El Lower

@helloellower.bsky.social

1128 Followers 118 Following

Invasion biologist, science communicator, forager, and general-purpose naturalist. (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🍃✨

El holds a red-sided garter snake.
El stands in front of their conference poster holding their plush lamprey.
El holds a stuffed sea lamprey up to the hotel window with the RBC convention center in the background.
El holds a large sea lamprey plushie longer than their own forearm. Its felt and fabric mouth is alarmingly detailed with many teeth.
A fairy shrimp (tiny translucent creature with two googly eyes, many swimmerets, and a forked tail) floats above maple and oak leaves in a vernal pool.
19. Invasive Species Research and Communication Invasive species are a leading threat to native species and biodiversity, are an important driver of global ecological and evolutionary change, restructure food webs, and have caused significant economic damage to aquatic ecosystems. This session welcomes presentations reflecting a broad array of aquatic invasive species research in aquatic ecosystems, including ecological, economic, social science, communications, education, and evaluation research. Presentations about efforts to connect invasive species research to lay audiences (community science, education, etc.) are also welcome. Chaired by: Rochelle Sturtevant, El Lower
Junie the dog, a small and pointy-snouted sighthound mix, snoozes on the sofa.
Message frames and metaphors are commonly used within science communication to discuss complex topics, including invasive species. While these communication tools are undoubtedly helpful, the ecological process of invasion juxtaposed with the use of militaristic and nativist language can have unintended consequences that are counterproductive to management efforts. Species naming conventions are likewise complex, with some species bearing names that may reinforce xenophobic concepts or contain racial slurs. Despite the known need, there have been limited national efforts to develop better and more inclusive guidelines for invasive species communication...
Junie the dog, a small Italian Greyhound/sheltie mix, basks in a sunbeam in her cozy bed.
Junie, a sable-and-white long-shouted little dog, snoozes on Bluesky user El’s chest.
The prow of a kayak jutting into the Milwaukee River, with another boat + an old bridge + apartments in the background.
El pets a pair of mini goldendoodles in a hotel lobby.
A satellite image of the Great Lakes
Three newly-opened bloodroot flowers emerge from the undergrowth.
An illustration of a chickadee, with the text “trans people are your family and neighbors.” Image by @coyotesnout.
Tumblr tag comment from user aquilathefighter: “this pic looks like he’s about to drop the hardest goldfish diss track of all time”
Photo of Corey Ketchum/USFWS holding a goldfish found during an electrofishing survey in Presque Isle, PA.
The GLANSIS program logo against a collage of introduced Great Lakes species.
Please Post Conspicuously Department of Commerce U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Washington EAT THE CARP! The carp discovered America in 1877. He found the land to his liking. He multiplied and filled the waters with his kind. He is now big, abundant, useful. He converts useless vegetation and small animals into meat. It is easily digestible. It can be cooked in such a way to remove the muddy taste. It can be boiled, baked, made into croquettes, or fish loaf. Carp jelly, an ancient Swedish dish, is delicious. There are millions of carp in the United States, The last census shows that 43,000,000 pounds were marketed in one year. Nearly all this came from a few states in the Middle West. Somebody ate those 43,000,000 pounds of carp. Therefore the carp must be good to eat. The carp is good to eat. Carp has not only been eaten, but has been cultivated in Europe for centuries. Europeans know how to cook it. Catch the carp; buy the carp; cook the carp properly and eat it. Eat the roe; can the roe.
A pile of freshly-harvested root vegetables still covered in dirt.
Fourteen participants in the in-person part of the Invasive Species Language Workshop pose together for a photo in Washington DC.
El, a short-haired butch with glasses and a colorful printed shirt, stands in front of Lake Michigan in Chicago.
Participatory Science: Be a Mystery Snail Detective! Getting involved is easy and rewarding: Visit the Website: Navigate to our Contribute Mystery Snails landing page. Learn and Equip: Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of mystery snails through our species profiles. Gather necessary equipment and safety gear. Go Exploring: Head to your local lake or stream and start hunting for mystery snails. Check out our location map to see where populations have been documented and where samples are needed. Collect and Document: Carefully collect the snails, take photos, and note down important details such as location, date, and environmental conditions. Aim to collect a minimum of 30 adult snails from each independent water body. Submit Your Specimens: Ship your snails following the instructions listed in the ‘Shipping’ section of our webpage. Each submission brings us closer to unraveling the mystery of these invasive snails.
El holds two carp balloons up to their face as if being smooched by fish.
Pleasant Peninsula festival banner header.