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Wisconsin 4th graders exposed to lead got lower grades

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The more Milwaukee public school fourth graders were exposed to lead, the lower their grades, according to a University of Wisconsin study. Comparing 3,757 students, those who tested higher for lead exposure scored worse on the state’s Knowledge and Concepts Exam, which measures math, reading and other skills, according to the study. Exposure among African American and Hispanic children were roughly double those of white children. Differences in scores ranged from 5.2 in social studies to 9.8 in reading, said Mike Amato, a doctoral candidate in psychology and environmental studies. The differences made up a large chunk of the distinction between “basic” and “proficient” competence in a given subject.

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Judas test: Will carp betray their own?

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University of Minnesota researchers are recruiting common carp to test a way to eliminate Asian carp, according to WCCO-TV. Fisheries experts fear that the invasive Asian carp may spread into the Great Lakes and elsewhere and outcompete native fish with its voracious appetite. The researchers are fitting common carp, or “Judas fish,” with transmitters to lead them to other, larger schools of common carp, the station reports. “(Carp) seem to be actually exceptionally social, they really hang out together,” researcher Peter Sorensen told the station. “We have to confirm that, but it sure looks that way.”

If the experiment shows how a common carp can “betray” other common carp locations, the same technique could be used in Asian carp populations to help exterminate them in the future, said Bill Hudson, the story’s reporter.

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Report invasive species on your smartphone

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Smartphone owners can report invasive species sightings using an application by the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. Users can then see real-time maps of a given species’ distribution based on the data reported by other users. And they can read more about the species. The data reported to the app will be “used by land managers to help make informed decisions regarding the management and impact of invasive species,” according to the application’s official description. One can also view pictures taken by other users and submit pictures of their own sightings to the network.

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Chicago discovers local Asian carp, Shedd Aquarium puts them on display

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The invasive Asian carp is once again in Chicago waters — this time safely behind glass at the city’s Shedd Aquarium. Shedd executives thought it would be a good idea to make an example of three large carp discovered in the city’s Humboldt Park Lagoon Oct. 9. Experts believe the carp may negatively affect the Great Lakes’ $7 billion fishing industry if it enters the basin, according to the National Park Service. “Thanks to the incredible efforts of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, these three Asian carp have been removed from our urban habitats and will now serve as educational ambassadors to Shedd’s 2.1 million annual guests about the immediate need to protect our local waters,” Roger Germann, executive vice president of Shedd’s Great Lakes and Sustainability program said in a press release.

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Map shows community projects funded by Ontario Ministry of Environment

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View Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund Projects in a larger map

Ontario’s Ministry of Environment has released an interactive map detailing environmental protection efforts funded through its Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund. This year’s projects range from doing species inventories to improving nature trail systems to creating a tallgrass prairie zone for filtering surface water runoff. The fund was established for environmental associations and community groups that aim to protect and restore the province’s natural habitats.  

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Favorite Photo Fridays from 2012

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Echo readers and contributors submitted over 50 photographs and videos to our Photo Friday section in 2012. Check out the slideshow for some of our favorites:

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The most visited Echo stories of 2012

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Echo’s most viewed stories of 2012 covered a lot of ground. And water.

We reported on environmental science, policy and business. We checked out critters as diverse as mute swans, midge flies, cougars, ugly fish and mud puppies.

Here’s a list of the 10 you visited most often.

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A stay at historic Lake Ontario lighthouse to be prize on Price is Right

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An episode of the popular game show The Price is Right will feature the historic Braddock Point Lighthouse bed and breakfast as a prize destination. The Victorian-era Lake Ontario lighthouse caters to visitors from across world and is one of a handful of lighthouses still in use by the U.S. Coast Guard, said Nandy Town, the establishment’s innkeeper. The 110-foot, red brick tower is located in Hilton, N.Y. It is among the 28 historic lighthouses along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, a recognized national scenic byway. You can view them all here. The expected airdate is on January 15.

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U.S. Department of Energy to fund Lake Erie offshore wind farms

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Lake Erie is among seven locations nationwide to receive new offshore wind investments from the U.S. Department of Energy. The department recently announced $168 million for different projects to demonstrate technological development, reduce costs of wind energy, and ultimately add jobs. The Lake Erie Energy Development Corp., a public-private partnership, could receive up to $47 million to install nine 3-megawatt wind turbines seven miles off the coast of Cleveland, Ohio. The goal is to achieve commercial operation by 2017. An offshore wind industry could mirror the success of land-based wind energy, according to a report by economic services group Navigant Consortium that was commissioned for the department.