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.

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Apr 13th, 9:00 AM Apr 13th, 10:00 AM

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.