Linking phytoplankton community composition and associated toxic events to changes in nutrient loading is a critical step toward documenting the success of watershed based nutrient mitigation practices; developing effective, long-term nutrient management strategies for the Great Lakes; and protecting waters used for drinking and recreation. This project will coordinate efforts across these different entities to better understand and forecast cHAB events throughout the Great Lakes and determine if the same forces are driving blooms between systems to inform mitigation strategies for each site. The aim is to leverage established water quality programs and strengthen efforts through ensuring that a core set of parameters are collected and analyzed using the same methods, calibration methods and standards, and enhance efforts where needed. Specifically the work will enhance and coordinate analysis of phytoplankton groups (e.g. FluoroProbe), nutrient observation, hyperspectral mapping, ‘omics techniques to identify dominant Microcystis strains, and toxin analysis. This will be an ongoing effort to connect drivers across ecosystems, as well as assist in determining the role climate (precipitation and temperature) may play in driving the blooms within individual systems.
Funding:
FY2024: $275,000
FY2023: $150,000
FY2022: $204,000
Contact:
Reagan.Errera@noaa.gov