Learn about the cultural and biological impacts of an invasive plant called European frogbit. Our speakers will bring two important perspectives to consider.
Please join us as Chase Stevens, Invasive Species Coordinator for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and Dr. Anna Monfils, Professor of Biology and Director of the CMU Herbarium, discuss climate change and its impacts on aquatic invasive species, focusing on European frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae), in an upcoming webinar from the CMU Libraries and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
European frogbit is a water plant that was introduced into North America in the 1930s. It since escaped into the wild and is now widespread in the waterways of the Great Lakes. Frogbit grows thick, tangled mats of leaves and can crowd out native aquatic species. One of those native species is wild rice, or manoomin. Manoomin is culturally significant to Native American peoples and has traditionally been cultivated by them for generations. As the invasive frogbit strangles out the native plants it impacts not only aquatic ecosystems in general, but also has the potential to negatively impact these important heritage species.
Dr. Monfils, who also heads up the NSF-funded Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education (BLUE) project, and her team have done extensive research on European frogbit. Mr. Chase Stevens has delivered numerous presentations related to his work on frogbit and understory invasive species. With this event we hope to bring together members of our Michigan communities and raise awareness of both the current and historical importance of native plants and the impacts an invasive species can have on key local ecosystems.
This event, which is co-sponsored by the University Libraries and the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Libraries in partnership with the Clarke Historical Library, was made possible by a grant from the American Libraries Association’s Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change initiative.
Visit clarke.cmich.edu/Speakers2021 to register and receive an access code for this event.
For more information, please see:
Johnson, J. (2020, September 24). CMU is deep into Great Lakes research. Retrieved from https://www.cmich.edu/news/article/Pages/Great-Lakes-research-locations.aspx
Michigan Invasive Species, State of Michigan. (2021). European Frog-bit. Retrieved from https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/0,5664,7-324-68002_71240_73848-364817–,00.html
Monks, A. M., Lishawa, S. C., Wellons, K. C., Albert, D. A., Mudrzynski, B., & Wilcox, D. A. (2019). European frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) invasion facilitated by non-native cattails (Typha) in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 45(5), 912-920. doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2019.07.005. Retrieved from https://cmich-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/qde51u/TN_cdi_gale_infotracacademiconefile_A601655831
Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. (2021). Manoomin (Wild Rice). Retrieved from http://www.sagchip.org/ziibiwing/planyourvisit/educators/WildRiceMain.htm
