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Dissertation_LEACH_2016NOV20.pdf (11.92 MB)

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Cause and Consequences of Spatial Dynamics of Planktonic Organisms in Lake Ecosystems

Leach, Taylor Hepburn
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3498-7395
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1479747973843758

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology.
Planktonic organisms are a globally important component of aquatic ecosystems whose ecological role is largely dependent upon their habitat use and patterns of spatial distributions. In this dissertation I present four independent but related chapters that explore the causes and consequences of spatial dynamics of phytoplankton and zooplankton in freshwater lakes. Chapter 1: Relative importance of light and thermal stratification to the structure of deep chlorophyll maxima in 100 GLEON lakes. Vertical distributions of chlorophyll in many lakes frequently exhibit ecologically important deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM). Using a 100-lake dataset, this chapter examines DCM structure and shows that light was the most important predictor of DCM depth, while the thickness of the DCM was best predicted by lake size. Importantly, the analysis also suggests that the importance of these drivers varies across lakes. This chapter is part of an international collaboration through the Global Lakes Observatory Network (GLEON) and is in preparation for submission to Limnology and Oceanography. Chapter 2: The role of ultraviolet radiation in the diel vertical migration of zooplankton: an experimental test of the transparency- regulator hypothesis. The transparency-regulator hypothesis (TRH; Williamson et al. 2011) posits that the relative importance of abiotic vs. biotic drivers of zooplankton diel vertical migration will vary systematically across a gradient of lake transparency. This chapter provides experimental support of the TRH tests using mesocosm experiments in a set of fish- and fishless-lakes that span a range of transparency. This chapter was published in the Journal of Plankton Research in 2015 (Leach et al. 2015). Chapter 3: Does vertical habitat quality influence large-scale horizontal distributions of organisms in pelagic ecosystems? In this chapter I use hydroacoustics to test the hypothesis that the depth of lake ecosystems regulates zooplankton optimal habitat availability along the vertical dimension, which in turn determines the large-scale horizontal distribution patterns of zooplankton. We find clear evidence that vertical habitat selection in an important component of whole-lake distributions. This chapter is in preparation for submission to Ecology. Chapter 4: Does zooplankton diel vertical migration translocate nutrients upward in lakes with a deep chlorophyll maximum? This chapter uses a simple model to show that zooplankton diel vertical migration can cause a small but ecological relevant upward flux of phosphorus in lakes with a DCM. These results also indicate that the size of this flux may vary across lakes. This chapter is in preparation for submission Limnology and Oceanography.
Craig Williamson (Advisor)
A. John Bailer (Committee Member)
Janet Fischer (Committee Member)
Melany Fisk (Committee Member)
Michael Vanni (Committee Member)
170 p.
Ecology; Limnology
aquatic ecology, limnology, zooplankton, diel vertical migration, chlorophyll, ultraviolet radiation, hydroacoustics

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Leach, T. H. (2016). Cause and Consequences of Spatial Dynamics of Planktonic Organisms in Lake Ecosystems [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1479747973843758

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Leach, Taylor. Cause and Consequences of Spatial Dynamics of Planktonic Organisms in Lake Ecosystems. 2016. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1479747973843758.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Leach, Taylor. "Cause and Consequences of Spatial Dynamics of Planktonic Organisms in Lake Ecosystems." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1479747973843758

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1479747973843758
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This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.