Lecture 8- Laurentian Great Lakes

Laurentian Great Lakes

Group of 5 interconnected freshwater lakes in North America

Freshwater

Water containing low levels of dissolved salts

Quadrillion

A number equal to 1 followed by 15 zeros

Canadian Population

The number of people living in Canada

GDP

Gross Domestic Product, the total value of goods and services produced in a country

NA Economy

North American Economy

Employment Base

The number of people employed in a particular area

Economic Services

Services that contribute to the economy, such as sports fishing, transport, and recreational boating

Sports Fishing

Fishing for recreational purposes

Commercial Fishery

Fishing for profit

Lake Erie Walleye

A species of fish found in Lake Erie

Yellow Perch

A species of fish found in Lake Erie

Transport

The movement of goods and people from one place to another

Recreational Boating

Boating for leisure and pleasure

Nutrient Cycling

The process of recycling nutrients in an ecosystem

Surface Freshwater

Freshwater found on the surface of the Earth

GL Basin

Great Lakes Basin, the area drained by the Great Lakes

Fish Species

Different types of fish

Climates

Different weather conditions in different regions

Habitats

Natural environments where organisms live

Aquatic Systems

Ecosystems found in water

Small Seas

Large bodies of saltwater that are partially enclosed by land

Great Lakes

A group of large freshwater lakes in North America

Lake Superior

The largest of the Great Lakes, located in the top left

Lake Michigan

One of the Great Lakes, located in the bottom left

Lake Huron

One of the Great Lakes, located in the middle

Lake Erie

One of the Great Lakes, located in the bottom right

Lake Ontario

One of the Great Lakes, located in the top right

Other Lakes

Additional lakes in the region

Green Bay

A bay located in the region

St. Marys River

A river located in the region

North Channel

A channel located in the region

Georgian Bay

A bay located in the region

Saginaw Bay

A bay located in the region

St. Clair River

A river located in the region

Lake St. Clair

A lake located in the region

Detroit River

A river located in the region

Niagara River

A river located in the region

St. Lawrence River

A river located in the region

Depth of Lakes

The measurement of how deep the lakes are

Deepest

The lake with the greatest depth

Shallowest

The lake with the least depth

Major Diversions

Large-scale redirection of water

Long Lac/Ogoki

A diversion that redirects water into the Great Lakes

Chicago

A city that diverts water from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River

Welland Canal

A canal that increases water outflow and allows ships to pass through

Net Effect

The overall impact of a diversion

Warming

An increase in temperature

Changing the Bottom

Modifying the underwater terrain

River in a Burg

A specific location where the bottom of a river was changed

Dredge

To dig out or deepen a waterway

Pre-Channelization

Before the modification of water channels

Submerged Dredge Spoil

Material left underwater after dredging

New Island

A newly formed landmass

Huron-Erie Corridor

The area connecting Lake Huron and Lake Erie

St. Clair River

A river in the Huron-Erie Corridor

Lake St. Clair

A lake in the Huron-Erie Corridor

Detroit River

A river in the Huron-Erie Corridor

Water Residence Time

The average amount of time water spends in a particular location

Habitat Loss

The destruction of natural environments

Stressors

Factors that cause stress or harm

Wetland Coastland

Coastal areas with wetland ecosystems

Shoreline Hardening

The modification of shorelines with structures to prevent erosion

Erosion Control Mechanisms

Methods used to prevent erosion

Poor Habitat

An environment that is not suitable for organisms to thrive

Detroit River Habitat Loss

The destruction of natural environments in the Detroit River

Waterfowl Flyway

A route used by migrating waterfowl

Diversity of Wildlife

The variety of different species of animals

Refuges

Protected areas for wildlife

Canadian Wetlands

Wetland areas in Canada

Toxic Contaminants

Harmful substances in the environment

IJC Areas of Concern

Areas identified by the International Joint Commission as being environmentally degraded

Heavy Metals

Metallic elements with high atomic weights

Mercury

A toxic heavy metal

PCBs

Polychlorinated biphenyls, a group of toxic chemicals

PAHs

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a group of toxic chemicals

DDT

A toxic pesticide

Dieldrin

A toxic pesticide

Heptachlor Epoxide

A toxic pesticide

Aquatic Invasive Species

Non-native species that disrupt aquatic ecosystems

Established AIS

Invasive species that have successfully established in the Great Lakes

Transport Vectors

Methods of transportation that introduce invasive species

Disturbed Systems

Ecosystems that have been altered or disrupted

NIS

Non-indigenous species, another term for invasive species

Zebra Mussel

An invasive species that affects water clarity and biofouls intake pipes

Community Structure

The organization of different species in an ecosystem

Native Mussels

Mussels that are naturally found in an ecosystem

Benthic Invertebrates

Animals without a backbone that live on the bottom of bodies of water

Food Web Energetics

The flow of energy through a food web

Feeding Behaviour

The way organisms obtain and consume food

Common Carp

A species of fish that destroys vegetation and increases turbidity

Predation

The act of one organism feeding on another

Lamprey

A parasitic fish that preys on lake trout

Lake Trout

A species of fish found in the Great Lakes