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The Role of Microzooplankton and Mesozooplankton Grazing During the Planktothrix-Dominated Cyanobacterial Blooms in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie

Kennedy, Matthew R
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1589546747826657

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, Biological Sciences.
Understanding the role of internal top-down trophic grazing interactions from zooplankton is necessary to better determine cyanobacterial algal bloom establishment as a parallel to more common investigation into the role of changes in nutrient concentrations, or bottom-up enrichment, on bloom structure and function. Bi-weekly samples were collected from two locations in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie between March 2019 to October 2019 to capture pre-bloom, early-bloom, and late-bloom conditions. For microzooplankton analysis, dilution experiments were conducted to determine grazing rates using previously established methods. Mesozooplankton grazing rates were determined by concentrating natural populations to 8 times ambient levels, then measuring phytoplankton growth rate changes. After 24 hours samples for both experiments were collected for analysis of total chlorophyll ɑ pigment concentration using fluorometry and analysis of chlorophyll ɑ pigment concentration as well as phytoplankton community structure using a BBE Fluoroprobe. Phytoplankton cell enumeration using light microscopy was also conducted to determine cyanobacterial cell densities. This research also provided additional insights into correlations of chlorophyll ɑ data analysis between fluorometry and BBE Fluoroprobes. Results indicated that microzooplankton were actively grazing on the overall phytoplankton community in the majority of experiments conducted and that microzooplankton grazing rates were not negatively affected by increases in cyanobacterial density. In contrast mesozooplankton grazing rates were extremely low or no grazing was seen in the majority of experiments. Overall, this study indicated that while microzooplankton can play an important role, mesozooplankton grazing may not, in the top-down control of Planktothrix-dominated blooms in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie.
Timothy Davis, Dr. (Advisor)
Thomas Bridgeman, Dr. (Committee Member)
George Bullerjahn, Dr. (Committee Member)
56 p.
Biology; Ecology; Environmental Science; Limnology; Microbiology; Water Resource Management
Ecology; Zooplankton Grazing; Sandusky Bay; Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms; Harmful Algal Blooms; Microbiology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kennedy, M. R. (2020). The Role of Microzooplankton and Mesozooplankton Grazing During the Planktothrix-Dominated Cyanobacterial Blooms in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1589546747826657

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kennedy, Matthew. The Role of Microzooplankton and Mesozooplankton Grazing During the Planktothrix-Dominated Cyanobacterial Blooms in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie. 2020. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1589546747826657.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kennedy, Matthew. "The Role of Microzooplankton and Mesozooplankton Grazing During the Planktothrix-Dominated Cyanobacterial Blooms in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1589546747826657

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.