EFFECTS of HYPOLIMNETIC AERATION on FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS of the LAKE ECOSYSTEM by IAN ASHLEY of B R I T I S H Columbia, 1976 A
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EFFECTS OF HYPOLIMNETIC AERATION ON FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS OF THE LAKE ECOSYSTEM by KENNETH IAN ASHLEY B.Sc, The University Of British Columbia, 1976 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Department of Zoology and Institute of Animal Resource Ecology) We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA March 20, 1981 ©Kenneth Ian Ashley, 1981 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of The University of British Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T 1W5 nir_ £ 10 /"7Q \ 11 ABSTRACT Effects Of Hypolimnetic Aeration On Functional Components Of The Lake Ecosystem by Kenneth Ian Ashley The whole-lake experimental approach was used to examine the effect of hypolimnetic aeration on several key components of the lake ecosystem. These included circulation and decomposition processes, major nutrient, ion and-pH interactions as well as phytoplankton and zooplankton populations. A small (3.9 ha, Z max.=9.0 m) naturally eutrophic lake was divided into experimental and control halves by a plastic curtain, and a hypolimnetic aerator installed in the experimental half and operated from April 1978 to March 1979. Hypolimnetic aeration had no effect on thermal stratification during the ice-free season but circulated the entire experimental half under ice cover. Aeration increased hypolimnetic turbidity but did not affect epilimnetic transparency. Hypolimnetic oxygen levels were increased along with a ten fold rise in oxygen consumption. Hypolimnetic ammonia levels were reduced and sufficient oxygen was added for nitrification to occur. Internal phosphorous loading and hypolimnetic orthophosphate levels were also reduced however aerobic P regeneration, increased. Aeration vented accumulated CO^ from the hypolimnion and decreased its calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and orthophosphate content via calcium carbonate coprecipitation. Phytoplankton abundance and species composition (averaged over the water column) were not affected by hypolimnetic aeration. The zooplankton community exhibited similar vertical distribution on both halves of the lake however greater numbers were found on the experimental half after several months aeration. Management implications of hypolimnetic aeration are also discussed. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii List of Tables vii List of Figures viii Acknowledgements x Introduction 1 History of Lake Aeration 7 Destratification 7 Hypolimnetic Aeration 9 Study Area , 11 Lake History 11 Climate and Watershed 12 Lake Description and Morphometry 12 Materials and Methods 16 Aeration System 16 Curtain 18 Operation 19 Sampling 19 Physical 20 Chemical 20 Phytoplankton 21 Zooplankton 22 Aerator 22 Statistics 23 Results 24 Circulation Processes 24 V Temperature 25 Transparency 28 Decomposition Processes 30 Oxygen 30 Total Organic Carbon 33 Major Nutrients 35 Nitrogen 35 Phosphorus- 40 N:P Ratios 45 Major Ions 47 Total Alkalinity 47 Calcium and Magnesium 48 Manganese 50 pH Interactions 52 Phytoplankton 53 Biomass 53 Composition • 55 Zooplankton 59 Discussion 66 Circulation 67 Decomposition 70 Major Nutrients 77 Nitrogen 77 Phosphorus 81 N:P Ratios 84 Major Ions 86 pH 90 Phytoplankton 92 vi Zooplankton 94 Management Implications and Suggestions 99 Summary and Conclusions 101 Literature Cited 104 Appendix 116 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Morphometric Features Of Black Lake 15 Table 2. Environmental Laboratory Water Chemistry Methods .116 Table 3. List Of Personal Communications 118 Table 4. List Of F Values For Water Quality Parameters ....119 Table 5. List Of F Values For Zooplankton . 120 vi i i LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Black Lake showing depth contours, compressor site, curtain position, aerator location and sampling sites 13 Figure 2. A schematic diagram of the Black Lake hypolimnetic aerator 17 Figure 3. Temperature isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 26 Figure 4. Secchi and 1% transmission depths for experimental (west)' and control (east) sides 29 Figure 5. Oxygen isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 31 Figure 6. Total oxygen content in experimental (west) and control (east) sides 32 Figure 7. Total organic carbon isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 34 Figure 8. Ammonia nitrogen isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 36 Figure 9. Nitrate nitrogen isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 38 Figure 10. Total organic nitrogen isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 40 Figure 11. Orthophosphate phosphorus isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 41 Figure 12. Hypolimnetic dissolved organic phosphorus content in experimental (west) and control (east) sides 43 Figure 13. Total phosphorus content in experimental (west) and control (east) sides 45 Figure 14. Whole lake N:P ratios in experimental (west) and control (east) sides 46 Figure 15. Total alkalinity isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 48 Figure 16. Dissolved calcium isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 49 Figure 17. Dissolved manganese isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 51 Figure 18. Hypolimnetic pH levels in the experimental (west) and control (east) sides 53 Figure 19. Chlorophyll a isopleths for experimental (west) and control (east) sides 54 Figure 20. Phytoplankton composition in experimental (west) and control (east) sides 57 Figure 21. Total zooplankton, Daphnia pulex and Keratella quadrata (numbers/m2) in the experimental (west) and control (east) sides 60 Figure 22. Cyclops bicuspidatus nauplii, copepodites and adults (numbers/m2) in the experimental (west) and control (east) sides 63 Figure 23. Diaptomus leptopus nauplii, copepodites and adults (numbers/m2) in the experimental (west) and control (east) sides 65 X ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A project of this magnitude could not have been possible without the assistance of several individuals. I am especially grateful to F.A. Ashley and G.T. "Ozone" Sutherland whose mechanical intuition and construction skills ensured the successful construction and installation of experimental equipment. C.J. Bull, D. McKay, D. Smith and K. Tsumura (Fish and Wildlife Branch) were helpful on a continuous basis. I would like to thank Dr. W.E. Neill and Dr. Adrienne Peacock for introducing me to experimental limnology. Edgar Guindon and G.J. Steer provided valuable assistance with their knowledge of computer programing. Special thanks are due to Dr. K.J. Hall, Dr. T.G. Northcote and Dr. A.F. Tautz who offered timely suggestions throughout my thesis program and greatly assisted in improving the manuscript. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the students (past and present) and faculty of the Institute of Animal Resource Ecology for providing a stimulating and thoroughly entertaining research environment. This study was supported by the Fisheries Research Section of the British Columbia Fish and Wildlife Branch (Ministry of Environment) and an NRC grant (67-3454) to Dr. T.G. Northcote. 1 INTRODUCTION Excessive fertilization of natural waters is one of the most serious water quality problems in the world today (Dunst et al., 1974; NAS, 1969). Cultural eutrophication is caused by excessive addition of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen to lakes, streams, rivers, estuaries and coastal waters (Wetzel, 1975). In lakes, these additions result in increased aquatic plant growth, undesireable changes in species composition, oxygen depletions, fish kills and decreased water quality for domestic, recreational and industrial use (Lee, 1970a). Following the limiting-nutrient controversey of the late 1960's, attention in the 1970's focused on reducing nutrient inputs and rehabilitating culturally eutrophied lakes. Certain lakes recovered from excessive nutrient loading after nutrient diversion eg. Lake Washington (Edmondson, 1972), however nearby Lake Sammamish did not respond similarly (Rock, 1974). Lake Trummen in Sweden is another lake in which the eutrophic status remained unchanged following nutrient diversion (Bjork et al., 1972). Lakes of this type were sufficiently eutrophic to maintain their present state via internal nutrient recycling long after external nutrient sources were removed. As a result, the field of lake restoration came into existence as limnologists and engineers attempted to develop methods for restoring eutrophic lakes. Lake restoration refers to "... the .manipulation of a lake ecosystem to effect an in-lake improvement in degraded, or undesirable conditions" (Dunst et al., 1974). Artificial aeration is one technique used in 2 restoring eutrophic lakes (Lorenzen and Fast, 1977). Artificial aeration reoxygenates depleted hypolimnetic waters and technically creates oligotrophic oxygen conditions in eutrophic lakes. However, as is often the case with new technology, artificial aeration as a lake restoration technique was initially applied with little understanding of its ecological impact