Nutrient enrichment and eutrophication of Lake Michigan. Final report, November 1 1969-September 30, 1981

Technical Report ·

OSTI ID:5213178

Schelske, C L

This project was initiated in 1969 to identify and study processes that were contributing to accelerated eutrophication of Lake Michigan. Results of several different types of nutrient enrichment experiments showed that inputs of phosphorus to the lake accelerated phytoplankton growth and eutrophication. It was also shown that there was an imbalance in the inputs of phosphorus and silica to the lake relative to the amounts required by diatoms. As a result silica concentrations decreased over a 30- to 40-y period to levels that limited diatom production and favored the growth of blue-green and green algae, a generally undesirable environmental change. These findings indicated that additional research should be conducted on effects of phosphorus and silica on phytoplankton growth and on effects of tributary inputs, which supply large amounts of phosphorus. In addition research was conducted on the silica cycle to understand processes involved in changing the geochemical environment from silica replete to silica limited for diatom growth.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA). Great Lakes Research Div.
• DOE Contract Number: AS02-76EV02003
• OSTI ID: 5213178
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/02003-44; COO-2003-44; ON: DE82015576
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
LAKE MICHIGAN
EUTROPHICATION
PHOSPHORUS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
PHYTOPLANKTON
POPULATION DYNAMICS
SILICA
ALGAE
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
DIATOMS
WATER POLLUTION
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GREAT LAKES
LAKES
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANKTON
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SURFACE WATERS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560303 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)