Spatial Heterogeneity of Zooplankton and AquaBOT Water Quality Measurements on Lake Geneserath, Beaver Island, Michigan
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Authors
Moore, Laura Ann
Issue Date
2025-05-30
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
University of the South , Biology Department , Sewanee Senior Honors Theses 2025, zooplankton, water quality, Michigan, freshwater, ecology, spatial
Alternative Title
Abstract
Understanding the spatial heterogeneity of zooplankton is important for identifying patterns in freshwater ecosystems and assessing ecosystem function and management. Lake Geneserath, Beaver Island, Michigan is an inland freshwater lake that is irregularly shaped and has become increasingly eutrophic, especially since the mid 20th century. Previous studies show correlations between zooplankton spatial heterogeneity and water quality measurements, but there exists a gap in the knowledge of how these patterns manifest in an irregularly-shaped lake that is undergoing eutrophication such as Lake Geneserath. New technologies such as the AquaBOT aquatic drone from Oak Ridge National Laboratory can provide insights on water quality in freshwater ecosystems. I collected zooplankton samples (n = 45) and AquaBOT measurements (n = 1933) simultaneously from Lake Geneserath. I divided sampling between the four main regions of the lake: the narrow, developed North Arm; the undeveloped East Shore; the developed West shore; and the developed South End. I found that zooplankton abundance was significantly higher in the narrow North Arm of the lake compared to the other regions. Rotifer diversity was negatively correlated with photosynthetically active radiation. The variability of zooplankton and water quality revealed that the narrow North Arm of the lake is different from every other region in Lake Geneserath, representing a novel ecological observation where higher zooplankton abundance, lower dissolved oxygen, lower conductivity, and higher turbidity occurred specifically within a narrow, protected section of an irregularly-shaped lake.
Description
Citation
Publisher
University of the South