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Influences of Shoals on Plankton in the St. Lawrence River
Michael Twiss - Department of Biology & Great Rivers Center
Water regulation of hydropower production in the Saint Lawrence River has an impact on river ecology. The field of focus will be natural and human-influenced environmental gradients in the International Section of the St. Lawrence River (from is headwaters at Cape Vincent on the shore of Lake Ontario to the Moses-Saunders Power Dam at Massena, New York). Due to the enormous volume of water that passes through the St. Lawrence River (8,000 m3/s), the water in the center of the river strongly represents the chemistry of the headwaters (Lake Ontario) whereas nearer to shore the water is influenced by the tributary rivers. One interesting feature of large rivers flowing from lakes or reservoirs is the decrease in phytoplankton relative to the headwater. Work in recent years has addressed several hypotheses to explain this observation, viz. increased contact with surfaces in turbulent water, changing nutrient levels, and increased UV radiation exposure, to name a few.
Students will be involved in characterizing the physical and biological characteristics of a large (300+ acre) shoal in the St. Lawrence. The hypothesis that submerged aquatic vegetation is the site of intensive phytoplankton grazing due to attached protozoa will be tested. Access to the river is made possible onboard the 25’ R/V Lavinia, the primary research vessel of the Great Rivers Center at Clarkson University. Wide arrays of sophisticated and classical sampling methods are available for use, e.g. FluoroProbe (in situ pigment-specific fluorometer), submersible multi-sensor probe (conductivity-temperature-depth-dissolved oxygen), FRRF (Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer), water sampling bottles, plankton nets, sediment dredges, submersible light meters, navigational software, and GIS mapping software. Students are expected to be able to swim (snorkel) and in good physical condition to maintain the rigor of field work required by this project.
The objective of the research is to determine the cause of decreases and changes in phytoplankton populations from Lake Ontario through the 170 km stretch of the International Section of the St. Lawrence River. Students will obtain expertise in limnological techniques using advanced analytical equipment and contribute to advancing our understanding of ecological processes and how they are affected by human activity, particularly water level regulation, in a globally significant major river.
Water regulation of hydropower production in the Saint Lawrence River has an impact on river ecology. The field of focus will be natural and human-influenced environmental gradients in the International Section of the St. Lawrence River (from is headwaters at Cape Vincent on the shore of Lake Ontario to the Moses-Saunders Power Dam at Massena, New York). Due to the enormous volume of water that passes through the St. Lawrence River (8,000 m3/s), the water in the center of the river strongly represents the chemistry of the headwaters (Lake Ontario) whereas nearer to shore the water is influenced by the tributary rivers. One interesting feature of large rivers flowing from lakes or reservoirs is the decrease in phytoplankton relative to the headwater. Work in recent years has addressed several hypotheses to explain this observation, viz. increased contact with surfaces in turbulent water, changing nutrient levels, and increased UV radiation exposure, to name a few.
Students will be involved in characterizing the physical and biological characteristics of a large (300+ acre) shoal in the St. Lawrence. The hypothesis that submerged aquatic vegetation is the site of intensive phytoplankton grazing due to attached protozoa will be tested. Access to the river is made possible onboard the 25’ R/V Lavinia, the primary research vessel of the Great Rivers Center at Clarkson University. Wide arrays of sophisticated and classical sampling methods are available for use, e.g. FluoroProbe (in situ pigment-specific fluorometer), submersible multi-sensor probe (conductivity-temperature-depth-dissolved oxygen), FRRF (Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer), water sampling bottles, plankton nets, sediment dredges, submersible light meters, navigational software, and GIS mapping software. Students are expected to be able to swim (snorkel) and in good physical condition to maintain the rigor of field work required by this project.
The objective of the research is to determine the cause of decreases and changes in phytoplankton populations from Lake Ontario through the 170 km stretch of the International Section of the St. Lawrence River. Students will obtain expertise in limnological techniques using advanced analytical equipment and contribute to advancing our understanding of ecological processes and how they are affected by human activity, particularly water level regulation, in a globally significant major river.