FNR 24000 Lecture 29: The Great Lakes

• School: Purdue University
• Department: Forestry and Natural Resources
• Course: FNR 24000
• Professor: Wes Flynn

Document Summary

37 million people that live around great lakes. The great lakes are immensely important to people. But, people have changed the ecology of the great lakes. 60,000-117,000 native people in great lakes region. 120 bands of native people through history. Fierce conflict for fish, fur, land, water, etc. Increased fur trading led to increased demand for fish. 1840s: overfishing of atlantic salmon in lake ontario. 1870s: overfishing of lake whitefish & lake trout. 1980s: atlantic salmon & arctic grayling disappear. Atlantic salmon, and artic grayling-have been over fished. Erie & welland canals allow passage past natural barriers. 1835: sea lamprey discovered in lake ontario. 1912: rainbow smelt introduced onto lake michigan. Lack of predators, cause alewife populations to explode. Mass die-offs due to lack of food-cause public health concerns. Chinook salmon and coho salmon to help control alewife populations. 1980s: large ocean-going ships enter great lakes. Ballast waters bring marine invasive species from mediterranean.