he did next made him unique.Taylor asked if I would be interested in expanding the educational horizons of his graduate students. Taylor is not only a firm believer in sound education for our future fish and wildlife managers but thinks they should have a “hands-on” experience in the sports that help fund fish and wildlife habitat conservation. He asked what I thought about giving his grad students an understanding and appreciation for how the work they do impacts the recreational fishing industry, especially the fly-fishing industry. He was trying to figure out how to connect the science and academics his students were steeped in with the practical impact it had on users. Taylor was quite familiar with the conservation ethos of the fly-fishing community. He felt that could be the right nexus to introduce his students to the industry.I'd had conversations like this in the past. A big idea, some talk about what a good idea it was, a round of “we should do this,” and then the inevitable lack of execution. Not with Bill Taylor. Nope.Here's the thing about Taylor; he acts. Not long after our conversation, he called and said a couple of his grad students, Jordan Burroughs and Katie Kahl, had agreed to spearhead a weekend retreat of fly-fishing instruction and conservation conversation. The event would take place at Big Creek Lodge, a historic private enclave just outside of Lovells, Michigan. The on the water part of the instruction would take place on the North Branch of the Au Sable River. Was I willing to be the instructor and help lead some of the conversation? I agreed without hesitation.The first year was a great success and Taylor decided to let the ladies “recruit” the next year's students. First, they decided to name the group the Michigan State University Fly Gals. It was considered a very prestigious thing to be offered an invitation to the two-day school. Bill Demmer hosted the ladies at Big Creek Lodge. Demmer, a successful businessman from Lansing and member of the Boone and Crockett Club, is as strongly committed to conservation education through a hands-on experience as Taylor is. Former students returned to assist me in teaching the class and to enjoy a float trip on the North Branch of the Au Sable.Over the 13 years I took part in the event, the common denominator was Taylor. He was steadfast in his commitment to the principles of “hands on” conservation. He led discussions, invited notables to share their views and experiences, and encouraged the participants to share their experiences. Taylor did this without drawing attention to himself. He was the quiet presence, ensuring that those in the room were the focus and given the best opportunities to learn. The participants, all accomplished professionals, make up a sorority of success.MSU Fly Gals would not have happened without Taylor's vision, execution and commitment. In a world where people talk a big game, Taylor plays one. I'm privileged to call him my friend.

Abstract Cage aquaculture is quickly expanding in the African Great Lakes Region, with the potential of boosting fish output and acting as a source of food security, poverty reduction, job and wealth creation. However, the proliferation of fish cages in Lake Victoria has come along with sporadic fish kills especially in the shallow zones of the lake in specifically the months of September to November each year and whose documentation is key for future references in case such occurrences reoccur. This paper indicates and discusses results from a rapid assessment of recent fish kills in the years 2021 and 2022 and sheds some light on the possible causes of the fish kills using standard methods and proposes mitigation measures moving forward. Low dissolved oxygen levels (≤ 4.0 mg L-1) instigated by increased eutrophication and upwelling are noted as the main causes of the fish kills. The application of good aquaculture practices for fish cage culture husbandry, application of guidelines as well as fast-tracking and enforcement of regulations will promote sustainable cage farming in such lacustrine systems.

Abstract Few lake-wide, seasonal primary production measurements have been made in Lake Erie. None more recent than 1997 have been reported in the literature. In 2019 we used 13C uptake to measure production at 11 stations across the lake during three surveys in May, July, and September and at four of these stations during two additional surveys in April and August. Samples were collected at two depths (2 m and 6 m) and incubated on deck using eight levels of irradiance. We fit the resultant photosynthesis-irradiance curves with models that included the initial slope at low light levels, the maximum photosynthesis rate at light saturation, and when warranted, the negative slope at high irradiance. During May, there was little variation in chlorophyll-normalized volumetric productivity with sample depth, and productivity generally was higher nearshore and in the western basin than it was offshore. The distinction between nearshore and offshore stations was less pronounced in July, but nearshore productivity was higher than offshore in September. Using the photosynthesis data from all five surveys, chlorophyll concentration profiles, and estimated clear-sky solar insolation, we calculated time series of vertically integrated daily production at a western basin station, two central basin stations, and an eastern basin station. Central basin production was highest during August, estimated to be 748 mg C m-2 d-1 and 779 mg C m-2 d-1 at our two stations. Production peaked in July in the western basin (510 mg C m-2 d-1) and September in the eastern basin (421 mg C m-2 d-1). Whole-lake seasonal areal phytoplankton photosynthesis was estimated as 1.661E6 tonnes, about half of estimates made in the 1990s using 14C methods. These results inform our understanding of spatial-temporal trends in Lake Erie productivity and highlight the need for continued measurements of Lake Erie primary production.

Abstract Little is known about external and internal loading and cycling of bioaccumulative methylmercury in Lake Erie, despite the lake having a world-renowned sport fishery. During the summer/early fall of 2018 to 2021, concentrations and fluxes of total mercury and methylmercury in the water column were examined near the Detroit and Maumee River discharges into western Lake Erie, as well as the junction between Sandusky Bay and central Lake Erie. Average unfiltered total mercury concentrations were similar near the Detroit River (5.4 ± 0.8 pM) and Sandusky Bay inputs (5.3 ± 0.9 pM), which were less than half of those near the Maumee River mouth (11.6 ± 2.8 pM). Similarly, unfiltered methylmercury concentrations near the Detroit River (0.29 ± 0.09 pM) and Sandusky Bay inputs (0.24 ± 0.06 pM) were less than half of those near the Maumee River mouth (0.63 ± 0.21 pM). Potential specific mercury methylation rates measured in central Lake Erie were 0.062 ± 0.027 day-1, 0.045 ± 0.012 day–1 near the Sandusky Bay input, and 0.031 ± 0.006 day–1 at the Detroit River input (Maumee Bay was below detection; rates were not different; Tukey, p >0.87). Compared to previous work, total mercury concentrations in the western basin observed in this study indicate a decrease of about 3.3% yr–1, which may reflect positive impacts of state, provincial, and national legislation (U.S. National Clean Water Act 1990, Ohio Clean Air and Water Act 2004, Ontario Clean Water Act 2006). However, methylmercury concentrations have increased in western Lake Erie from 2010 to 2019, which may reflect the impact of legacy mercury pollution.