Storm-triggered, increased supply of sediment-derived phosphorus to the epilimnion in a small freshwater lake

Crockford, Lucy; Jordan, Phillip; Melland, Alice R.; Taylor, David

doi:10.5268/iw-5.1.738

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…The potential of phytoplankton growth being boosted by storm-induced nutrient upwelling in lakes has been reported by observational studies (e.g. Soranno et al 1997;MacIntyre and Jellison 2001;Crockford et al 2015;Giling et al 2017). Increases in phytoplankton after storms in the first numerical experiment were also seen when incoming shortwave radiation was high.…”

Section: Causal Factors Regulating Phytoplankton Response To Stormssupporting

confidence: 55%

Drivers of phytoplankton responses to summer storms in a stratified lake: a modelling study

Mesman¹,

Ayala²,

Goyette³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Extreme wind events affect lake phytoplankton amongst others by deepening the mixed layer and increasing internal nutrient loading. Both increases and decreases of phytoplankton biomass after storms have been observed, but the precise mechanisms driving these responses remain poorly understood or quantified. In this study, we coupled a one-dimensional physical model to a biogeochemical model to investigate the factors regulating short-term phytoplankton responses to summer storms, now and under expected high-temperature conditions. We simulated physical, chemical and biological dynamics in Lake Erken, Sweden, to take advantage of a long-term time series that we used to calibrate our model. We found that wind storms could increase or decrease the phytoplankton concentration one week after the storm, depending on antecedent lake physical and chemical conditions. Storms had little effect on phytoplankton biomass if the mixed layer was deep prior to storm exposure. Higher incoming shortwave radiation and hypolimnetic nutrient concentration boosted growth, whereas higher surface water temperatures decreased phytoplankton concentration after storms. Medium-intensity wind speeds resulted in more phytoplankton biomass after storms than high-intensity wind. Simulations under a future climate scenario did not show marked differences in the way wind affects phytoplankton growth following storms. Our study shows that storm impacts on lake phytoplankton are complex and likely to vary as a function of local environmental conditions.

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Section: Causal Factors Regulating Phytoplankton Response To Stormssupporting

confidence: 55%

Drivers of phytoplankton responses to summer storms in a stratified lake: a modelling study

Mesman¹,

Ayala²,

Goyette³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…The strong vertical heterogeneity in nutrient levels induces the possibility that mixing events causing entrainment of hypolimnetic water into the epilimnion can lead to spikes of epilimnetic nutrient concentrations (Lehmann et al., 2015), stimulating phytoplankton blooms (Giling, Nejstgaard, et al., 2017). These events can be caused by extreme weather events such as storms, cold spells, or river floods (Crockford et al., 2015; Soranno et al., 1997). With increased stratification in summer, the amount of energy needed for these deep mixing events increases, but the nutrient pulse after such an event tends to be stronger (Coats et al., 2006).…”

Section: Physical Chemical and Biological Consequences Of Enhanced Stratificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of internal feedbacks in shifting deep lake mixing regimes under a warming climate

et al. 2021

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Climate warming is causing changes in the physics of deep lakes, such as longer summer stratification, increased water column stability, reduced ice cover, and a shallower depth of winter overturns. An ultimate consequence of warming would be a transition to a different mixing regime. Here we investigate the role of physical, chemical, and biological feedback mechanisms that unfold during a shift in mixing regime, and whether these feedbacks could prompt and stabilise the new regime. Although climate, interannual temperature variation, and lake morphometry are the main determinants of a mixing regime, when climate change causes shifts in mixing regime, internal feedback mechanisms may gain in importance and modify lake ecosystem functioning. We review the role of these feedbacks in three mixing regime shifts: from polymictic to seasonally stratified, from dimictic to monomictic, and from holomictic to oligomictic or meromictic. Polymictic lakes of intermediate depth (c. 3–10 m mean depth) could experience seasonal stratification if a stratification event triggers phytoplankton blooms or dissolved organic matter release, reducing transparency and therefore further heating the surface layer. However, this feedback is only likely to have influence in small and clear lakes, it would be easily disturbed by weather conditions, and the resulting stratified state does not remain stable in the long term, as stratification is lost in winter. The ice‐albedo feedback might cause an accelerated shift from ice‐covered (dimictic) to ice‐free (monomictic) winters in sufficiently deep (mean depth 50 m or more) lakes, where temperature memory is carried over from one winter to the next. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing debate into whether this process can persist during natural weather variations and overcome self‐stabilising mechanisms such as thermal insulation by snow. The majority of studies suggest that a gradual transition from dimictic to monomictic is more likely than an abrupt transition. A shift from a holomictic to a meromictic regime can occur if anoxia is triggered by incomplete mixing and an increase in deep‐water density—through the accumulation of solutes—exceeds a density decrease by hypolimnetic warming. A shift to meromixis would strongly alter the biology of a lake and might be difficult to reverse. If solutes accumulate only minimally in the hypolimnion, an oligomictic regime is formed, in which years with complete and incomplete mixing alternate. Understanding the importance of feedback mechanisms and the role of biogeochemistry when lakes shift in mixing regime could lead to a better understanding of how climate change affects lake ecosystems.

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“…Warming can impact the strength and persistence of stratification and the extent, severity, and duration of hypoxia (Jenny et al, 2014;Kraemer et al, 2015). Warming-induced increases in storminess can cause a more frequent breakdown of stratification or prevent lake stratification entirely (Crockford, Jordan, Melland, & Taylor, 2015), while changes in precipitation can influence inputs and effects of pollutants, including phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N). Past studies have demonstrated the importance of climate in regulating ecosystem structure, and it is clear that climate and nutrients can act together in driving changes in lake ecosystems (Leavitt et al, 2009;McGowan et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential anthropogenic regime shifts in three freshwater lakes in Tropical East Asia

et al. 2019

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Regime shifts in ecology are characterised by major, often abrupt changes in ecosystem structure and functioning in response to one or more driving variables, or pressures. Changes in the provision of ecosystem services are a potential outcome. Despite the current combination of rapidly increasing pressures on what are often highly important socio‐ecological systems, the resilience of lakes in the warm tropics to human perturbation is far less well understood than those at higher latitudes. This paper focuses on evidence of aquatic ecosystem change from a cluster of three deep, freshwater, volcanic crater lakes (Yambo, Mohicap, and Sampaloc) at low altitude on the island of Luzon, Philippines. The lakes support different intensities of aquaculture, an important livelihood but also a driver of poor water quality throughout tropical Asia. Measured and monitored climate and water quality data, in addition to sedimentary evidence from sediment cores collected from the three study lakes, were used to determine the magnitude and trajectory of changes in lake water quality. Sediment cores were radiometrically dated and analysed for organic matter, spheroidal carbonaceous particles, and diatom remains. Diatom data were zoned numerically using cluster analysis. Diatom remains were also used to infer past variations in pH and possible relationships between potential driving climatic variables (temperature and rainfall). Diatom data sets were explored using detrended component analysis and principle component analysis. Despite differences in intensity of aquaculture, a common trajectory and timing of a potential regime shift, characterised by a replacement of benthic with planktonic diatoms and an increase in diatom accumulation rates from the early to mid‐1980s, is evident, and attests a low threshold for disturbance effects. A predominantly planktonic diatom flora has persisted even after recent improvements in environmental quality. The potential new regime may be less resilient and more susceptible to harmful algal blooms, abrupt expansions of anoxic conditions, and periodic mass fish kills when compared with its former state. The research further highlights the sensitivity of freshwater ecosystems in the warm tropics to disturbance pressures, and the risks to livelihoods, ecosystem services, and sustainable development.

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Storm-triggered, increased supply of sediment-derived phosphorus to the epilimnion in a small freshwater lake

Cited by 15 publications

References 58 publications

Drivers of phytoplankton responses to summer storms in a stratified lake: a modelling study

Drivers of phytoplankton responses to summer storms in a stratified lake: a modelling study

The role of internal feedbacks in shifting deep lake mixing regimes under a warming climate

Potential anthropogenic regime shifts in three freshwater lakes in Tropical East Asia

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