The midges of Iceland's Lake Myvatn can be so thick, it can be difficult breathing without inhaling bugs. Árni Einarsson, the Director of the Myvatn Research Station and a co-author of the study, inspects midges on the grassy shore of Lake Myvatn. Image credit: courtesy Anthony R. Ives, UW-Madison Photo Date: 2000

Midges periodically emerge by the billions from Iceland's Lake Myvatn and blanket the lake and surrounding area. A study of the midges by University of Wisconsin-Madison zoologist Anthony Ives and his team is illustrating how even slight changes in ecosystems can tip the balance of nature. The team reported its findings in the March 6, 2008 issue of the journal Nature. Image credit: courtesy Árni Einarsson, Myvatn Research Station Photo Date: 2007

	Tanytarsus gracilentus, the midge that hatches by the billions from Lake Myvatn, is helping scientists construct models to forecast natural and human-induced changes to ecosystems. Image credit: courtesy Árni Einarsson, Myvatn Research Station
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