Microbe diversity at heart of new Lake Erie study

Ohio Sea Grant researchers at the University of Toledo spent the past two summers collecting samples of various bacteria and algae at sites across the region’s shoreline to study microbe diversity. The tiny organisms are critical to Lake Erie’s ecosystems, providing energy for the entire aquatic food web through photosynthesis.
“There’s this tension between microbes being the foundation of a healthy ecosystem but also potentially something that can cause issues for humans and other organisms,” said Trisha Spanbauer, assistant professor of environmental sciences at the University of Toledo. “So, better understanding the players, how they’re connected to each other, and their functions within the lower food web is really vital to understanding the health of that ecosystem and the resilience overall.”