Implications of varying ice and nutrient regimes on the hydroecology of cold regions lakes

北方淡水生态系统正在经历快速的环境变化，以应对自然和人为压力因素的影响，包括气候变化。这些影响，无论是直接的还是间接的，都有可能改变食物网、能量流、物种和生产力关系。寒冷地区的湖泊对气候变化特别敏感，因为即使是雪和冰盖等环境条件的微小变化，也会对生态过程和相关结果产生重大的级联影响。目前，对北部淡水生态系统如何受到气候系统变化的影响，特别是对冬季冰冻圈条件变化的控制影响的了解有限。我的研究项目通过研究冰覆盖变化对冰下和随后开放水域质量的重要性，以及相关的季节性浮游生物动态和生产力关系，直接解决了这一重要的知识差距。******蓝绿藻大量繁殖是加拿大西部许多湖泊日益关注的问题。当营养过剩时，这种花就会变得普遍，并且由于炎热和阳光充足的天气，光合作用会增加。这些花引起了公众的关注，因为它们会引起眼睛和皮肤的刺激，如果摄入会导致人类、宠物、牲畜和野生动物生病。进一步研究冰下湖泊生态与浮游生物群落（如蓝绿藻）的后续发展之间的联系，将有助于更深入地了解冰况变化如何影响这种有害爆发的发展。******在这个项目中，我将使用控制实验的组合，模拟淡水湖的条件，来检查各种冰覆盖条件的作用，包括时间，数量，质量和持续时间在冰下和随后的开放水域生态。还将从阿尔伯塔省的湖泊中采集样本，这些湖泊代表了一系列营养和冰盖条件。更多的实验将在卡尔加里大学水生实验设施进行，以评估冰盖变化对水质和水生食物网结构的影响。******我的研究将提供新的知识和见解，以确定和量化变化的冰覆盖条件对寒冷地区湖泊生态的重要性。此外，这项研究将产生新的数据，这些数据对改进水质建模/预测系统的发展至关重要。在当前和未来气候情景下，这些预测系统在湖泊监测方案设计、流域综合管理和累积效应评估等政府决策过程中发挥着越来越重要的作用。

Northern freshwater ecosystems are undergoing rapid environmental change in response to impacts from the natural and human-induced stressors, including changes in the climate. These impacts, whether direct or indirect, have the potential to alter food-webs, energy flows, species and productivity relationships. Cold-region lakes are especially sensitive to a changing climate since even small changes in environmental conditions such snow- and ice-cover, can have significant cascading impacts on ecological processes and related outcomes. Currently, there is a limited understanding of how northern freshwater ecosystems are affected by changes in the climate system and in particular, the controlling influences of changing winter cryospheric conditions. My research project directly addresses this significant knowledge gap by examining the importance of a changing ice-cover on under-ice and subsequent open-water quality, and related seasonal plankton dynamics and productivity relationships. ******Blue-green algae blooms are a growing concern for many lakes in Western Canada. Such blooms become prevalent when there is an excess of nutrients, and an increase in photosynthesis occurs due to hot and sunny weather. These blooms are of concern to the public as they can cause eye and skin irritation, and if ingested can cause humans, pets, livestock and wildlife to become ill. Further research into the connection between under-ice cover lake ecology and the subsequent development of plankton communities, such as blue-green algae, will provide a deeper understanding of how changing ice conditions affects the development of such noxious outbreaks. ******In this project, I will be using a combination of controlled experiments, mimicking the condition of freshwater lakes, to examine the role of various ice-cover conditions including, timing, quantity, quality and duration on under-ice and subsequent open-water ecology. Samples will also be taken from lakes in Alberta which represent a range of nutrient and ice-cover conditions. Additional experiments will be conducted at the University of Calgary Aquatic Experimental Facility to evaluate the impacts of a changing ice-cover on water quality and aquatic food-web structure. ******My research will provide new knowledge and insights in identifying and quantifying the importance of changing ice-cover conditions on the ecology of cold-region lakes. In addition, the research will generate new data that are critical to informing the development of improved water quality modelling/prediction systems. Such prediction systems play an increasingly important role in supporting government decision-making processes related to lake monitoring program design, integrated basin management and cumulative effects assessment, under present and future climate scenarios.