an investigation on the effects of climate change on algal blooms in lake champlain patricia...
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An Investigation on the Effects of Climate Change
On Algal Blooms in Lake Champlain
Patricia Brousseau, Lauren Chicote, John Keyes, Jenna Mandelbaum,
Christopher Smith
Problem
• Environmental Stressors induced by climate change– Temperature– Runoff Intensity– Lake Freeze-over
• Change in internal phosphorus loading• Change in species composition of algae
Why?
• Clean Water Act• Primary Productivity• Nutrient Cycling
Objectives
• Asses risk of algal blooms• Identify factors influencing algal blooms• Predict changes in algae species composition,
phosphorus dynamics and bloom periods• Formulate recommendations
• Phosphorus Sources and Loading• Climate Change• Lake Freeze-over• Stratification and Mixing• Internal Phosphorus• Algal Blooms• Conclusions• Recommendations
Non-Point Source Phosphorus Loading• Main sources of Phosphorus are Agricultural and Developed Land•Typically more P loading from developed acreage than agricultural land
Source: Lake Champlain Basin Program 2005
Detailed Sources of Phosphorus• Relative amount
of Phosphorus loading by source.
• Animal Feeding lots are replaced by Dairy Farms in Lake Champlain Basin
Source: Lake Champlain Basin Program 2005
Agricultural Land Creates Impairment of Aquatic Systems
• Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizer Use• Nutrient Loading
– Nitrogen– Phosphorus
• Sedimentation and Erosion• Natural Ecosystem Land Use Change• Increase in Demand for Water
Agricultural Land Use Increase• Global agricultural land use increase of
18%.
• 2.7-fold increase in phosphorus-driven Eutrophication globally.
• Longer Growing Season Source: Tilman et. al (2001)
Winter Precipitation
(Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment 2007)
Winter Snow Cover Days
(Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment 2007)
Flood Pulse Concept
(Wantzen et al. 2008)
Droughts
(Hayhoe et al. 2006)
Lake Freeze-Over
• Climate change increase air temps. increase water temps. less free-over events
Graph courtesy of Mary Watzin, ENSC 201 course
Changes in Lake Dynamics • Changes in lake
ice effect stratification/ turnover effect internal P loading
Internal Loading
Factors that Influence Internal Loading
St. Albans Bay: Case study exampleBy: Eric Smeltzer Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Water Quality Division: 2003
Major Findings 1.Temperature2.Wind Velocities- physical re-suspension3.Bivalves
Temperature
Mineralization
Direct effect on decomposition and release
Indirectly lowers redox potential
Release of reductant soluble P
Inner Bay Regions
Kleeberg 1997 & Jensen 1992
Stratification and Climate change ???
1. An increase in surface water temperatures
2. Increase in temperature in both surface and hypolimnetic waters by same order of magnitude
Stratified Portions of the Lake during summer stratification
Pettersson 2001
Stratified Regions of the Lake; end of Summer P fluxA result of P accumulation in the hypolimnion during summer stratification due to thermocline. 1. Low pH2. Low redox3. Low Dissolved Oxygen
All factors influenced bya.Increase temperature in and biological activity in sediments
Komatsu et al 2007
Its all about the total P in the sediments!
Cyanobacteria
Microcystis aeroginosaSource: Lake Erie Center, University of Toledo
Hazards
• In 2000, three dogs died from drinking lakewater contaminated with cyanobacteria, probably Anabaena.
• Three toxic genera found in Lake Champlain: Microcystis, Anabaena, Aphanizomenon
• Cyanobacteria favored in warming climate.
Source: Jöhnk et al. (2007) Simulation of phytoplankton populations under three sets of physical parameters.
Source: Jöhnk et al. (2007) Schematic of model effects relating environmental parameters to phytoplankton populations.
Source: De Senerpont et al. (2007) Laboratory populations of phytoplankton under three different temperature regimes.
Conclusions• Phosphorus
– Inner Bay Regions: Increase in Water Temp: Increase in Phosphorus Released from Sediments
– Stratified Areas: Longer Periods of Stratification, more release of Phosphorus
– Higher Temps = Larger Epilimnetic Zone. Increasing mineralization, increasing soluble and liable phosphorus
– Earlier ice-out, earlier spring run off = Earlier Phosphorus availability
– Less Freeze over events, increased winter turbidity. Limits Phosphorus binding to sediments in winter months
Conclusions• Algae
– Higher Phosphorus availability from:• Agriculture and Other Non-Point Sources• Higher concentration of liable Phosphorus
– Earlier and Longer Growth Periods• Higher Annual Temperatures• Earlier Ice-out, Spring Run-off and Turnover, Later Fall
Turnover• Longer Growing Season
– Change in Species Composition
Recommendations• Promote BMP in Agriculture• Construct Wetlands in Specific Problem Areas in Lake
Champlain• Increase Riparian Buffers in Impaired Waterways• Construct Floating Living Machines as designed by
John Todd to uptake Phosphorus• Create Constant Vertical Turbidity