Understanding Abiotic Triggers For Cyanobacteria Blooms in Lakes Using a Long Term In-situ Monitoring Research Station

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are ubiquitous ecological and public health hazards. HAB are made up of potentially toxic freshwater cyanobacteria. The occurrences of toxic HAB are unpredictable and highly spatially/temporary variable in freshwater ecosystems. To study the abiotic triggers for toxic HAB, a research station has been deployed in a eutrophic lake from June-October 2016. This station provides hourly water quality profiles and meteorological (every 5 minutes) monitoring with real time access. Water quality monitoring is performed by an autonomously traversed sonde that provides chemical, physical and biological measurements; including phycocyanin, a light-absorbing pigment distinct to cyanobacteria. The research station is a sentinel for HAB accumulation, prompting focused HAB analysis, including: phytoplankton and toxin composition/concentration, and turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rates. We will discuss how mixing conditions, temperature stratification, light intensity, surface wind magnitude and energy dissipation mediate a)HAB formation/composition b)toxicity and c)cyanobacteria stratification.The results will help illuminate abiotic processes that trigger HAB accumulation/toxicity, which can direct timely toxic HAB prediction and prevention efforts.