Calm Before (and After) the Storm: Phytoplankton Community Turnover after Severe 2023 VT Flooding Event
Conference Year
2024
Abstract
Phytoplankton act as ecosystem sentinels within lakes, where community structure, biomass, and primary production are rapidly affected by disturbance, such as the catastrophic July 2023 Vermont floods. This study aimed to assess lake phytoplankton community turnover and recovery pre- and post-flood. We sampled four Vermont inland lakes biweekly during summer 2023 for water quality and phytoplankton community structure. We found significant shifts in phytoplankton biomass and community structure immediately post-flooding, consistent with water column stability and recovery timeline patterns. These shifts in ecosystem characteristics in response to flooding emphasize the importance of understanding lake ecosystem response to extreme events.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Ana Morales-Williams
Status
Graduate
Student College
Rubenstein School of Environmental and Natural Resources
Program/Major
Natural Resources
Primary Research Category
Life Sciences
Calm Before (and After) the Storm: Phytoplankton Community Turnover after Severe 2023 VT Flooding Event
Phytoplankton act as ecosystem sentinels within lakes, where community structure, biomass, and primary production are rapidly affected by disturbance, such as the catastrophic July 2023 Vermont floods. This study aimed to assess lake phytoplankton community turnover and recovery pre- and post-flood. We sampled four Vermont inland lakes biweekly during summer 2023 for water quality and phytoplankton community structure. We found significant shifts in phytoplankton biomass and community structure immediately post-flooding, consistent with water column stability and recovery timeline patterns. These shifts in ecosystem characteristics in response to flooding emphasize the importance of understanding lake ecosystem response to extreme events.