A U S TIN 2011

Abstracts October 31 November 4, 2011 Austin Convention Center Austin, Texas USA
U N IV E R S IT Y The rising STAR of Texas

Organizers: River Systems Institute, Texas State University International Lake Environment Committee Foundation

R iv e r SYSTEMS INSTITUTE
W Texas State University

Successful lake management requires a solid understanding of the lakes status and the factors controlling the status. On the evidence of Lake Peipsi, the role of monitoring in the lake man agement is unprecedented. Moreover, it is of overriding importance to continue the tradition of monitoring. Some factors (e.g., internal loading) have long-term impacts, which can be detected solely with the regular monitoring. After gathering a substantial body of information, the goals of monitoring program could be re-established (eliminate/add sampling) in order to make it more effective. In case of Lake Peipsi, including of sediment studies into the monitoring program could be considered. The policies that might prevent or mitigate environmental damage in the Peipsi region should be equally applied for all the countries involved in making the monitoring of the transboundary lake considerably more effective.
Toward a Predictive Model for Cyanobacterial Blooms Based on Fossil Pigments
DESHPANDE, Bethany
Universit Laval, Canada

Cyanobacterial blooms create a broad range of water quality problems and are of increasing concern throughout the world. My research is focused on developing a predictive model of cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater lakes based on paleolimnological indicators, physical and chemical limnological factors, and climatic variations. Specifically, I am combining biogeo chemical analysis of fossil pigments in lake sediments with historical climate information such as average precipitation and temperature, and nutrient variables to assess and predict fluctuations in cyanobacterial blooms. Here I present some initial data used in my model that includes the timeline of past blooms, knowledge of lake history with respect to anthropogenic activity, eutrophication, climate, and water chemistry. The sedimentary fossil pigments were determined by high pressure liquid chro matography (HPLC) and include chlorophyll a, beta-carotene, alloxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, echinenone, diatoxanthin, and more. Field studies were also conducted to measure present-day conductivity, pH, oxygen levels and temperature throughout the water column. The sedimenta tion rates for the lakes have also been determined (0.5mm/year - 8.5mm/year), reflecting the difference in productivity in the waterbody as well as other geologic and climatic factors. The study consisted of data from 11 temperate lakes from southern Quebec, Canada, giving a total of 165 discrete samples from the sediment cores. The analysis of these sediment cores provides insight into historical lake conditions and impacts on phytoplankton communities spanning 100 to 300 years before present day. These preliminary results imply that the chosen lakes and time frames will provide a broad spectrum of conditions to develop the predictive model.
Hydrography of the Sauce Grande Shallow Lake
FORNERON, Claudia Fernanda
Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina

I am a PhD student from the Universidad National del Sur. My dissertation is about the Hy drography of the Sauce Grande Shallow Lake located in the SW of the Buenos Aires province, Argentina. From September 2008 to December 2010 we measured monthly physical (water temperature, electrical conductivity, suspended sediment, pH, dissolved oxygen) and meteo rological parameters (air temperature, relative humidity and wind). On February 2011, a buoy was installed in the Sauce Grande shallow lake (It could be a future site GLEON). Consequently, water temperature, electrical conductivity, suspended sediment, water level and meteorological parameters are now measured with a time interval of 5 minutes. I studied the regional climate
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where the lake is located and the general hydrography of the shallow lake. Now I am analyzing the high frequency data with statistical methods. I am also interested in studying the changes in the area of the water surface of the lake due to strong evaporation caused by the drought that has affected Argentina in the last years. I use GIS techniques and I am processing satellite images. I am working actively in a project denominated Integral study of the pampean Shallow Lakes (Buenos Aires province, Argentina) funded by the University (UNS). Also, I am part of the Net work for the Monitoring of Wetlands and Lakes (ReMHul) in Argentina, where we measure and share experiences about the ecosystems that characterized the Argentinean lakes. I participated as PhD student in three meetings organized by the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON). Next October I will attend the next GLEON 13 meeting in USA. These meetings are useful to get scientific inputs and share experiences with senior researchers of other countries These workshops have given me great learning experiences. I am really interested in to progress professionally and personally. The main achievement I made in my research is to change in analyzing low frequency hydrographic data to one higher frequency. Data from the buoy located on the Sauce Grande Shallow Lake offers me a new opportunity to investigate lake variability at timescales that are not resolved by traditional weekly to monthly lake sampling.
The Need and Future Direction for Inland Water Monitoring and Data Processing
PALESSE, Stphanie
Universit Blaise Pascal, France

Changes in freshwater environments and the related resources and services in the world are becoming increasingly serious and alarming. Inland water ecosystems are subjected to massive changes as a result of multiple pressures. Challenges related to water quality and quantity raise up with increasing water demands and are exacerbated by a combination of climate change, introduction of alien species, pollution and dam construction, putting further pressure on freshwater biodiversity and the services it provides. Current concepts of the biological monitoring of water quality are extensively focused on phytoplankton and other higher organisms such as macrozoobenthos and fishes, whereas the biodiversity of heterotrophic microorganisms or any more specific analysis of their various activities is virtually ignored. Ecological functioning of freshwaters cannot be fully understood and their ecological status adequately assessed if some of the major biogeochemical players in aquatic food webs, i.e. viruses, bacteria and heterotrophic protists, are ignored. Indeed, there are many aquatic ecosystems that do not host fish or macrophytes, but there is not a single ecosystem irrespective of its size, that is devoid of microorganisms. Any improved monitoring and management scheme of inland waters for their sustainable use as drinking water source, for recreation, or irrigation, as well as any future implementation of bioremiation measures will require an improved scientific understanding of the role of the different environmentally relevant microorganisms in shaping aquatic ecosystems. During the last three decades, new techniques of analysis and of observation in microbiology allowed scientists to free themselves from traditional growing culture methods. Indeed, the application of new tools of analysis (electronic microscopy, epifluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry...), molecular and cellular tools (fluorophore, markers, ribosomal probes...) and new generation molecular biology techniques (Pyrosequencing) allowed becoming conscious of the high abundance of bacterial communities and their huge diversity. Recent studies showed that microorganisms are not only the most abundant organisms in natural freshwater systems,