U.S.-Argentina: UV-B Radiation and Zooplankton Community Structure across Depth and Elevation Gradients in Lakes in Southern Argentina

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9314421 Williamson This U.S.-Argentina Cooperative Science Program award will support the collaboration of Craig Williamson of Lehigh University and Esteban Balseiro of the University of Comahue in Argentina. The project aims to investigate the impact of UV-B radiation on high-elevation lakes in the southern Andes. Loss of stratospheric ozone is resulting in global increases in incident UV-B radiation. Investigations of marine systems suggest that naturally occurring fluxes of UV-B radiation can harm water column processes. Freshwater ecosystems may be more predisposed to damage by UV-B radiation than marine systems, yet little work has been done on UV-B radiation in lakes. This project's goals are to model UV-B attenuation in lakes; investigate the possible impact of UV-B on the chlorophyll-phosphorus relationship; and examine shifts in zooplankton communities in lakes differentially affected by UV-B radiation. These studies will complement the U.S. group's research on UV-B impacts in north termperate lakes and the Argentine group's research on Andean lakes. The results are likely to improve understanding of the importance of UV-B radiation in lakes, and will strengthen international collaborations for future studies of the effects of UV-B radiation on the environment. ***