About the speaker: Dr. Jake Walsh is a freshwater ecologist and researcher with UW-Madison's Center for Limnology. About the talk: Invasive species change our lakes. Madison has faced, and will continue to face, many challenges posed by aquatic invasive species. Water quality in Lake Mendota has been degraded by the invasive spiny water flea’s voracious predation on Daphnia. At this moment, Eurasian Water Milfoil blankets the shores of Lake Monona. Last year, UW’s limnology class discovered low densities of zebra mussels in Lake Mendota, which can fundamentally change lakes when abundant. Nonetheless, preventing future invasions, such as Asian Carp, remains one of the most effective ways Madisonians can protect their lakes. As each of these invasive species compound current management challenges, such as agricultural runoff, their futures will help set the stage for water quality in Madison’s lakes. About the series: Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.