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Dynamics of cyanobacterial bloom formation

Dynamics of cyanobacterial bloom formation. Justin Chaffin Ph.D. F.T. Stone Laboratory Ohio Sea Grant The Ohio State University chaffin.46@osu.edu. HABs 101 Tom Ridge Environmental Center , August 14, 2013. There are hundreds of species of algae in Lake Erie. Lake Erie food web.

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Dynamics of cyanobacterial bloom formation

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  1. Dynamics of cyanobacterial bloom formation Justin Chaffin Ph.D. F.T. Stone Laboratory Ohio Sea Grant The Ohio State University chaffin.46@osu.edu HABs 101 Tom Ridge Environmental Center, August 14, 2013

  2. There are hundreds of species of algae in Lake Erie

  3. Lake Erie food web Bottom organisms

  4. Major phytoplankton groups in Lake Erie • Diatoms • Glass cell wall • High lipid content • Nutritional for zooplankton • Spring blooms of diatoms in Lake Erie http://cfb.unh.edu/

  5. Lake Erie diatom bloom during winter Twiss et al., 2012 J Great Lakes Res.

  6. Major phytoplankton groups in Lake Erie • Green Algae • Closely related to higher plants • Account for 50% of species in Lake Erie • Rarely bloom • Less lipid, but nutritious http://cfb.unh.edu/

  7. Cladophora Cladophora epiphytes Cladophora chloroplast Cladophora chloroplast

  8. Major phytoplankton groups in Lake Erie • Cyanobacteria • “Blue-green algae” • Some contain gas vacuoles • Some produce toxins • Some fix nitrogen • Low lipid, low nutrition • Just a few are “Harmful” • Synechococcus~ 50% of oxygen http://cfb.unh.edu/

  9. Other algae of Lake Erie http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  10. Lake Erie produces the most fish of all the Great Lakes because it has the most algae • Highest nutrient concentrations • Warmest water temperature

  11. Too much of the wrong kind of algae is harmful • “Bloom” is an excessive amount of algae • “Harmful algae bloom” is a bloom of potentially harmful algae. Photo Credit: Drs Jeff Reutter and Doug Kane

  12. What is a Harmful Algal Bloom? • Harmful = • Has the potential to produce toxins. • Harmful impacts on ecosystems • Algal = • Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) • Red tide (dinoflagellates) • Bloom = • Biomass that far exceed normal geology.com Hungeree.com

  13. Are there non-harmful algal blooms? • Cladophora • Diatoms • These algae can reach high biomasses but do not produce toxins harmful to humans or animals • But can have other negative impacts Turtles.org

  14. Not an algal bloom: • Duckweed • Lily pads • Submerged plants • Lawn clippings

  15. Algal blooms are a global problem • Due to humans increasing nutrient loading Lake Erie, USA Lake Nieuwe Meer, Netherlands Lake Taihu, China

  16. Problems associated algal blooms • “Blooms” of cyanobacteria • Produce toxins • Low diversity of phytoplankton • Taste and smell problems • Low dissolved oxygen • Property value decreases • Negative economic impacts whoi.edu, W. Carmichael geolocation.ws

  17. High phosphorus concentrations are required for eutrophication + Carbon + Nitrogen + Phosphorus Dense algae bloom + Carbon + Nitrogen No Phosphorus added No algae bloom Schindler 1974. Science

  18. Bloom requirements • Water temperatures > 15 °C • July, August, September in Lake Erie • High nutrient concentrations • Run off associated with rain storms • Phosphorus typically is the “limiting nutrient” • Nitrogen is important in cyanotoxin production

  19. Lake Erie cyanobacteria blooms MODIS

  20. Lake Erie 2011

  21. Microcystis is the major blue-green algae in Lake Erie http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  22. Microcystis http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  23. Microcystis http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  24. Anabaena common late summer http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  25. Non-blooming Cyanobacteria in Lake Erie Merismopedia Chroococcus http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  26. Lake Erie blooms have been typically confined to western Lake Erie: Microcystis landsat

  27. Lake Erie 2011 June 1 July 19 July 31 August 11 September 3 October 9 Michalak et al. 2013 PNAS

  28. Variation in Microcystis bloom intensity of Lake Erie Bridgeman et al., 2013. Journal of Great Lakes Research

  29. 2011 Record-breaking bloom explained

  30. Maumee River spring phosphorus load explains the size of the bloom Stumpf et al. 2012 PloS One

  31. Most P loading occurs during storms Michalak et al. 2013. Proc Nat AcadSci

  32. Calm summer increased residence time of Maumee Bay • Spring storm water sat in Maumee Bay during summer and provide the perfect incubator for cyanobacteria. Michalak et al. 2013. Proc Nat AcadSci

  33. Calm water favors Microcystis • Microcystis wins in calm water and deeper water • Diatoms win in mixed water Mixed Calm Clear Turbid Huisman et al. 2004

  34. Photo credit: Roger Knight

  35. 2011 Record-breaking bloom explained • Many large spring storms • High P loading • Fertilized growth • Very calm early summer • Microcystis floated and thrived • Diatoms sank and died

  36. Other cyanobacteria blooms

  37. Sandusky Bay

  38. Planktothrixin Sandusky Bay http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  39. Sandusky Bay – July 2012

  40. Central basin Anabaena bloom

  41. Benthic Lyngbya in Maumee Bay

  42. Lyngbya http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

  43. Lyngbya at Stone Lab. August 20 2012

  44. Lyngbya at Stone Lab. August 20 2012

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