Nutrient Dynamics in Great Lake Tributaries Active
Harmful algae blooms can produce cyanotoxins that are harmful to humans, pets, livestock, and ecosystem health. Harmful algae blooms are a frequent occurrence in the Great Lakes, particularly in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan at the mouths of the Maumee and Fox Rivers and are partially caused by an excess of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous in the water column.
Cyanobacteria: Harmful Algae Blooms
Harmful algae bloom management has been focused on controlling phosphorus entering lakes from tributaries (the phosphorus ‘load’), but other environmental factors, such as internal phosphorus loading from sediment, nitrogen availability, temperature, and light are increasingly being recognized as important factors for harmful algae bloom management. In this line of research, we are studying movement of phosphorus and nitrogen into and out of the sediment in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes and other areas with frequent harmful algae blooms.
This study aims to understand the retention and release of nutrients into and out of the sediments. Additionally, this study aims to extrapolate the data across the watershed and model the movement of phosphorous from nearshore areas.
This will be completed by collecting water quality data, and incubating sediment cores to determine the nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water column over time. After data collection is complete, running simple and complex models and analyses will help predict phosphorus level and identify the movement of nitrogen and phosphorus into and out of the sediment.
This study is ongoing and collaborates with the USGS Great Lakes Science Center and the Upper Midwest Water Science Center.
Harmful algae blooms can produce cyanotoxins that are harmful to humans, pets, livestock, and ecosystem health. Harmful algae blooms are a frequent occurrence in the Great Lakes, particularly in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan at the mouths of the Maumee and Fox Rivers and are partially caused by an excess of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous in the water column.
Cyanobacteria: Harmful Algae Blooms
Harmful algae bloom management has been focused on controlling phosphorus entering lakes from tributaries (the phosphorus ‘load’), but other environmental factors, such as internal phosphorus loading from sediment, nitrogen availability, temperature, and light are increasingly being recognized as important factors for harmful algae bloom management. In this line of research, we are studying movement of phosphorus and nitrogen into and out of the sediment in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes and other areas with frequent harmful algae blooms.
This study aims to understand the retention and release of nutrients into and out of the sediments. Additionally, this study aims to extrapolate the data across the watershed and model the movement of phosphorous from nearshore areas.
This will be completed by collecting water quality data, and incubating sediment cores to determine the nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water column over time. After data collection is complete, running simple and complex models and analyses will help predict phosphorus level and identify the movement of nitrogen and phosphorus into and out of the sediment.
This study is ongoing and collaborates with the USGS Great Lakes Science Center and the Upper Midwest Water Science Center.