February 5, 2026: What Lakes Do in Winter - Register
Presented By: Ted Ozersky is an Associate Professor of Biological Limnology at the Large Lakes Observatory and the Department of Biology at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Over the past decade, he has become increasingly fascinated by what lakes and the organisms that inhabit them do during periods of snow and ice cover. His research spans ice-covered lakes around the world, examining relationships among water quality, winter severity, and oxygen, nutrient, and biological dynamics.
Topic Summary: For many years, lake researchers focused mostly on open-water seasons, leaving the ice-covered months relatively understudied. Today, growing concern about rapidly changing winter conditions has led to a surge of interest in lake winter ecology. In this presentation, Dr. Ozersky will explore what scientists are discovering about the physics, chemistry, and biology of lakes during winter—and what these shifting winter patterns could mean for lake health and the vital ecosystem services lakes provide.
Host: This series is presented by Itasca Waters with the support from Minnesota Sea Grant, Itasca Soil and Water Conservation District, Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations, KAXE/KBXE, Rapids Radio and Grand Rapids Herald Review.