An evaluation of cyanobacterial occurrence and bloom development in Adirondack lakes

Rebecca M. Gorney; Elizabeth A. Nystrom; Michael D.W. Stouder; Ann E. St. Amand; Cory Suave; Denise Clark; Erin A. Stelzer; Carrie E. Givens; Jennifer L. Graham

doi:10.1080/10402381.2024.2406283

USGS · 70260663

An evaluation of cyanobacterial occurrence and bloom development in Adirondack lakes

Rebecca M. Gorney·Elizabeth A. Nystrom·Michael D.W. Stouder·Ann E. St. Amand·Cory Suave·Denise Clark·Erin A. Stelzer·Carrie E. Givens·Jennifer L. Graham

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Abstract

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) have occurred in many low nutrient (oligotrophic) lakes in the northeastern United States. The Adirondack Park in New York is a large, mountainous region with many low nutrient lakes. There is a gap in understanding regarding whether cyanoHAB reporting data are truly reflective of the susceptibility of lakes to develop bloom conditions. We evaluated lakes with and without documented cyanoHABs for cyanotoxin synthetase gene quantification, phytoplankton community composition, and akinete abundance to identify conditions associated with the observation of cyanoHABs. We analyzed: (1) contributions of cyanobacteria to the overall phytoplankton community; (2) differences in cyanobacterial communities and the presence of cyanotoxin synthetase genes; and (3) lake physical and geomorphological attributes as drivers of differences in cyanobacteria occurrence. Two sample types (water and sediment) were collected from two sample locations (nearshore and open water) in five lakes in 2021. We found cyanobacteria in all lakes and sample locations. Phytoplankton biovolume and cyanotoxin synthetase genes differed among lakes and by cyanoHAB history. Samples from lakes with documented blooms were associated with marginally higher total phosphorus. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to identify which environmental factors influenced community structure. Our study demonstrates the importance of multifaceted approaches to detect cyanobacteria that may only be apparent during ephemeral bloom events and the similarities among lakes with and without a history of bloom reports. This work contributes to a better understanding of cyanoHAB occurrence in Adirondack lakes, and conditions that may cause low nutrient lakes to be susceptible to cyanoHABs.

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Source-reported bounding extent: 43.22532864552494° to 44.65472774562582° latitude; -74.85479279895394° to -73.52390044328924° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Rebecca M. Gorney, Elizabeth A. Nystrom, Michael D.W. Stouder, Ann E. St. Amand, Cory Suave, Denise Clark, Erin A. Stelzer, Carrie E. Givens, Jennifer L. Graham. 2024-11-05. An evaluation of cyanobacterial occurrence and bloom development in Adirondack lakes. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402381.2024.2406283

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