Fresh Pond Reservation: Eyes on Algae

Julie Coffey Watershed Management Assistant

Tonight’s objectives:

• Understand the importance of algae

• Learn how the Cambridge Water Department is monitoring algae

• Discover some common genera of algae and learn identifying features

What are algae?

Algae is a BROAD term, from diatoms to kelp: Some resemble plants… Others bacteria… Still others protists…

Algae, A Brief History:

3.5 Billion Years Ago

A group of aquatic, photosynthetic, eukaryotic organisms ranging from unicellular to multicellular and generally possessing chlorophyll but lacking true roots, stems, or leaves.

Algae, Defined:

Classification:

• Cell wall composition

• Motile or non-motile

• Colonial or individual

• Pigmentation

Plankton

“Plankton” from the Greek word planktos Haloplankton-always present as plankton Meroplankton-have resting stages in the sediment

Habitat

• Freshwater ecosystems

• Saltwater ecosystems

• Soils

• Hot springs

• Moss/Lichens

• Turtle carapaces, fur of the 3-toed sloth

Epibionts:

Gomphonema

•Size as defense •Resource sharing •Cell differentiation: reproduction •Improved mobility/reduced sinking

Colonial Algae:

Importance of Algae: Oxygen

Oxygen Chlorophyll

Importance of Algae: Fisheries

In 2011:

$200 billion generated

$433 million in Massachusetts

1.7 million jobs

Phytoplankton as primary producers!

Importance of Algae: Fossil Fuels

Oceanic oil deposits

Biofuel potential

Diatoms

• Golden-brown algae

• Cell walls made up of Silica

– Strong influence on function

• 25% Global Net Primary Productivity

Diatomite

Silica deposits from diatoms used in:

• Filtration for beer/wine, pools

• Industrial absorbents

• Grit in toothpaste

• Road paint

Blue-green Algae (Cyanobacteria)

Photosynthesizing bacteria

• Pioneered photosynthesis, sexual reproduction, urea cycles

• Vertical regulation: gas vacuoles and metabolism (stratification)

Why We Care About Algae:

Water Quality

Indication of watershed health

Community baseline

( and they’re really fun to look at...)

Preventing Algal Blooms

Causes:

Nutrient loading (N,P)

Eutrophication

Temperature (growth rate)

Effects:

Shading/competition

Oxygen depletion

Presence of Cyanotoxins

CWD Algae Monitoring Program

• Volunteer monitoring in Black’s Nook and Little Fresh Pond since 2003

• Chl-a samples from reservoirs

12/18/2004, LFP

Phytoplankton Zooplankton

Asterionella Copepods

Pediastrum Cladocerans

Dinobryon Ostracods

Staurastrum

CWD Algae Program Goals

Weekly reservoir monitoring

– Identify and quantify populations

Continue reservation monitoring

–Analyze historical data for trends

Algae of Little Fresh Pond

Pediastrum, LFP, 1/12/15 Synura, LFP, 1/12/15

Staurastrum, 12/22/2014

Staurastrum, LFP 1/12/15

Crucigenia, LFP 1/12/15

Algae of Little Fresh Pond

Black’s Nook 11/17/2014

Scenedesmus

Mallomonas

Black’s Nook 11/24/2014

Ceratium: golden algae, dinoflagellate, protozoan

Closterium, green algae

Centronella: Diatom

Dinobryon: golden- algae, diatom

Black’s Nook 12/29/2014

Fragilaria

Black’s Nook Pediastrum Species

Note: Pediastrum are most often found in quiet waters

Now on to the fun part…

Additional Resources

Glossary of algal terms: http://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/glossary

Algae pictures for ID: http://www.keweenawalgae.mtu.edu/

Detailed species descriptions: http://algaebase.org/search/genus/

Credits: Kelp-http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/events/department-news/983/paper-by-libe-washburn-selected-as-an-agu-research-spotlight/

Sloth-https://animalartsdesignstudio.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/biomimicry-and-the-sloth/

Diatomite-http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3044/fs-2006-3044.pdf, http://elkorose.schopine.com/vivian.html

Black duck-http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/481/galleries/photos/RNB_American-Black-Duck-0007

Coyote-http://featheredphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/coyote-8829-ron-dudley.jpg O2 production-https://scripps.ucsd.edu/biblio/algae-worlds-most-important-plants-introduction

Tree of life http://www.encognitive.com/node/10795

Cycle-Microbial control of the dark end of the biological pump, Herndl, G; Reinthaler,T

Herring: "Clupea harengus Gervais.flipped" by Gervais et Boulart, 1877 - flipped version of File:Clupea harengus Gervais.jpg - Les poissons Gervais, H.. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clupea_harengus_Gervais.flipped.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Clupea_harengus_Gervais.flipped.jpg

Bloom-http://www.clf.org/blog/tag/nutrient-pollution/

Algae age-http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/cyanofr.html

Algal maps:http://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/plankton, world ocean atlas via wikipedia