The responses at three trophic levels (phytoplankton, zooplankton, young-of-the-year bluegill) were compared between a limed and unlimed arm in a moderately fertile, circumneutral reservoir that was sensitive to acidification, but had not yet shown signs of damage. The east arm (25.5 ha) of Flat Top Lake was treated with 28.8 dry metric tonnes of calcite using slurry box technology between July 13-20, 1987. The design was confounded because calcite dissolution products diffused into the unlimed (west) arm after the treatment which made total alkalinity similar between the arms within 1 month. Phytoplankton gross productivity and chlorophyll a was similar between the arms for the pre- and post-treatment samples as well as for the period after the treatment when total alkalinity was relatively higher in the limed arm. Zooplankton biomass was higher in the unlimed than limed arm in the pre-treatment samples but was similar between the arms in the post-treatments samples; however, the changes in zooplankton biomass after treatment in the limed arm could not be attributed to the treatment. Phytoplankton community composition for the common netplankton and nannoplankton was similar between the limed and unlimed arms for the combined pre- and post-treatment samples: however, Gemellicystis spp., Gloeocystis spp., and Dinobryon spp. showed an order of magnitude higher density in the limed relative to the unlimed arm on the initial post-treatment sample. This difference, as well as the observed post-treatment differences in zooplankton community composition between the two arms could not be attributed to the treatment because there were minimal impacts on nutrient levels (e.g., CO2, total phosphorus) and zooplankton-phytoplankton interactions. Lake transparency was significantly deeper in the limed arm relative to the unlimed arm for the post-treatment samples; however, a corresponding lower dissolved organic carbon concentration was not measured in the limed arm. Young-of-the-year bluegill (e.g., primarily those 15-20 d old) showed significantly higher growth rates in the unlimed arm during the period when total alkalinity was higher in the limed arm, apparently due to a higher density of suitable pelagic zooplankton in the unlimed arm during this period. In conclusion, no significant positive or negative responses to the treatment were detected because of trophic level interactions. The high pre-treatment pH (7.07), small change in post-treatment pH, low dissolution percentage (8-10%), the inability of the sediment dose to neutralize the acidic sediments and induce phosphorus release, and phosphorus rather than carbon dioxide limited primary productivity were the main factors why no significant post-treatment biological responses were detected. / Master of Science

Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measured within water bodies have been increasing on a global scale over the last two decades. Changes in temperature and rainfall have been shown to increase the production and export of DOC from catchments with peat soils in the UK (Freeman et al., 2001). However it is not clear whether increases in DOC concentrations are caused by production increases induced by temperature changes or by a greater incidence of high flows induced by rainfall changes. Increases in both temperature and rainfall have been predicted in Scotland over the next few decades (Kerr et al., 1999) which may further increase current DOC concentrations and exports. The implications of this include both a decrease in water quality and an increase in mobility of metals in upland water bodies. The overall aim of the thesis is to determine if the relationship between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and discharge has changed over a 20 year period in small stream catchments in Scotland, in order to better understand the role of hydrology, in driving changes in DOC concentration. To achieve this streams draining two coniferous forest sites and one moorland site were monitored intensively between June 2004 and February 2006. Analysis of the relationship between DOC and discharge, within the catchments, identified the importance of the amount of precipitation falling on the catchment, antecedent precipitation and season, on the concentration of DOC that was measured within the stream. Models were then developed using variables to represent these drivers in terms of both the production (seasonal sine values and 14 day average temperatures) and movement (log of discharge (log Q), days since previous storm event and rising or falling stage) of DOC. In the Ochil Hills catchment, the best predictive model, used 4 hour average discharge and 1 day average 30cm soil temperatures (R2= 0.88). In the Duchray and Elrig catchments, the best predictive models produced used discharge and seasonal sine values; the strength of the model was greater in the Elrig (R2= 0.80) than the Duchray (R2= 0.48) catchment. The strength of the regression models produced highlighted the importance of precipitation in the movement of DOC to the stream and temperature variables representing production in the surrounding catchment. To determine if dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations had changed within the three study catchments, since previous research was conducted at the same sites in the early 1980s and 1990s (Grieve, 1984a; Grieve, 1994), then regression analysis conducted in the previous research was repeated, so changes in the DOC and discharge relationship could be identified. Analysis of the Ochil Hills regression equations identified higher log of discharge and lower temperature and seasonal sine values in the present study (2004-06), when compared to the previous study (1982-83). This suggests that more DOC is now available for movement from the soil, and that the difference between winter and summer DOC production has decreased, potentially because of increasing temperatures. This would explain the limited increase in DOC concentration within the Ochil Hills stream. In the Duchray and Elrig streams, a large increase in DOC was identified at all discharges when all the models produced were compared between the two sampling periods (1989-90 and 2004-06). The increasing trend in DOC concentrations is too large to have been produced by change in temperature alone and it is suggested that the measured reduction in acidic deposition has resulted in the increased DOC concentrations measured in the Duchray and Elrig. The results from this research have identified that concentrations of DOC have increased in Scottish streams over the last 20 years and that the increases in DOC have been induced, potentially by temperature changes in climate. However, changes in temperature are not the only driver of this change as the reduction in acidic deposition is potentially more important, specifically in areas with base poor geology such as the Duchray and Elrig catchments.

[Truncated abstract] Acidic mine lakes are formed as a result of the oxidation and dissolution of metal sulfide minerals and are primarily characterized by low pH values of 2 – 4. Many strategies for the bioremediation of acidic mine lakes depend on the alkalinity generation capabilities of microbial ferric and/or sulfate reducing bacteria. However nearly all mine lakes are oligotrophic, with very low concentrations of available organic carbon and nutrients; all required for healthy microbial growth. There is also an unusual class of mine lakes characterized by low concentrations of organic carbon and also very low concentrations of dissolved iron and sulfate. Our ability to promote microbial activity in these systems is especially challenging. This study focuses on one of these systems, Lake Kepwari, a coal mine lake in Western Australia. Numerical modeling of remediation strategies is an efficient way of testing scenarios prior to expensive in-field trials. However such modeling relies on good descriptions of microbial processes, including kinetic parameterizations of ferric and sulfate reduction. There has been little research to date on the study of kinetic parameterizations of the chemical and biological alkalinity generation in acidic mine lakes. The objectives of this thesis were to investigate the viability of microbial ferric and sulfate reduction in an ultraoligotrophic, acidic mine lake, to assess the impact of these microbial processes on water quality and to parameterize the Dual Monod kinetics of neutralization under dual limitation conditions. Molecular analyses including most probable number, DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction, polymerase chain reaction – denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis were used to examine the microbial communities in the lake sediments. ... The Monod maximum specific microbial growth rates with respect to dissolved organic carbon and ferric, and as determined in batch experiments, were 0.07 ± 0.01 and 0.048 ± 0.02 day-1, respectively, and their corresponding Monod half saturation constants and were 14.37 and 5.6 mmol L-1. The Monod maximum consumption rates under ferric and OC limitation were also estimated. The Monod maximum specific microbial growth rates with respect to dissolved organic carbon and sulfate, , and were 0.05 ± 0.01, 0.08 ± 0.01 and 0.07 ± 0.02 day-1, respectively, and their corresponding Monod half saturation constants, and were 75.5, 131.8 and 10.2 mmol L-1. The Monod maximum consumption rates under sulfate and OC limitation were also estimated. The results of this study suggest that strategies for the remediation of ultraoligotrophic, acidic mine lakes may rely on microbial ferric and sulfate reduction, however additions of both organic carbon and sulfate/ferric are essential. These results can be immediately applied to mesocosm studies in outdoor enclosures and to the management of acidic mine lakes. Furthermore, this thesis has provided a new, valuable understanding on the Dual Monod kinetic parameterizations of neutralization for an ultraoligotrophic, acidic mine lake environment. These parameterizations are essential for the lake ecological models that will be used to investigate remediation scenarios for acidic mine lakes.

Coccolithophores are unicellular microscopic algae (Haptophyta) surrounded by calcium carbonate plates that are produced during their life cycle. These species, whose contemporary contributor is Emiliania huxleyi, are mainly found in the sub-polar and temperate oceans, where they produce huge blooms visible from space. Coccolithophores are sensitive to ocean acidification that results from the ongoing accumulation of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The response of these organisms to global change appears to be related to the reduction of their ability to produce calcium carbonate at the cellular level. At the community levels, one anticipates changes in the carbon fluxes associated to their blooms as calcification is reduced. However, the consequences of such environmental changes on this species are speculative and require improvements in the description of the mechanisms controlling the organic and inorganic carbon production and export.<p><p>The first aspect of this work was to study the response of these organisms to artificially modified CO2 concentrations representative of the conditions occurring in the past (glacial) and those expected by the end of the century (2100). Two different levels were examined: the continuous monospecific cultures (chemostats) allowed us to work at the cellular level while the mesocosms gave light to the mechanisms taking place in an isolated fraction of the natural community. The second aspect of this work consisted of field studies carried out during four cruises (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006) in the northern Bay of Biscay, where the occurrence of E. huxleyi blooms were observed in late spring and early summer. We describe the vertical profiles of biogeochemical variables (nutrients, chlorophyll-a, dissolved inorganic chemistry, particulate carbon, transparent exopolymer particles (TEP)) and study processes such as primary production, calcification and bacterial production. The properties of these blooms are compared with those reported in the literature and enriched with original measurements such as the abundance and concentration of TEP that could play an important role in carbon export to the deep ocean, modifying the properties of the settling ballasted aggregates.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished