Dissertation Research: The Effects of Mixing and Storm Events on Lake Phytoplankton Production

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The proposed research will determine how storms affect the primary production (PP) of lake algae. Algae require both nutrients and light to sustain growth, and storm events affect the amounts of nutrients and light that are available to algae. Rain storms wash nutrients into lakes and redistribute nutrients within the lake. Wind storms also redistribute nutrients and cause algae to be exposed to different levels of light. Initial results of this research indicate that significant enhancement of PP from these physical forcing events may be unaccounted for in our current estimates of aquatic production. Specifically, this research will increase current understanding of aquatic ecosystems by combining observational studies, experimentation, and modeling. Algal primary production and water chemistry will be measured before, during, and after storm events. Experiments will be performed to determine the impacts of mixing on light and nutrients as they relate to algal growth. The results from these measurements and experiments will be used to construct a mathematical model to predict algal primary production. The new knowledge derived from this research effort will improve our understanding of the effects of storm events on lakes, and our ability to predict ecological responses to climate change. The broader impacts of the proposed research include training a Ph.D. student and improving the ability of scientists to predict how disturbance or changes in climate will impact aquatic ecosystems in the future.