Understanding how human activity impacts zooplankton is essential for managing and protecting lakewater

Water fleas are planktonic crustaceans who live in lakewater and play a vital role in ecosystems. (Shutterstock)

Freshwater ecosystems are impacted by human activities, including climate change, pollution and invasive species.

We are researchers at the Université du Québec à Montréal and part of the Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en limnologie, a network of researchers across Québec who study lake ecosystems. We focus much of our research on zooplankton as they are such central food web players.