Event Title
Sink to Source? Effect of Climate Warming on Carbon Balance in Muskegon Lake
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Mathematics
Mentor Information
Bopi Biddanda, biddandb@gvsu.edu
Department
Annis Water Resource Institute (AWRI)
Location
Henry Hall Atrium 79
Start Date
13-4-2011 9:00 AM
End Date
13-4-2011 10:00 AM
Keywords
Environment, Global Change, Life Science, Mathematical Science
Abstract
During the summer of 2010, we performed several experiments to determine the impact of rising temperatures on the metabolic balance of Muskegon Lake, a mesotrophic drowned river mouth lake in Muskegon, Michigan. Rising temperature is believed to have a positive effect on both plankton respiration (R) and gross primary production (P). We wanted to find out if one process was more temperature dependent than the other, and if so, how the balance of production to respiration (P/R ratio) would respond to changing climate. Based on the results of four experiments, we found that plankton R and P generally increased with temperature, but that respiration had a greater temperature dependence than production, resulting in a decrease in the P/R ratio with increasing temperature. Our results suggest that under projected scenarios of climate warming, lakes are likely to act increasingly as net carbon sources to the atmosphere - potentially reversing their current role as net carbon sinks.
Sink to Source? Effect of Climate Warming on Carbon Balance in Muskegon Lake
Henry Hall Atrium 79
During the summer of 2010, we performed several experiments to determine the impact of rising temperatures on the metabolic balance of Muskegon Lake, a mesotrophic drowned river mouth lake in Muskegon, Michigan. Rising temperature is believed to have a positive effect on both plankton respiration (R) and gross primary production (P). We wanted to find out if one process was more temperature dependent than the other, and if so, how the balance of production to respiration (P/R ratio) would respond to changing climate. Based on the results of four experiments, we found that plankton R and P generally increased with temperature, but that respiration had a greater temperature dependence than production, resulting in a decrease in the P/R ratio with increasing temperature. Our results suggest that under projected scenarios of climate warming, lakes are likely to act increasingly as net carbon sources to the atmosphere - potentially reversing their current role as net carbon sinks.