Chlorophyll and Phytoplankton

in Lakes

Emily DeBoltJosh Conway

Chlorophyll and phytoplankton tell the story of lake productivity.

• Why study chlorophyll and plankton

•How to collect data

•Interpreting data from local lakes

Why study chlorophyll and plankton

Lake productivity depends on basin morphology, light, nutrients, temperature, etc.• determines biota present

•All phytoplankton have chlorophyll

•Chlorophyll values are used to estimate phytoplankton biomass and its potential photosynthetic capacity

•Microscopic cell counts would be best – but too time consuming

•A spectrophotometer is used to measure the total chlorophyll absorption in the water column.

How to collect chlorophyll data

How to collect chlorophyll dataIn the lab:•Filtered 250 ml of water from each sample, and ran through spectrophotometer in 10 ml samples.

•So when working with chlorophyll values from lab, had to divide values by 25 to account for the concentration of water filtered

How to collect phytoplankton dataIn the field:•Kimmerer bottle with marked line and messenger•Sample water at epilimnion, metalimnion, and hypolimnion•Fill 1 liter bottle for each sample•Lugols preservative in each sample

In the lab:•Counted the number of phytoplankton present in each sample.

(note: phytoplankton counts are from 2004)

Interpreting data from local lakes

Onondaga Catlin Oneida Green

Rich Lake Arbutus Lake

Percentage of Species Identified in Oneida Lake

Melosira19%

Cyclotella9%

Ulothrix9%

Stephanodiscus9%Aviacosira

18%

Stictodiscus9%

Romeria9%

unknow n9%

Scenedesmus9%

Oneida Lake Chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

laye

r o

f la

ke

(1=

ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Oneida Lake

Oneida Lake

Percentage of Species Identified in Oneida Lake

Melosira19%

Cyclotella9%

Ulothrix9%

Stephanodiscus9%Aviacosira

18%

Stictodiscus9%

Romeria9%

unknow n9%

Scenedesmus9%

73%Chrysophyta (Bacillariophyceae)

MelosiraCyclotellaUlothrixStephanodiscusAviacosiraStictodiscus

9%Cyanophyta

Romeria

18%Chlorophyta

unknownScenedesmus

Oneida Lake

Oneida Lake Chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6

chlorophyll values (ug/L)la

yer

of

lak

e (

1=e

pi,

2=m

eta

, 3=h

ypo

)

Oneida Lake

Most chlorophyll in the hypolimnion ??

Oneida Lake

Oneida Lake

Parameters:

epi: 1mhypo: 8m

SA: 207 km2

Eutrophic, DimicticMean depth: 6.8 mMax depth: 16.8 mLength: 20.9 miWidth: 5.8 mi

•Highest chlorophyll values in hypo!!

•Most common phyto are diatoms (which are traditionally more common in early summer)

•Light makes it all the way to the bottom – so plankton can live there in this lake!

Percentage of Species Identified in Rich Lake

Cladophora21%

Closterium27%

Anabaena6%

Merismopedia6%

Oscillatoria6%

Spirulina10%

Micricystis6%

Cyclotella6%

Melosira6%

Stephanodiscus6%

Rick lake chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

laye

r in

lak

e (

1=e

pi,

2=m

eta

, 3=h

ypo

)

Rich Lake

Rich Lake

Percentage of Species Identified in Rich Lake

Cladophora21%

Closterium27%

Anabaena6%

Merismopedia6%

Oscillatoria6%

Spirulina10%

Micricystis6%

Cyclotella6%

Melosira6%

Stephanodiscus6%

48% 34%Chlorophyta Cyanophyta Cladophora Anabaena Closterium Merismopedia

Oscillatoria Spirulina Micricystis

Rich Lake

18%Crysophyta (Bacillariophyceae)

CyclotellaMelosiraStephanodiscus

Rich Lake phytoplankton

• Cosmarium: desmids which are tolerant of acidic conditions

• Microsystis: BG that is common blooming nuisance

• Oscillatoria: indicator of beginning eutrophism

Rick lake chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

chlorophyll values (ug/L)la

yer

in la

ke

(1=

ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Rich Lake

Rich Lake

Values only for epi and meta obtained

Epi: 1mMeta: 6mHypo: 11m

Rich Lake

Mostly greens and blue-greens - not sure why…

All chlorophyll < 1 ug/L sopossibly an oligotrophic lake

Note Oscillatoria presence!!

Percentage of Species Identified in Catlin Lake

Gonatozygon25%

Eudorina25%

LGR25%

Synura25%

Catlin Lake chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 0.5 1 1.5 2

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

laye

r o

f la

ke

(1=

ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Catlin Lake

Catlin Lake

Percentage of Species Identified in Catlin Lake

Gonatozygon25%

Eudorina25%

LGR25%

Synura25%

Catlin Lake

50%Chlorophyta

GonatozygonEudorina

50%Chrysophyta

LGRSynura

Catlin Lake chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 0.5 1 1.5 2

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

laye

r o

f la

ke

(1=

ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Catlin Lake

Catlin Lake

Phytoplankton mostly in epilimnion

• We have no additional info on Catlin…

• Since there is no BG, I would guess it is oligotrophic

Catlin Lake

Percentage of Species Identified in Onondaga Lake

Pandorina20%

unknow n8%

Oedogonium4%

Pediastrum16%

Protococcus4%

Scenedesmus4%

Gleocapsa8%

Romeria4%

Microcystis4%

Aphanocapsa4%

LGR12%

Euglena4%

Peridinium8%

Onondaga Lake Chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

laye

r o

f la

ke

(1=

ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Onondaga Lake

Onondaga Lake

Percentage of Species Identified in Onondaga Lake

Pandorina20%

unknow n8%

Oedogonium4%

Pediastrum16%

Protococcus4%

Scenedesmus4%

Gleocapsa8%

Romeria4%

Microcystis4%

Aphanocapsa4%

LGR12%

Euglena4%

Peridinium8%

Onondaga Lake

64%Chlorophyta Pandorina unknown Oedogonium Pediastrum Protococcus Scenedesmus Gleocapsa

24%Cyanophyta Romeria Microcystis Aphanocapsa LGR

4%Euglenophyta Euglena

8%Pyrophyta(dinoflagellates) Peridinium

Onondaga Lake Chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

laye

r o

f la

ke

(1=

ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Onondaga Lake

Onondaga Lake

Chlorophyll decreases with depthHighest chlorophyll values!

Onondaga Lake

Epi: 1mMeta: 12mHypo: 14m

Polluted – excess phosphorous and anoxic hypo

Green algae most dominant, but also some BG which makes sense bc Onondaga has highest phosphorous of any of the lakes by far (all other lakes < 2 uM, Onondaga almost 15 uM)

Calanoid copepods were most common in all lakes except Onondaga – where Daphnia were most abundant – Daphniado well with good quality food which might make sense withthe high green algae levels

Percentage of Species Identified in Arbutus Lake

Cladophora5%

unknow n13%

Scenedesmus5%

unknow n5%

Spirulina9%

Ceratium18%

Navicula5%

Melosira5%

Nitzestia5%

Tabellaria5%

Synura5%

Dinobrium5%

Peridinium5%

Euglena5%

Cryptomonas5%

Arbutus Lake Chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

chlorophyll (ug/L)

laye

r in

lak

e(1

=ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Arbutus Lake

Arbutus Lake

Percentage of Species Identified in Arbutus Lake

Cladophora5%

unknow n13%

Scenedesmus5%

unknow n5%

Spirulina9%

Ceratium18%

Navicula5%

Melosira5%

Nitzestia5%

Tabellaria5%

Synura5%

Dinobrium5%

Peridinium5%

Euglena5%

Cryptomonas5%

Arbutus Lake 20% Chrysophyta (Bacillariophyceae) Navicula Melosira Nitzestia Tabellaria

10% Chrysophyta (Chrysophyceae) Synura Dinobrium

23 % Chlorophyta Cladophora Unknown Scenedesmus

14% Cyanophyta Unknown Spirulina

23% Pyrophyta Ceratium Peridinium

5% Euglenophyta Euglena

5% Cryptophytas Cryptomonas

Arbutus Lake Chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

chlorophyll (ug/L)

laye

r in

lak

e(1

=ep

i, 2=

me

ta, 3

=hyp

o)

Arbutus Lake

Arbutus Lake

Phytoplankton are hanging out at the metalimnion

Arbutus Lake

Most phytoplankton diversity of all the lakesEpi: 1mMeta: 6mHypo: 7m

Secchi disk at 3 m, so not sure why most phyto wouldbe down at 6 m (think critical mixing depth)

Ceratium

EuglenaSpirulina

Cryptomonas

Green Lake chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

4

5

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

chlrorphyll values (ug/L)

laye

r in

lak

e (

1=e

pi,

2=m

eta

, 3=h

ypo

, 4=

che

mo

, 5=m

on

om

o)

Green Lake

The only phytoplankton present:Chlorophyta: Pediastrum

Green Lake

Green Lake

Secchi disk at 9m – so good visibility in the lake

Epi: 1mMeta: 11mHypo: 15mChemo: 19mMonomo: 35m

Highest chlorophyll values at chemocline – must be reading chlorophyll fromthe purple sulfur bacteria

Hardwater, meromicitc lake, 52 m deep, veryoligotrphic

Lake by Lake comparison of chlorophyll values by lake layer

0

1

2

3

4

5

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

chlrorphyll values (ug/L)

laye

r o

f la

ke

(1

=e

pi,

2=

me

ta, 3

=h

ypo

, 4=

ch

em

o,

5-m

on

om

o)

Onondaga Lake

Oneida Lake

Green Lake

Rich Lake

Deer Lake

Arbutus Lake

Catlin Lake

All lakes chlorophyll values

Onondaga has highest values, Deer has lowestNo real consistent patterns…

Lake comparison of chlrorphyll values from multiprobe and depth

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

-50 0 50 100 150 200 250

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

dp

eth

in

me

ters

Arbutus Lake

Rich Lake

Deer Lake

Oneida Lake

Green

Onondaga Lake

Chlorophyll from the multiprobe

Lake comparison of chlrorphyll values from multiprobe and depth

-5

0

5

10

15

-2.5 2.5 7.5 12.5 17.5

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

dp

eth

in

met

ers

Arbutus Lake

Rich Lake

Deer Lake

Oneida Lake

Green

Onondaga Lake

Chlorophyll from the multiprobe

Lake comparison of chlrorphyll values from multiprobe and depth

-5

0

5

10

15

20

-2.5 2.5 7.5

chlorophyll values (ug/L)

dp

eth

in

met

ers

Arbutus Lake

Rich Lake

Deer Lake

Oneida Lake

Green

Onondaga Lake

Comparison of multiprobe and spectrophotometer data

Lake by Lake comparison of chlorophyll values by lake depth

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

chlrorphyll values (ug/L)

lak

e d

pe

th in

me

ters Onondaga Lake

Oneida Lake

Green Lake

Rich Lake

Deer Lake

Arbutus Lake

Comparison of Lake Depths at Layers

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Oneida Deer Arbutus Green Rich Onondaga

Lake

de

pth

in m

ete

rs

Epilimnion Metalimnion Hypolimnion chemocline monomolimnion

Comparison of Lake Depths at Layers

Lake by Lake comparsion of epilimnion chlorophyll values

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Lake

Lake

chlo

rop

hyl

l va

lue

(u

g/L

)

Arbutus

Deer

Rich

Green

Oneida

Onondaga

Catlin

Comparison of Epilimnion chlorophyll data

Lake by lake comparison of metalimnion chlorophyll values

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Lake

Lake

Ch

loro

ph

yll

valu

e (

ug

/L)

Arbutus

Deer

Rich

Green

Oneida

Onondaga

Catlin

Comparison of Metalimnion chlorophyll data

Lake by lake comparison of hypolimnion chlorophyll values

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Lake

Lake

Ch

loro

ph

yll

valu

e (

ug

/L)

Arbutus

Deer

Rich

Green

Oneida

Onondaga

Catlin

Comparison of Hypolimnion chlorophyll data

What does it all mean?(chlorophyll values)

• Seemed to get more chlorophyll in hypolimnion than we would have thought

• Bad sampling? Or serious lake mixing?

What does it all mean?(phytoplankton)

• In general the pattern throughout the year goes:

• Diatoms (spring)• Greens (summer)• Blue –greens (late summer)• Dinoflagellates (winter)

• With blue-greens dominating in late summer

• But we did not really see this – we had mostly greens

Lake: dominant phyto: trophic state (?)• Oneida: diatoms (E)• Rich: greens (O)• Catlin: greens and goldens (O)• Onondaga: greens (E)• Arbutus: very diverse! (O)• Green: greens (O)

What does it all mean?

What does it all mean?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

K

Oneida Green Deer Arbutus Onondaga Rich

Lake

Average Light Coefficients (K)

Secchi Depth

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Oneida Onondaga Deer Arbutus Green Rich

Lake

Dep

th (

met

ers)

Secchi Depth

Green had deepest light – but both Green and Oneida hadhighest light coefficients (odd bc Green is oligotrphic and Oneida is eutrophic… zebra mussels maybe…)

Lake by Lake comparison of chlorophyll values by lake depth

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

chlrorphyll values (ug/L)

lak

e d

pe

th in

me

ters Onondaga Lake

Oneida Lake

Green Lake

Rich Lake

Deer Lake

Arbutus Lake

Does more light mean more chlorophyll?

• Arbutus and Onondaga had highest chlorophyll values

• Onondaga also had highest phosphorous values

• But Arbutus had low values! Phosphorus vs. Depth (2004)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Phosphorus Concentration (uM)

Dep

th (m

) Arbutus

Green

Oneida

Rich

• So if more light doesn’t mean more chlorophyll and more phosphorous doesn’t mean more chlorophyll then what does!!

ADK lakes: Sept 9-11Onedia: Sept 21-22Onondaga: Sept 28-29Green: Oct 5-6

When did we sample?

Would have thought possibly lakes visited later more mixed and lakes visited earlier still stratified…

Temperature Comparison

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25

Temperature (oC)

Pe

rce

nt

of

To

tal

De

pth

Arbutus

Rich

Deer

Oneida

Green

Onondaga

Oneida and Deer have mixed – the rest are still stratified

Phytoplankton growth affected by temperature, light Nutrients. Right before FT is a good time for them –But after turnover is not so good - although sometimesTurnover actually increases nutrients so there is a bloom.

Since we found so many algae in hypo layer – does that meanall lakes were mixed? This doesn’t appear to be true basedon the temp data…

Controls of Phytoplankton Growth

What was missing and what were our errors?

Counting phytoplankton in lab did not work very well!•Problems with identification•Problems with preservation of phytoplankton??

•Collection of water and data from the lakes

Images satellite de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon (off New Brunswick, Canada)

Phytoplankton blooms