Great Lakes SmackDown!
By Alice Rossignol and Rachael Gleason
Zebra mussel, sea lamprey, round goby – they’re household names when it comes to Great Lakes invasive species – but which one is the worst for the ecosystem?
That’s what the “Great Lakes SmackDown!” will find out.
We chose eight of the Great Lakes’ most formidable invasive species and we’ll pit them against each other in “lake fights” over the next few weeks. We’ll introduce the contenders – including weight class, fighting skill sets and other information. But you make the case for which is the most ecologically destructive for the lakes.
Make your choice based on sound scientific principles. Don’t know the science? You are welcome to vote based on personal vendettas, bad feelings and general contempt for a certain species.
Winners will be chosen based on your comments and votes posted on Great Lakes Echo.
OK, we realize that they’re all bad news. But just because they’re losers doesn’t mean that readers can’t be winners.
Use this bracket (pdf) to fill out this form (word doc) and e-mail it to greatlakesecho@gmail.com or drop it off at the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, Communication Arts, Room 381 before Friday, Oct. 15th.
Readers who call the shots correctly win a prize. More importantly, they win smack down bragging rights.
Round 1 contenders will be announced Tuesday, Oct. 12th
Let’s fight!
Humans!
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Test your might! (queue Mortal Kombat theme song)
Liu Kang
Sonya
Jax
Kitana
Jade
Sub-Zero
Scorpion
Cyrax
Smoke
Sheba
Motaro
Hahahahaha!
Choose your destiny.
Flawless victory.
Fight!
Mortal Kombat!
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Great idea…spread the aquatic invasive species awareness!
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Coolman, what are you talking about? Do you do nothing but play video games all day? Maybe you should go outside for a bike ride and cool your mortal combat jets.
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MMSD for dumping sewage
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[...] Week 1 Oct. 4th-8th: Introduction [...]
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[...] We’re still accepting brackets until next Friday, Oct. 15th. You can find one here. [...]
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Yo Cool Man. I saw your ranking on Canada’s list of top cyclists! Wow!
I vote for global warming…aargh!
Then, the folks who dumped their bilges in the Lakes and greed in general.
Then lamphreys (spelling?).
Sally
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