UW-Milwaukee Department of Mathematical Sciences
Atmospheric Science Program presents,
Dr. Russell Cuhel;
Senior Scientist
Great Lakes WATER Institute –
School of Freshwater Sciences, Center for Great Lakes Studies
Friday, March 25, 2016
2:00pm in EMS E495
*Refreshments will be served at 1:30pm in EMS E424A*
Title:
El Nino and the Great Upwelling of 2015:
Meteorology and Mathematics Aid Understanding of Lake Michigan Fisheries Dynamics
Description/Abstract:
Like the Mauna Loa pCO2 data of Keeling, some aspects of Lake Michigan biogeochemistry display pronounced seasonal cycles that overlay longer-term consistent change. We know this from our own 20-year record of southwestern Lake Michigan expeditions, linked to historical and survey literature. Episodic meteorological events including El Niños (1997-98, 2015-16), the Great Flood of 2008, near-absence of winter in 2011-2012, first complete ice-over of Lake Michigan in 50 winters during 2013-2014, and the Great Upwelling of 2015 stand out as seemingly stochastic “noise” to these interannual progressions. But such events are becoming more common in the Great Lakes region. Changes in meteorological patterns, particularly jet stream flow patterns moving more northerly, may be a result of high latitude warming. Persistence of new protracted southerly winds and increased turbulence would result in likely stimulation of phytoplankton productivity of great value to fisheries recruitment. Vignettes of select parameter temporal and spatial measurements will show systematic, understandable, and significant responses of large aquatic ecosystem behavior to meteorological forcing.