Ecosystem regime change inferred from the distribution of trace metals in Lake Erie sediments

Abstract

Many freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems across the world may have undergone an ecosystem regime change due to a combination of rising anthropogenic disturbances and regional climate change. Such a change in aquatic ecosystems is commonly seen as shifts in algal species. But considerably less detail is known about the eutrophication history in terms of changes in algal productivity, particularly for a large lake with a great deal of spatial variability. Here we present an analysis of trace metals (Cu, Ni, Cd, and Pb) on a sediment core recovered from Lake Erie, off the Vermilion coast of northern Ohio, USA, to reconstruct the eutrophication history of the lake over the past 210 years. Following a slow eutrophication during European settlement, Lake Erie experienced a period of accelerated eutrophication, leading to an ecosystem regime transition into a eutrophic lake state in 1950. Our results suggested that the lake's biological productivity has ever since maintained fairly high even though a significant input reduction was realized from rigorous nutrient abatements that began as early as in 1969. This work underscored the role of in-lake biogeochemical cycling in nutrient dynamics of this already eutrophic lake.

Determinación de elementos mayores en sedimentos provenientes de zonas afectadas por actividades petroleras en Ecuador

“…Por tanto, es importante analizar los metales pesados en sedimentos, en la biota y en los seres humanos [26]. En los últimos años, el análisis de sedimentos ha constituido una excelente herramienta para estudiar la contaminación por metales pesados en hidrosistemas [27], debido a que los sedimentos permiten evaluar a largo plazo los cambios ocurridos en la cuenca de drenaje [28]. Sin embargo, en Ecuador los estudios realizados sobre el análisis de la calidad de los sedimentos son escasos con unas pocas excepciones como en la región Litoral o Costa, donde se han analizado metales pesados en sedimentos en los ríos de la zona costera como el estero el Salado (Guayas), y el río Cañas (Manta), entre otros [10].…”

The impact of dreissenid mussels on growth of the fragile papershell (Leptodea fragilis), the most abundant unionid species in Lake Erie

“…Our evidence suggests that in the presence of dreissenids, few individuals live to an age of 5 (mean age of shells was less than 3 years), while the mean age of shells collected in the marsh and those of historical collections from Lake Erie averaged over 4 years. Perhaps the younger age of the L. fragilis shells in historical Port Clinton collections relates to the poor water quality of Lake Erie between 1950 and 1970 (Yuan et al 2014) that damaged benthic communities, especially of mayflies (Britt 1955). As noted, growth rate in L. fragilis remained similar to the later marsh collections.…”

A Sensitive Biosensor for Determination of Cu2+ by One‐step Electrodeposition

“…Copper (II) ion (Cu 2+ ), as one of the heavy‐metal ions, is also an important micronutrient element for human life . However, it is also harmful to biological systems in excessive amounts, affecting the fossil saved in the sediments . Alteration in the cellular homeostasis of copper ions are associated with neurodegenerative disease, including Menkes and Wilson diseases, familial amyotropic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, an prion diseases .…”