Abstract
Phytoplankton abundance and community structure were determined routinely over an annual period and intensively during two storm-runoff events in a small suburban reservoir in northern Virginia, U.S.A. Traditional graphical techniques and a multivariate approach (Principal Components Analysis) were used to demonstrate a seasonal pattern of phytoplankton succession with greens and blue-greens dominant in summer, diatoms and chrysophytes in spring and fall, and cryptophytes in winter. Spatial variations were minor over horizontal and vertical dimensions during spring mixis, but depth variations were substantial during summer stratification. Storm runoff had little effect on phytoplankton composition during the stable summer period, but was associated with a substantial perturbation in community structure during the spring to summer transition.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avnimelech, Y., B. W. Troeger & L. W. Reed, 1982. Mutual flocculation of algae and clay: evidence and implications. Science, N.Y. 216: 63–65.
Bartell, S. M., T. F. H. Allen & J. F. Koonce, 1978. An assessment of principal component analysis for description of phytoplankton periodicity in Lake Wingra. Phycologia 17: 1–11.
Caljon, A., 1978. Determination of seasonal phytoplankton communities based on quantitative data, using a mathematical analysis. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 20: 1289–1292.
Cowen, W. F. & G. F. Lee, 1976. Phosphorus availability in particulate materials transported by urban runoff. J. Wat. Pollut. Contr. Fed. 48: 339–345.
Cowen, W. F., K. Sirisinha & G. F. Lee, 1976. Nitrogen availability in urban runoff. J. Wat. Pollut. Contr. Fed. 48: 339–345.
Grizzard, T. J., R. N. Waterman, C. W. Randall & R. C. Hoehn, 1980. The stimulation of autotrophic production by urban stormwater-borne nutrients. Prog. in Water Tech. 12: 893–896.
Hustedt, F., 1930. Die susswasser-flora mitteleuropas. Heft 10: Bacillariophyceae (Diatomaceae). Gustav Fisher, Jena. 466 pp.
Jones, R. C. & K. B. Mayer, 1983. Seasonal changes in the taxonomic composition of epiphytic algal communities in Lake Wingra, Wisconsin, U.S.A. In R. G. Wetzel (ed.), Periphyton of Freshwater Ecosystems, Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague, Netherlands: 11–16.
Jones, R. C. & G. W. Redfield, 1984. Effects of urban stormwater runoff on reservoir phytoplankton. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 22: 1486–1492.
Leopold, L. B., 1968. Hydrology for urban land planning-a guidebook on the hydrological effects of urban land use. Circular 554. U.S. Geological Survey. Washington, D.C.
Lund, J. W. G., C. Kipling & E. D. LeCren, 1953. The inverted microscope method of estimating algal numbers and the statistical basis of estimations by counting. Hydrologia 11: 143–170.
Prescott, G. W., 1962. Algae of the western Great Lakes area. Willian C. Brown, Dubuque, Iowa, 977 pp.
Redfield, G. W. & R. C. Jones, 1982. Effects of urbanization on lake ecosystems. In R. C. Jones, G. W. Redfield, and D. P. Kelso (eds.), Urbanization, Stormwater Runoff and the Aquatic Environment. George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.A.: 42–60.
Tilzer, M. M., C. R.Goldman, R. C. Richards & R. C. Wrigley, 1976. Influence of sediment inflow on phytoplankton productivity in Lake Tahoe (California-Nevada). Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiol. 61: 169–181.
Vollenweider, R. A., 1974. A manual on methods for measuring primary production in aquatic environments (2nd edition). Blackwell Scientific Publications, London, 225 pp.
Whitford, L. A. & G. J. Schumacher, 1973. A manual of freshwater algae. Sparks Press, Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A., 324 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Edson, J.J., Jones, R.C. Spatial, temporal, and storm runoff-related variations in phytoplankton community structure in a small, suburban reservoir. Hydrobiologia 169, 353–362 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007558
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007558