Fewer blue lakes and more murky lakes across the continental U.S.: Implications for planktonic food webs.

ABSTRACT: Elevated allochthonous inputs of organic matter are increasingly recognized as a driver of ecosystem change in lakes, particularly when concurrent with eutrophication. Evaluation of lakes in a nutrient-color paradigm (i.e., based on total phosphorus and true color) enables a more robust approach to research and management. To assess temporal and spatial patterns in nutrient-color status for U.S. lakes and associated food web attributes, we analyzed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Lakes Assessment (NLA) data. With 1000+ lakes sampled in 2007 and 2012 in a stratified random sampling design, the NLA enables rigorous assessment of lake condition across the continental U.S. We demonstrate that many U.S. lakes are simultaneously experiencing eutrophication and brownification

SUBMITTER: Leech DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6961962 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature