Aquatic invertebrate diversity in Apostle Islands and Isle Royale waters: comparison among habitats and sampling gears and to open Lake Superior

Aquatic invertebrate composition in Great Lakes nearshore regions is known to differ from offshore, but studies representing the closest-to-land end of this gradient are primarily from estuaries and rivermouths having substantial watershed connectivity and anthropogenic influence. Here, we present data from aquatic invertebrate surveys conducted in two Lake Superior parks that are distanced from such watersheds and pressures, namely Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS) and Isle Royale National Park (ISRO). Our intensive, multi-gear surveys from 99 APIS stations in 2017 and 165 ISRO stations in 2012 reveal a broad diversity of zooplankton and benthic/littoral macroinvertebrate taxa. Park samples yielded 29 zooplankton and >300 benthic/littoral taxa, with richness exceeding that of comparison nearshore datasets especially for aquatic insects, leeches, and mites. Station depth was a major factor structuring invertebrates, and benthic/littoral densities were highest and composition most diverse at shallow stations having aquatic vegetation. Species composition and taxa accumulation patterns differed considerably among sampling gears, highlighting the value of multi-gear surveys. Several park mollusk and insect species matched 'special concern' listings, and two non-native cladocerans were very abundant. These two surveys added 11 new species to the aquatic macroinvertebrates known from Lake Superior, highlighting the importance of these park in harboring biodiversity and the importance of individualized assessments of places not well represented in more routine lakewide biological monitoring. Our data are available as baselines for future biological surveys and trend assessments.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Peer-reviewed clinical and outcomes research relevant to medicinal leech therapy and its biology. Indexed in PubMed and verified against the NCBI record.

Explore how this research connects to clinical practice

More peer-reviewed studies in Clinical Trials.

• Leech Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis — The Landmark RCT — Michalsen et al. (2003)
• Leech-Assisted Flap Salvage — Systematic Review of 277 Cases — Whitaker et al. (2012)
• Effects of hirudotherapy on liver functions, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity in rats with metabolic syndrome — Bilden A et al. (2026)
• HIRUDOTHERAPY IN PRESBYACUZIS PRAECOX IN CLEAN-UP WORKERS AFTER THE CHORNOBYL ACCIDENT DURING THE POST-CATASTROPHE YEARS — Zabolotnyi D, Mishchanchuk N (2019)
• Wound healing potential of bark paste of Pongamia pinnata along with hirudotherapy: A case report — Balasooriya D, Karunarathna C, Uluwaduge I (2021)
• AIF-1 and RNASET2 Play Complementary Roles in the Innate Immune Response of Medicinal Leech — Baranzini N et al. (2019)
• Study on the effect of medicinal leech therapy (Hirudo medicinalis) on full-thickness excisional wound healing in the animal model — Zakian A et al. (2022)
• [Hirudo medicinalis-leech applications in plastic and reconstructive microsurgery--a literature review] — Knobloch K et al. (2007)
• The duration of rest and feeding greatly affects the re-breeding of ectoparasites: Hirudo verbana, Hirudo medicinalis and Hirudo orientalis — Aminov R, Frolov A, Aminova A (2022)
• Recombinant hirudin in clinical practice: focus on lepirudin — Greinacher A, Lubenow N (2001)

Browse all ASH-analysed research →