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ALGAL RESPONSES TO NUTRIENT LOADING IN GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS
Citation:
Morrice, J A., J A. Thompson, S L. Batterman, A M. Cotter, G. S. Peterson, AND N. Danz. ALGAL RESPONSES TO NUTRIENT LOADING IN GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS. Presented at International Association for Great Lakes Research Meeting, Chicago IL, June 23-29, 2003.
Description:
We are evaluating the influence of nutrient loading on phytoplankton and periphyton in coastal wetlands of the Great Lakes as part of an EPA study associated with the Great Lakes Environmental Indicator (GLEI) project. A primary goal is to assess the role of wetland morphology and biogeography as factors controlling biological responses to nutrient loading. For the 2002 field season, GIS-based data was used to select 6 sites in each of these 4 classes spanning a gradient in watershed-scale metrics of nutrient loading. A suite of water samples were collected from each site for nutrient and chlorophyll analysis. At two sites in each class, colonization rods and nutrient diffusing assays were used to measure periphyton biomass, community composition, and response to nutrient loading. Data show significant differences in inorganic nitrogen, SRP and chlorophyll a concentrations between geomorphic and geographic classes and provide insight into utiility of site selection and classification approaches and determine sensitivity of algal responses to nutrient loading.