Publication Date

5-1971

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Gary Dillard, Rudolph Prins, Joe Winstead

Degree Program

Department of Biology

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

A study of the phytoplankton periodicity and its correlation with chemicophysical parameters, diel variation of the plankton, and the cyclomorphotic variation of Ceratium hirundinella was made in Shanty Hollow Lake, Warren County, Kentucky, from October, 1969, to August, 1970.

Phytoplankton samples were collected at zero and six feet with a Kemmerer sampler (31 October through 8 December) and with a ten -liter Birge-Juday plankton trap (23 December through 9 August). Water samples for the chemicophysical determinations were collected with a Kemmerer sampler. The phytoplankton samples were preserved with 5% formalin until they were enumerated. The chemicophysical determinations (pH, conductivity, dissolved solids, orthophosphate, silicon, turbidity) were performed immediately upon arrival at the laboratory. Temperature was recorded in the field.

Statistical analyses of the phytoplankton and chemicophysical data indicated no differences among the three sites and between the two depths sampled on each sampling date.

Asterionella formosa, Crucigenia tetrapedia, Ankistrodesmus spiralis, and Dinobryon sertularia were observed to be cool water species; Ceratium hirundinella and Mallomonas caudata were observed to be warm water species. Trachelcmonas spp. populations varied with the temperature with about a two -month lag between the initial temperature change and the subsequent population change.

Measurements of Ceratium hirundinella individuals from four sampling dates indicated that with an increase in water temperature, the overall length of the cells, the number of horns, and the length of the apical horn decreased, while the width of the cells increased.

Phytoplankton and zooplankton samples were collected from a single station every four hours over a 24 -hour period. Statistical analyses of the data revealed no differences in numbers of plankton among the sampling times, but differences in numbers of plankton among the depths.

Polycystis aeruginosa densities were low throughout the study possibly because the pH of the water was too low for optimum growth.

Asterionella formosa and Dinobryon sertularia maxima coincided with concentrations of silica above 0.5 mg/1, while the populations of these organisms varied inversely with the concentrations of orthophosphate.

Conductivity and dissolved solids were at a maximum following the decline of the Aphanizomenon flos-aquae bloom on 3 July. Turbidity was also at a low at this time. A high concentration of orthophosphate and a low concentration of silica coincided with the bloom.


Disciplines

Biology | Life Sciences | Marine Biology

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