Recipient Organization
STATE UNIV OF NEW YORK
(N/A)
SYRACUSE,NY 13210
Performing Department
Environmental & Forest Biology
Non Technical Summary
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are an increasing threat to water quality of both smalland large lakes and the health of lake users within the Great Lakes Basin. Despite a richscientific literature on cyanobacterial blooms, the factors causing recent proliferation of HABsare not fully understood. For example, a number of lakes in New York with relatively lowconcentrations of total phosphorus have recently experienced unexpected HABs. Even foreutrophic lakes, major knowledge gaps exist in understanding how different physical,chemical, and biological factors interact to create the conditions that can trigger HABs.Although a number of researchers have constructed empirical predictive models of bloomswithin individual large lakes, such as the Western Basin of Lake Erie, cross-systemcomparisons are rare. The Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) hascollected limnological data on more than 100 lakes a year since 2000, and has included HASsampling (including cyanotoxin analyses) since 2011. We propose to utilize the CSLAP data,supplemented with additional available data (e.g., meteorological and invasive species data),to identify factors associated with HABs across these diverse systems. The results will bepublished, presented in public forums, and used to inform management of HABs in the GreatLakes Basin.Awarded Start Date: 4/1/16Sponsor: Upstate Freshwater Institute
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
This collaborative proposal from UFI, SUNY-ESF, NYSDEC, NYSFOLA advances anumber of the goals and purposes of the GLAA and NYGLPF. This project will bring togetherfour entities devoted to the protection of New York's freshwater resources: two non-profitorganizations (UFI, NYSFOLA), one of New York's premier academic institutions (SUNYESF),and a governmental agency (NYSDEC). Our proposal to conduct a coordinatedresearch effort to analyze a unique HABs data set will lead to improved understanding ofcauses, impacts, and solutions to proactively address HABs and the occurrence of toxiccyanobacteria in the Great Lakes Basin. We also anticipate that this research will increasethe ability to identify additional lakes susceptible to HABs given existing lake water quality orfuture changes driven by developmental pressure, ancillary lake management actions, orclimate change. Publication of this unique data set will bring added value to the CSLAP HABmonitoring program and support future proposals for funding. In addition, presentation of theresults of this project will contribute directly to public education on harmful algal blooms, asignificant public health concern in the Great Lakes Basin.
Project Methods
This collaborative project to conduct a cross-sectional analysis of HABs in the lakes ofNew York State will include the following tasks:• Aggregation and organization of the CSLAP HAB data set• Acquisition and organization of other available potentially relevant current dataon CSLAP lakes, such as invasive species presence (e.g., iMaplnvasives andNYIS.info) as well as historical data (e.g., EMAP, DEC survey data)• Acquisition and organization of meteorological data from CSLAP samplingperiods• Bivariate and multivariate analyses of cyanobacterial and cyanotoxin metricsand potential explanatory variables, including lake morphology (depth, area,fetch), nutrient concentrations (P, N), biological factors (dreissenid mussels,invasive zooplankters), stratification regime (monomictic, dimictic, polymictic,meromictic), and meteorological drivers (temperature, precipitation, wind)• Investigation of interannual, seasonal, and geographical patterns in theoccurrence of HABs across New York State• Preparation of a manuscript and submission to a peer-reviewed scientificjournal• Presentation of project findings at professional and public meetings to supporteffective communication and public education