Patterns in Algal Recruitment from Sediment to Water in a Dimictic, Eutrophic Lake

1994 ◽  
Vol 51 (12) ◽  
pp. 2825-2833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars-Anders Hansson ◽  
Lars G. Rudstam ◽  
Timothy B. Johnson ◽  
Patricia Soranno ◽  
Yvonne Allen

In the large, dimictic, and highly productive Lake Mendota (Wisconsin, USA), the recruitment rates from sediment to water were determined for some characteristic and dominating algal species during a 1-yr cycle. Quantifying recruitment in relation to abundance in the water on a whole-lake basis revealed that recruitment usually accounted for less than 1% of the total standing stock of each species per day, indicating that recruitment may not be an important population variable in Lake Mendota, but may instead function as an inoculum for future growth in the water column. The recruitment of Cryptomonas erosa and Ceratium hirundinella showed a dephasing among sites, suggesting that algae on the sediment surface rise into the water column in response to some depth-related cue. With the exception of one recruitment period for Aphanizomenon, no recruitment was recorded below the thermocline during the stratification period, indicating that a variable associated with stratified conditions affected algal movements from the hypolimnion to the euphotic zone. We argue that the understanding of recruitment patterns from sediment to water is a key factor in managing algal blooms in highly productive lakes.


1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 2133-2145 ◽  
Author(s):  
D J Webb ◽  
R D Robarts ◽  
E E Prepas

The phytoplankton community, physical variables, and nutrient and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations were monitored during the first two of six open-water seasons of hypolimnetic oxygenation in double-basined Amisk Lake, Alberta. Deep mixing of the water column in the treated basin (Zmax = 34 m) in spring was enhanced by hypolimnetic oxygenation. Oxygenation began in June 1988, when stratification was likely already established, but subsequent year-round treatment favoured an extended spring diatom bloom (Asterionella formosa and Cyclotella spp.), followed by a delay in the development of, and reduction in the severity of, cyanobacterial blooms (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Anabaena flos-aquae) in 1989. Historically, mean summer Chl a and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the euphotic zone (0-6 m) of the treated basin were 15.9 ± 1.6 and 33.5 ± 1.5 µg ·L-1, respectively, indicating a eutrophic lake. In 1988 and 1989, mean summer Chl a (10.0 ± 0.6 and 8.1 ± 0.7 µg ·L-1, respectively) and TP concentrations (29.0 ± 0.5 and 22.5 ± 0.9 µg ·L-1, respectively) in this stratum were lower than historic values (P < 0.05), indicating that the trophic status of Amisk Lake had shifted towards mesotrophy.



1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1965-1975 ◽  
Author(s):  
P A Soranno

Blue-green algal blooms, which can occur mixed throughout the epilimnion or as scums at the lake surface, develop in response to a variety of factors. However, it is still unclear what conditions suggest that blooms are imminent or how far in advance blooms can be forecast. I assessed the predictability of surface scums and epilimnetic blooms from limnological, physical, and meteorological variables using data sampled daily during summer and fall 1993 in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. Daily chlorophyll a (a measure of blue-green algal biomass) was correlated to some weather, physical, and grazing variables at lags ranging from 0 to 9 days. Conditions immediately preceding surface scums were variable, making predictions difficult. However, during surface scums, Secchi disk depth, wind velocity, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation were significantly different than when the scums were absent. Based on predictors examined in this study, I developed criteria that identify the conditions sufficient for scums to form. In Lake Mendota, conditions sufficient for surface scum formation (proper weather and water column conditions and a pre-existing algal population) occur much more often than scums are observed. This study shows the importance of weather in determining both epilimnetic blue-green algal biomass and surface scum formation.



1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 573 ◽  
Author(s):  
JL Bales ◽  
GK Curtin ◽  
IC Campbell ◽  
BT Hart

The occurrence of algal blooms in Lake Daylesford (area 11.6 ha; maximum depth 9 m) each summer in recent years was investigated. Surface water temperature of the lake varied from 7 to 25�C. The lake which is fed by Wombat Creek, a small permanent stream, was cheimomictic with stratification occurring between summer and early autumn. In most years classical 'turnover' would be unlikely; rather, epilimnetic water would be flushed from the lake by inflowing creek waters approximately 12 times per year. Surface waters were always well oxygenated but the hypolimnion was anoxic between December 1976 and March 1977. Transparency was greatest in winter and early spring and least in summer and early autumn, this reduction being caused by autochthonously produced algal matter and allochthonously derived suspended material. Incommon withmany other Australian lakes, Lake Daylesford had ashallow euphoticzone 1-2 m deep that would limit phytoplankton production. In March and June 1977, over 99% of the incident visible light was absorbed in the top 1 m of the water column. The lake was classified as eutrophic on the basis of chlorophyll a levels. productivity, total phosphorus loadings and algal species. Chlorophyll a levels ranged from < 1 �g 1-1 in June 1977 to 79 �g 1-1 in February 1977; the productivity maximum was 210 mg C m-3 day-1 (560 mg O2, m-3 day-1) in March 1977 and the estimated total phosphorus loading was 2.8 g P m-2 year-1. The algal community was dominated by three genera: the blue-green alga Anabaena, the euglenoid Trachelomonas and the diatom Asterionella. Evidence suggests that reduction of the phosphorus loading to the lake will do much to eliminate the annual algal blooms. Provision of sewerage facilities for the township of Daylesford may achieve the required reduction. The lake sediments contain elevated levels of phosphorus, mainly a result of past discharges of waste material from a potato-processing factory; the contribution of this sediment phosphorus to the water column is unknown but should be investigated.



1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Martin

Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate (SCP) was applied to seven commercial catfish ponds in Mississippi to study the effects of treatment on fish flavor and pond ecology. The seven ponds were treated on alternate days in the morning with two doses of SCP at 55 kg hectare−1 (average depth 1-1.6 m). In three of the ponds, a potent 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) producing planktonic Oscillatoria chalybea-like species that was initially present was absent from the water column after treatment. In addition, the fish from two of these ponds were judged on-flavor 7 to 10 days after treatment. The off-flavor chemicals in three other ponds were diminished when measured seven days after treatment and fish were harvested from two of these ponds 10-14 days after treatment. The fish from the other two ponds were harvested 21 days after treatment. In the sixth pond, the predominant algal species was a 2-methylisoborneol producing O. chalybea-like species at 380 cells ml−1 and the treatment was ineffective. The treatment was most successful when off-flavor was less than two months duration and where application of the chemical was accomplished uniformly over the entire pond surface.



Polar Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen L. David ◽  
Fokje L. Schaafsma ◽  
Jan A. van Franeker ◽  
Evgeny A. Pakhomov ◽  
Brian P. V. Hunt ◽  
...  

AbstractSurvival of larval Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) during winter is largely dependent upon the presence of sea ice as it provides an important source of food and shelter. We hypothesized that sea ice provides additional benefits because it hosts fewer competitors and provides reduced predation risk for krill larvae than the water column. To test our hypothesis, zooplankton were sampled in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence Zone at the ice-water interface (0–2 m) and in the water column (0–500 m) during August–October 2013. Grazing by mesozooplankton, expressed as a percentage of the phytoplankton standing stock, was higher in the water column (1.97 ± 1.84%) than at the ice-water interface (0.08 ± 0.09%), due to a high abundance of pelagic copepods. Predation risk by carnivorous macrozooplankton, expressed as a percentage of the mesozooplankton standing stock, was significantly lower at the ice-water interface (0.83 ± 0.57%; main predators amphipods, siphonophores and ctenophores) than in the water column (4.72 ± 5.85%; main predators chaetognaths and medusae). These results emphasize the important role of sea ice as a suitable winter habitat for larval krill with fewer competitors and lower predation risk. These benefits should be taken into account when considering the response of Antarctic krill to projected declines in sea ice. Whether reduced sea-ice algal production may be compensated for by increased water column production remains unclear, but the shelter provided by sea ice would be significantly reduced or disappear, thus increasing the predation risk on krill larvae.



2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Keliri ◽  
Christia Paraskeva ◽  
Angelos Sofokleous ◽  
Assaf Sukenik ◽  
Dariusz Dziga ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundExcess loads of nutrients finding their way into waterbodies can cause rapid and excessive growth of phytoplankton species and lead to the formation of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyano-HABs). Toxic cyanobacteria produce a broad range of bioactive metabolites, some of which are known as cyanotoxins. These metabolites can negatively impact the ecosystem, and human and animal health, thus their presence needs to be closely monitored and mitigated. This study aimed to monitor St. George Lake (Athalassa National Forest Park, Cyprus) for its water quality characteristics, and initiate a new methodology to control the bloom that occurred in the lake during summer 2019, by comparing hydrogen peroxide treatment with novel metallic peroxide granules as source of hydrogen peroxide.ResultsLake monitoring showed that pH, salinity, total dissolved solids and conductivity varied throughout the year, and nutrients concentration was high, indicating a eutrophic lake. The cyanobacteriumMerismopediasp. bloomed in the lake between June and September 2019, comprising up to 99% of the phytoplankton biovolume. The presence of microcystin synthase encoding gene (mcyB, mcyE) was documented, however microcystins were not detected by tandem mass spectroscopy. Treatment with liquid hydrogen peroxide in concentrations 1 to 5 mg L−1had no effect on the phycocyanin fluorescence (Ft) and quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) indicating an ineffective treatment for the denseMerismopediabloom (1 million cells mL−1 ± 20%). Metallic peroxide granules tested for their H2O2releasing capacity in St. George Lake water, showing that CaO2released higher H2O2concentration and therefore have better mitigation efficiency than MgO2granules.ConclusionThe present study highlights the importance of monitoring several water parameters to conclude on the different actions to be taken to limit eutrophication in the catchment area. The findings demonstrated that testing for the presence of genes involved in cyanotoxin production may not be sufficient to follow cyanotoxins in the water, therefore it should be accompanied with analytical confirmation. Treatment experiments indicated that slow release of H2O2from peroxide granules may be an alternative to liquid hydrogen peroxide when applied in appropriate doses, but further investigation is needed before it is applied at the field.Graphic Abstract



2008 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1184-1196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Zhang ◽  
Ping Xie ◽  
Xiaoping Huang

The aim of this review is to identify problems, find general patterns, and extract recommendations for successful management using nontraditional biomanipulation to improve water quality. There are many obstacles that prevent traditional biomanipulation from achieving expectations: expending largely to remove planktivorous fish, reduction of external and internal phosphorus, and macrophyte re-establishment. Grazing pressure from large zooplankton is decoupled in hypereutrophic waters where cyanobacterial blooms flourish. The original idea of biomanipulation (increased zooplankton grazing rate as a tool for controlling nuisance algae) is not the only means of controlling nuisance algae via biotic manipulations. Stocking phytoplanktivorous fish may be considered to be a nontraditional method; however, it can be an effective management tool to control nuisance algal blooms in tropical lakes that are highly productive and unmanageable to reduce nutrient concentrations to low levels.Although small enclosures increase spatial overlap between predators and prey, leading to overestimates of the impact of predation, microcosm and whole-lake experiments have revealed similar community responses to major factors that regulate lake communities, such as nutrients and planktivorous fish. Both enclosure experiments and large-scale observations revealed that the initial phytoplankton community composition greatly impacted the success of biomanipulation. Long-term observations in Lake Donghu and Lake Qiandaohu have documented that silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (H. nobilis) (two filter-feeding planktivorous species commonly used in management) can suppress Microcystis blooms efficiently. The introduction of silver and bighead carp could be an effective management technique in eutrophic systems that lack macrozooplankton. We confirmed that nontraditional biomanipulation is only appropriate if the primary aim is to reduce nuisance blooms of large algal species, which cannot be controlled effectively by large herbivorous zooplankton. Alternatively, this type of biomanipulation did not work efficiently in less eutrophic systems where nanophytoplankton dominated.



2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 2407-2418 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Rush ◽  
E. C. Hopmans ◽  
S. G. Wakeham ◽  
S. Schouten ◽  
J. S. Sinninghe Damsté

Abstract. Ladderane fatty acids are commonly used as biomarkers for bacteria involved in anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). These lipids have been experimentally shown to undergo aerobic microbial degradation to form short chain ladderane fatty acids. However, nothing is known of the production or the distribution of these oxic biodegradation products in the natural environment. In this study, we analysed marine water column particulate matter and sediment from three different oceanic regimes for the presence of ladderane oxidation products (C14 ladderane fatty acids) and of original ladderane fatty acids (C18 and C20 ladderane fatty acids). We found that ladderane oxidation products, i.e. C14 ladderane fatty acids, are already produced within the water column of the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) and thus only low amounts of oxygen (< 3 μM) are needed for the β-oxidation of original ladderane fatty acids to proceed. However, no short chain ladderane fatty acids were detected in the Cariaco Basin water column, where oxygen concentrations were below detection limit, suggesting that the β-oxidation pathway is inhibited by the absence of molecular oxygen, or that the microbes performing the degradation are not proliferating under these conditions. Comparison of distributions of ladderane fatty acids indicates that short chain ladderane fatty acids are mostly produced in the water column and at the sediment surface, before being preserved deeper in the sediments. Short chain ladderane fatty acids were abundant in Arabian Sea and Peru Margin sediments (ODP Leg 201), often in higher concentrations than the original ladderane fatty acids. In a sediment core taken from within the Arabian Sea OMZ, short chain ladderanes made up more than 90% of the total ladderanes at depths greater than 5 cm below sea floor. We also found short chain ladderanes in higher concentrations in hydrolysed sediment residues compared to those freely occurring in lipid extracts, suggesting that they had become bound to the sediment matrix. Furthermore, these matrix-bound short chain ladderanes were found at greater sediment depths than short chain ladderanes in the lipid extract, suggesting that binding to the sediment matrix aids the preservation of these lipids. Though sedimentary degradation of short chain ladderane fatty acids did occur, it appeared to be at a slower rate than that of the original ladderane fatty acids, and short chain ladderane fatty acids were found in sediments from the Late Pleistocene (~ 100 kyr). Together these results suggest that the oxic degradation products of ladderane fatty acids may be suitable biomarkers for past anammox activity in OMZs.



2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2211-2224 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Metzger ◽  
D. Langlet ◽  
E. Viollier ◽  
N. Koron ◽  
B. Riedel ◽  
...  

Abstract. Long-term experimental studies suggest that, under transient anoxic conditions, redox fronts within the sediment shift upwards, causing sequential rise and fall of benthic fluxes of reduced species (Mn(II), Fe(II) and S(-II)). Infaunal benthic organisms are associated with different redox fronts as micro-habitats and must be affected by such changes during natural hypoxia events. In order to document the geochemical evolution of the sediment during prolonged anoxia in the framework of an in situ experiment designed to mimic natural conditions, benthic chambers were deployed on the seafloor of the Northern Adriatic and sampled after 9, 30 and 315 days of incubation. Oxygen and sulfide were measured continuously in the early stages (9 days) of the experiment. High-resolution pore water profiles were sampled by DET probes and redox-sensitive species (S(VI), Mn(II) and Fe(II)) and alkalinity were measured. Starting oxygen saturation was about 80% within the chamber. After 7 days, anoxia was established in the bottom waters within the chambers. Mn(II) and Fe(II) started diffusing towards the anoxic water column until they reached the surficial sediment. Being reoxidized there, Mn and Fe reprecipitated, giving a rusty coloration to the seafloor. Infaunal species appeared at the sediment surface. After 20 days, all macro-organisms were dead. Decomposition of macro-organisms at the sediment–water interface generated S(-II) within the entire height of the chamber, leading to a downward flux of sulfides into the sediment, where they were quickly oxidized by metallic oxides or precipitated as FeS. S(-II) was below detection in the water column and pore waters at the end of the experiment. Our results suggest that S(-II) enrichment in the water column of coastal systems, which are episodically anoxic, is strongly controlled by the biomass of benthic macrofauna and its decay during anoxia, whereas its residence time in the water column is controlled by iron availability (as solid oxides or as dissolved reduced cations) within the sediment, even without water circulation.



Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document