Neighborhood Lakes and Ponds Workshop

January 27th, 2016 ǀ 1:00AM to 4:30PM Rookery Bay NERR Education Center, Naples, FL

Serge Thomas, Ph.D. Florida Gulf Coast University [email protected], 239-590-7148

7632 ponds in 2013 in Lee County Thomas, unpublished Thomas, unpublished Chapter 62-40 of the Florida Administrative Code

Stormwater runoff to be slowed down in order to:  prevent erosion allow siltation/sedimentation prior to reaching natural hydrosystems,  promote soil filtration over adequate soils and thus permitting pollutant removal let the aquifer recharge to ultimately protect the delicate floral and faunal balances of the downstream coasts.

 Through Chapter 62-40, stormwater pollutants to be reduced by 80% with respect to the State Water Quality Standards and changed to 95% reduction when such stormwater emptied into an Outstanding Florida Waterway (OFW). • Removal of at least 80% of pollutant load for class III and 95% removal for class I and class II waters. (Livingston 1993). Reduction: • Total Suspended Solids (TSS) = 75 to 85% • Total Nitrogen (TN) = 37 to 60% • Total Phosphorus (TP) = 59 to 85% • Metals = 40 to 80%

• Slow down water runoffs to the sea and rivers thus mimicking the original hydro-patterns (infiltration during the dry season & deliveries during the rainy months) Top-down control

10% Carnivores III 10% Carnivores II

10% Carnivores I 10% Grazers

Primary producers

Bottom-up Nutrients control

The Good algae The Good algae

… are the ones we cannot see

 Glacial lake appearance LIMITED NUTRIENTS The Good algae, HOWEVER, in S. Fl.

… are the ones we CAN see!!! !!! LIMITED NUTRIENTS !!! The Key component are the healthy benthic algae (periphyton): The Key component are the healthy benthic algae (periphyton):

“Periphyton is a complex community of microscopic organisms and especially algae that are adapted to remove the tiny bits of nutrients from the water. These nutrients are then transferred from the periphyton to the other inhabitants of the Everglades which thrive out of proportions.

In addition to being the foundation of the Everglades, periphyton creates ideal conditions that promotes limestone making.

This limestone slowly builds up over time, thus creating new land in a similar fashion to the coral building reefs. “ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8nWCXbEBhc&feature=plcp The Good algae

The Key component are the benthic algae (periphyton): The good periphyton:

- Is the base of the food chain

- Provides with most oxygen in the water column

- Arbors beneficial bacteria and invertebrates

- Disappears when the temperature is low (but especially grows during the rainy season)

- Does not release much nutrients when it decays

- Does not create odors when it decays likely because of its high calcium carbonate (chalk) content.

- When it decomposes, it creates a “slab” of limestone which isolates the lake bed. This is mostly inorganic calcium carbonate or chalk (low sediment built up).

- Can lock phosphorus as it dries up. Limestone is a trap for phosphorus.

- Can remove nitrogen through denitrifying bacteria The Key component are the benthic algae (periphyton): The good periphyton: Why the floating mats? (After all, we would be happy if they would not float) Why the floating mats? (After all, we would be happy if they would not float)

Periphyton grows as a thin layer first.

As periphyton gains in thickness, oxygen bubbles issued from the photosynthesis process get trapped

Because the mat grows thick, the basal periphyton no longer receives light and dies

The periphyton is no longer attached and it floats on the surface.

Eventually, it gets exported to open water or sink back to the bottom if the photosynthesis stops (periphyton dies, or if light is not present e.g. night). Why the floating mats? (After all, we would be happy if they would not float)

Periphyton can also grow on submerged unrooted plants such as the low nutrient adapted Utricularia purpurea .

When the pond has a little bit more nutrients, the periphyton will grow on Chara vulgaris or on Utricularia purpurea.

When plants and algae compete: we win! Top-down control

10% Carnivores III 10% Carnivores II

10% Carnivores I 10% Grazers

Primary producers

Bottom-up Nutrients control

Filamentous green algae (the bad) Pithophora: horsehair algae Coarse alga, feels like cotton when water is squeezed out. Made of numerous branching filaments. Yellowish to pale green.

BAD!

BAD!

GOOD! Cladophora: Blanket weed Green filamentous branching alga. Feels a bit rough and sometimes a bit gritty.

BAD!

BAD!

GOOD! BAD! Spirogyra (green alga), floating mat forming Feels like silk, bright green and slimy to the touch

Toxin: not known to produce toxins

BAD! BAD!

GOOD! Blue green algae Some bad, some very ugly

Microcystis aeruginosa (43%), scum forming

UGLY! UGLY!

UGLY!

GOOD! Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (40%), suspended in water

Toxin name: cylindrospermopsin

Can cause liver damage and even death in humans (water supply) Potentially carcinogenic in humans Creates skin reactions by contact Fish kill, cattle death, affects snails. Toxin bioaccumulates in molluscs, crayfish. Anabaena (29%), scum forming

Toxin: Microcystin, Anatoxin-a (nerve damage) Saxitoxin (nerve’s axons) Planktothrix (Oscillatoria) (14%), scum forming

Toxin: Microcystin, Anatoxin-a (nerve damage), Aplysiatoxin (skin)

UGLY!

UGLY!

http://www.epa.ohio.gov/ GOOD! Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (7%), scum forming

Toxin: Cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxin (nerve’s axon) Coelosphaerium (4%), scum forming

Toxin: Microcystin Lyngbya (1%), scum forming Dark green or nearly black thick mats .Musty or foul odor.

Toxin: Lygbyatoxin-A, debromoaplysiatoxin, saxitoxin (nerve’s axon)

Severe dermatis in swimmers

bad GOOD!

bad bad

bad

Top-down control

10% Carnivores III 10% Carnivores II

10% Carnivores I 10% Grazers

Primary producers

Bottom-up Nutrients control Conclusions:

1- your lake is a green technology water treatment

2- prevent nutrients to get to your water body using plants or any other system.

3- do not fertilize

4- plant the shoreline to cope with the good algae

5- ban copper sulfate (prefer mechanical removal)

Dana Dettmar, MS graduate

http://fgcu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fgcu%3A27450

FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING (BILL 2080) FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING (BILL 2080) FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING (BILL 2080)