Jo Latimore
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jolatimore.bsky.social
Jo Latimore
@jolatimore.bsky.social
2.5K followers 1.6K following 400 posts
Freshwater Ecologist at Michigan State University. Director of @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social. Invasive species, science communication, public engagement. Hiker, kayaker, reader, listener.
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jolatimore.bsky.social
Jo Latimore @jolatimore.bsky.social · Nov 17
Ever wonder what a lake looks like UNDER those water lilies? I made a video to show you! See if you can spot the bladderworts looking for a spot to poke up their flower stalks. What else do you see? #MacrophyteMonday
jolatimore.bsky.social
Charismatic macroalgae! #MacrophyteMonday
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · 1d
🌿🐟 Why do we care about Chara? Learn more about the importance of Michigan’s underwater understory! 🐟🌿

#MacrophyteMonday

www.canr.msu.edu/news/why-do-...

Photo: R. Marshik
A Rock Bass hunting in a dense meadow of native Chara. Photo credit: Ryan Marshik.
November 10, 2025 at 7:10 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Why are there so many emails?

(She says to herself upon starting her computer this morning.)

(And every morning.)
October 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
I enjoyed speaking with @carol-thompson.bsky.social for her story on Michigan's current drought. The impacts are real, especially for lake and river levels in central and southern Michigan.
A screenshot from the US Drought Monitor (droughtmonitor.unl.edu) on October 16, 2025, shows areas of southern Michigan in moderate and severe drought.
October 16, 2025 at 2:09 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Great opportunity for lake communities in Michigan to get money for signs, outreach materials, outreach events, etc., to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Oct 8
💰 For our sixth season, our Clean Boats, Clean Waters program has funding to support aquatic invasive species outreach projects in Michigan - check out our mini-grants program! The applications are due January 30.

www.canr.msu.edu/clean_boats_...
People observe a boat cleaning station. Text reads "Invasive Species Grants Available for 2026! The Clean Boats, Clean Waters grant program is for organizations dedicated to protecting Michigan's water for aquatic invasive species. Grants can be used for boat launch signage, marketing and radio ads, brochures and merchandise, educational booths & events. Visit micbcw.com."
October 8, 2025 at 3:57 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Goldfish don't belong in Michigan lakes and ponds. RIPPLE helps pet stores and hobbyists promote sustainable handling of aquatic pets and plants - check it out!
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Sep 29
Learn more about the Reduce Invasive Pet and Plant Escapes (RIPPLE) program, a partnership between MSU Extension and the Michigan Departments of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; Natural Resources; and Agriculture and Rural Development.

www.canr.msu.edu/news/prevent...

#InvasiveSpecies #fish
An orange goldfish in a clear water-filled bag is held in the hands of a person.
September 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Join us in January-March to talk inland lake ecology and conservation!
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Sep 25
Curious about lakes? It's never too late to go back to school! Enrollment is now open for our 🏅award-winning🏅 Introduction to Lakes Online course! Class starts at the end of January.

www.canr.msu.edu/courses/intr...
A line drawing of a school of fish that reads, "Introduction to Lakes Online Course - It's never too late to go back to school." Visit canr.msu.edu/lakesonline to learn more.
September 26, 2025 at 4:29 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Join us this winter to learn how lakes work, and how we can protect them!
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Sep 25
Curious about lakes? It's never too late to go back to school! Enrollment is now open for our 🏅award-winning🏅 Introduction to Lakes Online course! Class starts at the end of January.

www.canr.msu.edu/courses/intr...
A line drawing of a school of fish that reads, "Introduction to Lakes Online Course - It's never too late to go back to school." Visit canr.msu.edu/lakesonline to learn more.
September 26, 2025 at 12:16 AM
jolatimore.bsky.social
I love hanging out with botanists. You wouldn't believe* how long a dozen of us spent admiring every detail of this goldenrod on a northern Michigan beach last weekend.

*Unless you are, in fact, a botanist.
A goldenrod plant blooms in front of the trunk of a very large fallen tree on a sandy beach, with tall white pines in the background.
September 25, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Reposted by Jo Latimore
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social
New lake and stream webinars announced! Learn about...
👻 TOMORROW! Local invasive species assistance
🦅 NEW! Birds, wetlands, and conservation collaboration
🌾 Wild rice
🐢 Herps
🔥 Wildfire impacts
🎣 Walleye stocking
...and more! Check out the full list: www.canr.msu.edu/michiganlake...
The text, "Learn about lakes and streams online! Check out our list of webinars and online classes." appears above an image of a lake with a dock under a blue sky. The logo for the Michigan State University Extension Center for Lakes and Streams appears at the bottom.
September 24, 2025 at 1:36 AM
jolatimore.bsky.social
The Great Lakes Almanac to Invasive Crayfish is one of our team's most noteworthy accomplishments - and collaborations - this year. Check it out!
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Sep 18
Not all claws are created equal - meet the invasive crayfish crew of Michigan. 📣 Check out our Great Lakes Almanac to Invasive Crayfish and learn how to tell these invaders apart from our friendlier native crawdads. 👉 bit.ly/crayfishalma...
Images of four invasive crayfish (Red Swamp - Procambarus clarkii, Marbled - P. virginalis, Rusty - Faxonius rusticus, and Yabby - Cherax destructor) with the text, "Get to know the invaders" and the RIPPLE logo.
September 18, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by Jo Latimore
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social
New lake and stream webinars announced! Learn about...
👻 Local invasive species assistance
🌾 Wild rice
🐢 Herps
🔥 Wildfire impacts
🎣 Walleye stocking
🦠 Harmful algal blooms
🗺️ GIS for conservation
☠️ Microplastics
🧊 Glacial wetlands
...and more! Check out the full list: www.canr.msu.edu/michiganlake...
The text, "Learn about lakes and streams online! Check out our list of webinars and online classes." appears above an image of a lake with a dock under a blue sky. The logo for the Michigan State University Extension Center for Lakes and Streams appears at the bottom.
September 16, 2025 at 2:27 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
I curate a list of science webinars. I beg of you, please use clear titles. There's one org in particular that has decided to get so clever (🤔) with titles that one has absolutely no idea what the webinar is about from the title alone.

(This advice applies to conference talks & posters, too.)
September 16, 2025 at 2:01 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Talking science? Want your audience to trust you? Here's some food for thought.
sciencetalkorg.bsky.social Association of Science Communicators @sciencetalkorg.bsky.social · Apr 10
🔬 Public trust in scientists is moderately high, but transparency & engagement are key to strengthening it! A global study across 68 countries sheds light on what builds (or erodes) trust.

📖 Read more: bit.ly/3Rsttmd
September 16, 2025 at 1:45 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Hey aquatic plant lovers! It's #MacrophyteMonday! Want to learn about the roles that aquatic plants play in lake ecosystems? Enroll in our @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social Introduction to Lakes Online course! This 6-week class begins in January; enrollment open now!

www.canr.msu.edu/news/everyth...
Enrollment now open: Popular MSU Extension course Introduction to Lakes Online offered January 2026
Register today for this unique opportunity to learn about inland lakes.
www.canr.msu.edu
September 8, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Jo Latimore
aquatoya.bsky.social
Name that macrophyte! Was growing in a neighbor’s tiny pond a few weeks ago. #macrophytemonday #aquaticplants
Large pink flower on a long sturdy stalk Green seed head surrounded by many yellowish white stamens
August 5, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Jo Latimore
amfisheriessoc.bsky.social
Scientists are adding plastic to a lake. Not reckless—research. The IISD Experimental Lakes Area is uncovering the real impact of plastic pollution on freshwater ecosystems. 🎥 Watch the full film: contentwithpurpose.co.uk/afs/tomorrow... #TomorrowsCatch #PlasticPollution #FutureFisheries
September 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Tawas Lake is a beautiful example of a shallow lake, teeming with life. Read the article to view gorgeous photos and read about how this NE Michigan community is working to balance wild rice/manoomin conservation with recreation and invasive species management.
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Aug 29
Jeremy Hartsock and Erick Elgin from our team recently co-led an educational event on Tawas Lake, highlighting the extraordinary biological richness of this shallow lake. Along with rare birds and diverse wildlife, the lake is home to our largest bed of wild rice.

www.mlive.com/environment/...
Prairie above, forest below: Tawas Lake is home to Michigan’s largest wild rice bed
Tawas Lake is known for fishing, birdwatching, and its aquatic biodiversity.
www.mlive.com
September 2, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Reposted by Jo Latimore
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social
Application deadline: September 5, 2025.
September 2, 2025 at 3:21 AM
jolatimore.bsky.social
🚨 New shoreline restoration resource just released in Michigan.
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Aug 27
New guidebook! Protecting inland lakes through natural shorelines: An introductory guide to bioengineering techniques. Developed by staff from the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council and @michiganegle.bsky.social. Free download! www.shorelinepartnership.org/library.html
An image of the cover of the new guidebook: Protecting Inland Lakes through Natural Shorelines: An Introductory Guide to Bioengineering Techniques. The cover is blue with an abstract water design, and includes images of highly modified and natural shorelines, as well as an example of an engineering design for developing a bioengineered shoreline.
August 29, 2025 at 12:20 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
If you've been following the debate about wakeboat use on inland lakes, there will be a webinar tonight on some new research on their potential impacts.
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Aug 26
Webinar 7 PM ET tonight: Webinar on new research on wakesurfing boat impacts on inland lakes.

📷: Ben Hovland, @mprnews.org

#wakeboats

umn.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Zoe Zylstra, who has been wakeboarding since she was 6 years old, surfs behind a boat specially designed for wake sports on St. Albans Bay near Excelsior, Minn., on July 22. Credit: Ben Hovland, MPR News
August 26, 2025 at 7:03 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
The earlier you find it, the easier it is to pull it.
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Aug 25
In May, Erick Elgin and Jo Latimore from our team presented a #NotMISpecies webinar They discussed the value of community science (volunteer monitoring) for finding invasive plants early in Michigan lakes, joined by volunteer from SE Michigan. Watch: us06web.zoom.us/rec/play/_Ni... #MacrophyteMonday
Screenshot from the beginning of a webinar showing the title, "What Lies Beneath: Invasive Plants in Michigan Lakes" by Erick Elgin and Jo Latimore. Illustrations of five significant invasive plants from Michigan lakes, including Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, starry stonewort, European frog-bit, and hydrilla. An inset shows one of the speakers, Dr. Jo Latimore.
August 25, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Reposted by Jo Latimore
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social
Crayfish monitoring training events are being held across the Great Lakes region this fall. Free to attend!

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Image of a crayfish in a bucket of water, with lots of text: "Crayfish Monitoring Trainings. September and October 2025. For Great Lakes natural resource agency staff and conservation group professionals. Participants will learn: Crayfish anatomy & identification, Invasion pathways & regulations, State-specific reporting protocols, Standard field sampling. Registration now open". Logos for Michigan State University and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.
August 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Michigan - get the latest info on shoreline habitat conservation at this October event.
August 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Good stuff coming up! Mark your calendars...
msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · Aug 19
Lake webinars! Check out this freshly updated list, including:
🦓💪 Aug. 21: How zebra mussels are changing fish contaminants
🌊🛥️ Aug. 26: Wake boat impacts on lakes
💧💲 Sept. 4: Watershed grants from MI EGLE
💩🚽 Sept. 15: Septic systems and the environment
List: www.canr.msu.edu/michiganlake...
Image of the bow of a red kayak on a tree-lined lake under a blue sky. Text reads, "Learn about lakes online! Check out our updated list of webinars and classes."
August 19, 2025 at 1:52 PM
jolatimore.bsky.social
Field season isn't over yet! I finally joined our summer macrophyte survey crew in the field last week for a beautiful day assessing the plants in Upper Hamlin Lake, Mason County, MI. After spending the summer working together, this MSU student team is a well-oiled machine! #MacrophyteMonday
A collage of 6 photos of smiling people on a boat, collecting aquatic plant data. There is a photo of the lake with a forested shoreline and an underwater image of an Eurasian watermilfoil plant.
August 18, 2025 at 2:05 PM