Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development of paleolimnological inference models for pH, total nitrogen and specific conductivity based on planktonic diatoms

  • Published:
Journal of Paleolimnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA was used to explore and identify statistically significant relationships between the distributions of planktonic diatoms and the physical and chemical properties of 50 Connecticut lakes. Six variables (pH, total nitrogen, calcium, sulfate, potassium and chlorophyll- a concentrations) were found to be significantly correlated with either or both of the first two extracted axes. The pH and calcium concentration, and to a lesser extent total nitrogen concentrations, were the most important variables controlling the distributions of planktonic diatoms in this suite of lakes. Paleolimnological inference models were developed for pH, total nitrogen (TN) and specific conductivity. Weighted averaging with (WAtol) and without (WA) tolerance downweighting, with and without bootstrap resampling techniques, and using either classical or inverse deshrinking methods were used to develop inference models for each variable. The pH and TN yielded sufficiently high λ1/λ2 ratios and a highly significant first (constrained) axis when entered as single variables in both constrained and partially constrained CCA analyses, supporting the idea that reliable inference models could be developed for these variables. The r2 and RMSE of prediction values ranged from 0.73 to 0.86 and 0.37 to 0.6, respectively for pH, and from 0.4 to 0.64 and 59 μg/l to 95 μg/l, respectively for TN. Inference models for specific conductivity also yielded significant goodness-of-fit statistics. However, because specific conductivity was removed from the CCA analysis due to its high variance inflation factor and did not yield a significant relationship when entered as the sole variable in a partial constrained CCA, inference models for this variable will probably not yield any additional environmental information. The use of only planktonic diatoms in construction of inference models is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, H. L., 1971. Primary productivity, chemoorganotrophy, and nutritional interactions of epiphytic algae and bacteria on macrophytes in the littoral of a lake. Ecol. Monogr. 4: 97–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Public Health Association, 1985. Standardmethods, XXth ed. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, N. J. & B. Rippey, 1994. Monitoring lake recovery from pointsource eutrophication: the use of diatominferred epilimnetic total phosphorus and sediment chemistry. Freshwat. Biol. 32: 625–639.

    Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee, R. W., l986. Diatom analysis. In Berglund, B. E. (ed), Handbook of Holocene Palaeoecology and Palaeohydrology. Wiley and Sons: 527–570.

  • Bell, M., 1985. The Face of Connecticut. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut. Bull. 110. Hartford, CT.

  • Bennion, H., 1994. Adiatomtransfer function for shallow, eutrophic ponds in southeast England. Hydrobiologia 275/276: 391–410.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennion, H., S. Juggins & N. J. Anderson, 1996. Predicting epilimnetic phosphorus concentrations using an improved diatombased transfer function and its application to lake eutrophication management. Envir. Sci. Techn. 30: 2004–2007.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birks, H. J. B., J. M. Line, S. Juggins, A. C. Stevenson & C. J. F. ter Braak, l990a. Diatoms and pH reconstruction. Phil. Trans. Royal. Soc. London, Ser. B. 327: 263–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birks, H. J. B., S. Juggins & J. M. Line, 1990b. Lake surfacewater chemistry reconstructions from paleoecological data. In Mason, B. J. (ed), The Surface Waters Acidification Programme. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 301–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, M., T. J. Whitmore, M. S. Flannery & M.W. Binford, 1993. Paleolimnological methods for defining target conditions in lake restoration: Florida case studies. Lake Res. Manag. 7: 209–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, J. L. & E. S. Deevey Jr., 1963. New England. In Frey, D. G. (ed), Limnology in North America. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison: 117–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camburn, K. E., J. C. Kingston & D. F. Charles (eds), 1984–1986. PIRLA diatom iconograph. PIRLA unpublished report series No. 3. Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canavan IV, R.W. & P. A. Siver, 1994. Chemical and physical properties of Connecticut lakes with emphasis on regional geology. Lake Res. Manag. 10: 175–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canavan IV, R. W. & P. A. Siver, 1995. Connecticut Lakes: A study of the chemical and physical properties of fiftysix Connecticut Lakes. Connecticut College Arboretum, New London, 299 pp.

  • Charles, D. F., 1985. Relationships between surface sediment diatom assemblages and lakewater characteristics in Adirondack lakes. Ecology 66: 994–1011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charles, D. F., R.W. Battarbee, I. Renberg, H. van Dam & J. P. Smol, 1989. Paleoecological analysis of diatoms and chrysophytes for reconstructing lake acidification trends in North America and Europe. In Norton, S. A., S. E. Lindberg & A. L. Page (eds), Acid Precipitation. Vol. 4. Soils, Aquatic Processes and Lake Acidification. SpringerVerlag, New York: 207–276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christie, C. E. & J. P. Smol, 1993. Diatom assemblages as indicators of lake trophic status in southeastern Ontario lakes. J. Phycol. 29: 575–586.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumming, B. F., J. P. Smol & H. J. B. Birks, 1991. The relationship between sedimentary chrysophyte scales (Chrysophyceae and Synurophyceae) and limnological characters in 25 Norwegian lakes. Nord. J. Bot. 11: 231–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumming, B. F., J. P. Smol, J. C. Kingston, D. F. Charles, H. J. B. Birks, K. E. Camburn, S. S. Dixit, A. J. Uutala & A. R. Selle, 1992. How much acidification has occurred in Adirondack region lakes (New York, USA) since preindustrial times? Can. J. Fish aquat. Sci. 49: 128–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumming, B. F. & J. P. Smol, 1993. Development of diatombased salinity models for paleoclimatic research from lakes in British Columbia (Canada). Hydrobiologia 269/270: 179–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R. B., D. S. Anderson, S. A. Norton & M. C. Whiting, 1994. Acidity of twelve northern New England (U.S.A.) lakes in recent centuries. J. Paleolimnol. 12: 103–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deevey, E. S., 1940. Limnological studies in Connecticut. 5. A contribution to regional limnology. Am. J. Sci. 238: 717–741.

    Google Scholar 

  • D'Elia, C. F., P. A. Steudler & N. Corwin, 1977. Determination of total nitrogen in aqueous samples using persulfate digestion. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22: 760–764.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, A. S., S. S. Dixit & J. P. Smol, 1996. Setting restoration goals for an acid and metalcontaminated lake: a paleolimnological study of Daisy Lake (Sudbury, Canada). Lake Res. Manag. 12: 323–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, S. S.,A. S. Dixit & J. P. Smol, l989. Lake acidification recovery can be monitored using chrysophycean microfossils. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 46: 1309–1312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, S. S., J. P. Smol, D. S. Anderson & R. B. Davis, 1990. Utility of scaled chrysophytes for inferring lakewater pH in northern New England lakes. J. Paleolimnol. 3: 269–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, S. S., A. S. Dixit & J. P. Smol, 1991. Multivariable environmental inferences based on diatom assemblages from Sudbury (Canada) lakes. Freshwat. Biol. 26: 251–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, S. S., A. S. Dixit & J. P. Smol, 1992a. Longterm trends in lake water pH and metal concentrations inferred from diatoms and chrysophytes in three lakes near Sudbury, Ontario. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 17–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, S. S., A. S. Dixit & J. P. Smol, 1992b. Assessment of change in lake water chemistry in Sudbury area lakes since preindustrial times. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 8–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, S. S., B. F. Cumming, H. J. B. Birks, J. P. Smol, J. C. Kingston, A. J. Uutala, D. F. Charles & K. E. Camburn, 1993. Diatom assemblages from Adirondack lakes (New York, U.S.A.) and the development of inference models for retrospective environmental assessment. J. Paleolimnol. 8: 27–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixit, S. S. & J. P. Smol, 1994. Diatoms as indicators in the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Surface Waters (EMAPSW). Environ. Monit. Assess. 31: 275–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritz, S. C., 1990. Twentiethcentury salinity and waterlevel fluctuations in Devils Lake, North Dakota: test of a diatombased transfer function. Limnol. Oceanogr. 35: 1771–1781.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritz, S. C., J. C. Kingston & D. R. Engstrom, 1993. Quantitative trophic reconstruction from sedimentary diatom assemblages: a cautionary tale. Freshwat. Biol. 30: 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glew, J. R., 1988. A new trigger mechanism for sediment samplers. J. Paleolimnol. 2: 241–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glew, J. R., 1989. A portable extruding device for close interval sectioning of unconsolidated core samples. J. Paleolimnol. 1: 235–239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Håkansson, H. & H. Kling, 1989. A light and electron microscope study of previously described and new Stephanodiscus species (Bacillariophyceae) from central and northern Canadian lakes, with ecological notes on the species. Diat. Res. 4: 269–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Håkansson, H. & E. F. Stoermer, 1984. Observations on the type material of Stephanodiscus hantzschii Grunow. In Cleve & Grunow. Nova Hedwigia Band XXXIX: 477–495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, R. I. & J. P. Smol, 1992. A weightedaveraging regression and calibration model for inferring total phosphorus concentration from diatoms in British Columbia (Canada) lakes. Freshwat. Biol. 27: 417–434.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, R. I. & J. P. Smol, 1996. Paleolimnological assessment of longterm waterquality changes in southcentral Ontario lakes affected by cottage development and acidification. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 53: 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hustedt, F., 1930. Bacillariophyta (Diatomeae). Die Süsswasserflora Mitteleuropas. Vol. 10. 2nd ed. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • Husar, R. B., T. J. Sullivan & D. F. Charles, 1991. Methods in assessing longterm trends in atmospheric deposition and surface water chemistry. In Charles D. F. (ed), Acid Deposition and Aquatic 59 Ecosystems: Regional Case Studies. SpringerVerlag, New York: 65–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jokinen, E. H., 1983. Freshwater Snails of Connecticut. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut. Bull. 109. Hartford, CT, 83 pp.

  • Kingston, J. C., H. J. B. Birks, A. J. Uutala, B. F. Cumming & J. P. Smol, 1992. Assessing trends in fishery resources and lake water aluminum from paleolimnological analyses of siliceous algae. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 116–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kling, H. & H. Håkansson, 1988. A light and electron microscope study of Cyclotella species (Bacillariophyceae) from Central and northern Canadian lakes. Diat. Res. 3: 55–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koppen, J. D., 1975. A morphological and taxonomic consideration of Tabellaria (Bacillariophyceae) from northcentral United States. J. Phycol. 11: 236–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krammer, K. & H. LangeBertalot, 1986–1991. Bacillariophyceae. Süsswasserflora von Mitteleuropa. Band 2(1–4). Vols. 1–4. Gustav Fischer Verlag. Stuttgart, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • Line, J. M., C. J. F. ter Braak & H. J. B. Birks, 1994. WACALIB version 3.3-a computer program to reconstruct environmentalvariables from fossil assemblages by weighted averaging and to derive samplespecific errors of prediction. J. Paleolimnol. 10: 147–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marchetto, A. & R. Schmidt, 1993. A small calibration data set to infer lakewater pH from diatom assemblages in alpine lakes. Mem. Ist. Ital. Idrobiol. 51: 12–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsicano, L. J.& P.A. Siver, 1993.Apaleolimnological assessment of lake acidification in five Connecticut lakes. J. Paleolimnol. 9: 209–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morales, E. pers. communic. University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.

  • Nicholls, K. H. & E. C. Carney, 1979. The rare planktonic diatom Eunotia zasuminensis in Canada. Can. J. Bot. 57: 1150–1154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, R. & C.Reimer, 1966. TheDiatoms of theUnited States.Vol. 1. Monograph No. 3. Academy ofNatural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, R. & C. Reimer, 1975. The Diatoms of the United States. Vol. 2. Part 1. Monograph No. 13. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reavie, E. D., R. I. Hall & J. P. Smol, 1995. An expanded weightedaveraging model for inferring past total phosphorus concentrations from diatom assemblages in eutrophic British Columbia (Canada) lakes. J. Paleolimnol. 14: 49–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, J. R., M. Gates & J. L. Rosenfeld, 1959. Explanatory text for the preliminary geologic map of Connecticut, 1956. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut. Hartford, CT. 84 pp.

  • Siver, P. A., 1980. Microattachment patterns of diatoms on leaves of Potamogeton robbinsii Oakes. Trans. Amer. Microsc. Soc. 99: 217–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A., 1987. The distribution and variation of Synura species (Chrysophyceae) in Connecticut, U.S.A. Nord. J. Bot. 7: 107–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A., 1991. The Biology of Mallomonas: Morphology, Taxonomy and Ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 230 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A., 1993. Inferring the specific conductivity of lake water with scaled chrysophytes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 38: 1480–1492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A. & J. S. Hamer, 1989. Multivariate statistical analyses of the factors controlling the distribution of scaled chrysophytes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 34: 368–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A. & J. S. Hamer, 1990. Use of extant populations of scaled chrysophytes for the inference of lakewater pH. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 47: 1339–1347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A., R. W. Canavan IV, C. K. Field, L. J. Marsicano & A. M. Lott, 1996. Historical changes in Connecticut lakes over a 55year period. J. Envir. Qual. 25: 334–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A. & L. J. Marsicano, 1996. Inferring lake trophic status using scaled chrysophytes. Beiheft zur Nova Hedwigia 114: 233–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siver, P. A. & H. Kling, 1997. Morphological observations of Aulacoseira using scanning electron microscopy. Can. J. Bot. 75: 1807–1835.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smol, J. P., 1992. Paleolimnology: An important tool for effective ecosystem management. J. Aquat. Ecosyst. Health. 1: 49–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smol, J. P., 1995. Application of chrysophytes to problems in paleoecology. In Sandgren, C., J. Smol & J. Kristiansen (eds), Chrysophyte Algae: Ecology, Phylogeny and Development. Cambridge Press: 303–331.

  • Stevenson, A. C., S. Juggins, H. J. B. Birks, D. S. Anderson, N. J. Anderson, R.W. Battarbee, F. Berge, R. B. Davis, R. J. Flower, E. Y. Haworth, V. J. Jones, J. C. Kingston, A. M. Kreiser, J. M. Line, M. A. R. Munro & I. Renberg, 1991. The surface waters acidification project palaeolimnology programme: modern diatom/lakewater chemistry dataset. ENSIS Publishing, London, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoermer, E. F. & H. Håkansson, 1984. Stephanodiscus parvus: validation of an enigmatic and widely misconstrued taxon. Nova Hedwigia Band XXXIX: 497–511.

    Google Scholar 

  • ter Braak, C. J. F., 1986. Canonical correspondence analysis: a new eigenvector techinque for multivariate direct gradient analysis. Ecology 67: 1167–1179.

    Google Scholar 

  • ter Braak, C. J. F., 1988a. CANOCO-a FORTRAN program for canonical community ordination by [partial][ detrended] [canonical] correspondence analysis, principal components analysis and redundancy analysis. Tech. REp. No. LWA8802. Institute of Applied Computer Science, Statistical Department, Wageningen, 6700 AC Wageningen, The Netherlands, 95 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • ter Braak, C. J. F., 1988b. Partial canonical correspondence analysis. In Brock, H. H. (ed), Classification and Related Methods of Data Analysis. North Holland, Amsterdam: 551–558.

    Google Scholar 

  • ter Braak, C. J. F. & C. W. N. Looman, 1986. Weighted averaging logistic regression and the Gaussian response model. Vegetation 65: 3–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • ter Braak, C. J. F. & H. van Dam, 1989. Inferring pH from diatoms: a comparison of old an new calibration methods. Hydrobiologia 178: 209–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teubner, K., 1995.Alightmicroscopical investigation andmultivariate statistical analyses of heterovalvar cells of Cyclotellaspecies (Bacillariophyceae) from lakes of the BerlinBrandenburg region. Diatom Res. 10: 191–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1983. Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes. EPA600/ 479/ 020. Cincinnati, OH.

  • Wetzel, R. G., 1983. Limnology. Saunders College Publishing, New York, 765 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel, R. G. & G. E. Likens, 1991.Limnological Analyses. SpringerVerlag. New York, 391 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, S. E., B. F. Cumming & J. P. Smol, 1994. Diatomsalinity relationships in 111 lakes from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Canada: the development of diatombased models for paleosalinity and paleoclimatic reconstructions. J. Paleolimnology 12: 197–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeeb, B. A. & J. P. Smol, 1991. Paleolimnological investigation of the effects of road salt seepage on scaled chrysophytes in Fonda Lake, Michigan. J. Paleolimnol. 5: 263–266.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botany Department, Connecticut College, New London, CT, 06320, USA

    Peter A. Siver

Authors
  1. Peter A. Siver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Siver, P.A. Development of paleolimnological inference models for pH, total nitrogen and specific conductivity based on planktonic diatoms. Journal of Paleolimnology 21, 45–60 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008047906094

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008047906094

Search

Navigation