Commentary

Commentary | Apr 8, 2020

Here are a few handy tips to make sure you’re doing all you can to protect our freshwater supplies when you’re at home cleaning during COVID-19.

Commentary | Feb 12, 2020

Here at the world’s freshwater laboratory, we always like to bring you the latest (and most humorous) forms of science communication, so we asked our researchers to ‘lol’ their theses.

Commentary, Research highlights | Nov 29, 2019

We explain how nanosilver gets into lakes, and what needs to happen to protect our freshwater ecosystems from it—all through the (ab)use of silver puns.

Commentary | Oct 7, 2019

The world of environmental protection is evolving and borrowing from different sectors to find smart and efficient ways to monitor, understand and protect our ecosystems. That’s where IISD Experimental Lakes Area comes in.

Commentary | Aug 14, 2019

Bioremediation is the process of treating and detoxifying environmental contaminants in soil, water, or other environments by taking advantage of natural biological processes. We explain what it means, why it matters, and where IISD-ELA is taking it from here.

Commentary | Aug 9, 2019

While its value to humans is widely understood, what you may not know is that calcium is a critical element in freshwater systems for many levels of the food web to stay healthy, and, as we have just discovered, its reduced levels may have negative impacts on the health of those lakes.

Commentary | Jun 25, 2019

Zooplankton are critical parts of freshwater ecosystems, but often get forgotten. Mike Paterson explains what zooplankton are, and why they matter.

Commentary | Apr 30, 2019

What is carbon? What is its role in freshwater systems? And how is climate change having an impact? Cyndy Desjardins helpfully breaks it all down for you…

Commentary | Apr 11, 2019

President Trump is trying to change the US EPA’s rules on mercury emissions. We explain what he is trying to do, why it matters, and what it could mean for Americans and possibly Canadians.

Commentary | Apr 2, 2019

Canada’s Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainable Development Julie Gelfand just released her spring report. We respond to her findings on the government’s action to combat aquatic invasive species and protecting fish from mining effluent.