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Ecological monitoring for assessing the state of the nearshore and open waters of the Great Lakes

Melanie A. Neilson·D. Scott Painter·Glenn Warren·Ronald A. Hites·Ilora Basu·D.V. Chip Weseloh·D. Michael Whittle·Gavin Christie·Richard Barbiero·Marc Tuchman·Ora E. Johannsson·Thomas F. Nalepa·Thomas A. Edsall·Guy Fleischer·Charles Bronte·Stephen B. Smith·Paul C. Baumann
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Abstract

The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement stipulates that the Governments of Canada and the United States are responsible for restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. Due to varying mandates and areas of expertise, monitoring to assess progress towards this objective is conducted by a multitude of Canadian and U.S. federal and provincial/state agencies, in cooperation with academia and regional authorities. This paper highlights selected long-term monitoring programs and discusses a number of documented ecological changes that indicate the present state of the open and nearshore waters of the Great Lakes.

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Melanie A. Neilson, D. Scott Painter, Glenn Warren, Ronald A. Hites, Ilora Basu, D.V. Chip Weseloh, D. Michael Whittle, Gavin Christie, Richard Barbiero, Marc Tuchman, Ora E. Johannsson, Thomas F. Nalepa, Thomas A. Edsall, Guy Fleischer, Charles Bronte, Stephen B. Smith, Paul C. Baumann. 2003. Ecological monitoring for assessing the state of the nearshore and open waters of the Great Lakes. https://doi.org/10.1023/a%3A1025500619900

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