TY - JOUR
T1 - Phytoplankton Seasonality along a Trophic Gradient of Temperate Lakes
T2 - Convergence in Taxonomic Compostion during Winter Ice-Cover
AU - Butts, Emon
AU - Carrick, Hunter J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Discussions with P. Lavrenteyv were helpful in developing some of our ideas. We thank K. Carrick, C. Frazier, D. Schuberg, and A. Stimetz for their generous technical assistance in the field and laboratory. S. Taylor completed the poly-phosphate analyses. Travel and some material costs for E. Butts were supported through the Biology Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program (BUMP) at Central Michigan University. Laboratory space, boat use, and housing were provided through an internal grant from the Institute for Great Lakes Research (Central Michigan University Biological Station) to H.J. Carrick. We thank A. Monfils and C. Damer for their support though the BUMP Program. The paper is contribution number 82 of the Institute for Great Lakes (IGLR) at Central Michigan University. We also appreciate the
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - A gap in our understanding of phytoplankton seasonality in temperate lakes exists mainly due to the lack of information collected during the winter months. We summarized seasonal changes of phytoplankton biomass and taxonomic composition relative to water-column biogeochemical conditions in 6 lakes located on Beaver Island and 1 site in Lake Michigan in close geographic proximity to each other (<20 km apart). A number of physical-chemical parameters (e.g., temperature, DOC) were similar between lakes, but lakes towards the interior of the island had lower pH, alkalinity, and conductivity. Moreover, lakes at the interior of the island supported 2-fold greater phytoplankton-chlorophyll and carbon compared with perimeter lakes, and phytoplankton taxonomic composition differed considerably during the ice-free period (April-December). Interestingly, the winter phytoplankton assemblages were strikingly similar in all 7 lakes, when large populations of phyto-flagellates (Chrysophyceae and Cryptophyceae) occurred under the ice at low light and temperatures < 4 °C. Given the mixotrophic capabilities of these phytoflagellates, we suggest seasonal convergence reflects the community response to under-ice conditions, which promotes the occurrence of an important component of annual phytoplankton biomass.
AB - A gap in our understanding of phytoplankton seasonality in temperate lakes exists mainly due to the lack of information collected during the winter months. We summarized seasonal changes of phytoplankton biomass and taxonomic composition relative to water-column biogeochemical conditions in 6 lakes located on Beaver Island and 1 site in Lake Michigan in close geographic proximity to each other (<20 km apart). A number of physical-chemical parameters (e.g., temperature, DOC) were similar between lakes, but lakes towards the interior of the island had lower pH, alkalinity, and conductivity. Moreover, lakes at the interior of the island supported 2-fold greater phytoplankton-chlorophyll and carbon compared with perimeter lakes, and phytoplankton taxonomic composition differed considerably during the ice-free period (April-December). Interestingly, the winter phytoplankton assemblages were strikingly similar in all 7 lakes, when large populations of phyto-flagellates (Chrysophyceae and Cryptophyceae) occurred under the ice at low light and temperatures < 4 °C. Given the mixotrophic capabilities of these phytoflagellates, we suggest seasonal convergence reflects the community response to under-ice conditions, which promotes the occurrence of an important component of annual phytoplankton biomass.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85028460394&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1656/045.024.s719
DO - 10.1656/045.024.s719
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85028460394
VL - 24
SP - B167-B187
JO - Northeastern Naturalist
JF - Northeastern Naturalist
SN - 1092-6194
ER -