Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2012ND262B

Temporal-spatial distribution (dynamics) of phytoplankton and diversity in relation to lake physical and chemical condition

Institute: North Dakota
Year Established: 2012 Start Date: 2012-03-01 End Date: 2013-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $6,650 Total Non-Federal Funds: $13,300

Principal Investigators: Wei Lin

Project Summary: This research will address the impacts of changing physical and chemical conditions on phytoplankton spatial-temporal distribution and diversity in a eutrophic lake. Field samples will be collected to identify how change in nutrient concentration especially N:P ratios impact the seasonality of phytoplankton. Physical, chemical and biological data will be analyzed to explore how phytoplankton growth will change water quality, such as DO, turbidity, light penetration and chemical composition that in turn may affect phytoplankton ecology. The specific objectives are as follows: 1. Analyze the distribution and diversity of phytoplankton during the seasons to identify the cause(s) algae patterns shifts (with special focus on dominant species as Cyanophyceae) relative to the physic and chemical condition. How the phytoplankton growth will affect the water physical and chemical condition. 2. Understand physical and chemical processes as oxygen balance and nutrient release; in water column as important to phytoplankton growth and entire lake ecological function. 3. Analyze environmental factors to assess long term impact of water quality. For example, test effectiveness of aeration on biodiversity and water quality.