The eutrophication of Lake Champlain's northeastern arm: Insights from paleolimnological analyses
Persistent URL
Author(s)
Ostrofsky, Milton L.
Levine, Suzanne N.
Lini, Andrea
Bunting, Lynda
Burgess, Heather
Leavitt, Peter R.
Reuter, Daun
Lami, Andrea
Guilizzoni, Piero
Gilles, Elizabeth
Date Issued
August 23, 2011
Abstract
The trophic history of Lake Champlain's northeastern arm was assessed using a multi-proxy paleolimnological approach to provide sub-basin specific information for restoration planning. Sediment cores collected from Missisquoi Bay, St. Albans Bay, and the central Northeast Arm (Inland Sea) were analyzed for nutrients, organic carbon, carbon stable isotopes, biogenic silica, pigments, diatoms and soft algae microfossils. Results indicate that this arm of Lake Champlain was oligotrophic when Europeans arrived in 1609, and that clearance of > 70% of catchment forest cover had minor impact on algal production. Instead, eutrophication of St. Albans Bay was concurrent with sewer installation and expansion in early 20th century, and again with urban development in the 1960–70s. In contrast, less urbanized Missisquoi Bay remained mesotrophic until agriculture intensified after 1970. Interpretation of central Northeast Arm trophic history is complicated because road and railroad causeways built in 19th century reduced sediment input to this basin for several decades. Nevertheless, high surface-sediment concentrations of nutrients, pigments and organic matter along with replacement of Cyclotella bodanica with more eutrophic Fragilaria crotonensis suggest substantial eutrophication in deep as well as shallow water after 1970. We conclude that effective restoration of the northeastern arm is possible, but will require stringent control of animal and human wastes and reduced use of crop fertilizers
Journal
Journal of Great Lakes Research
Department
Biology
Citation
Levine, S.N., Lini, A., Ostrofsky, M.L., et al. (2012). The eutrophication of Lake Champlain's northeastern arm: Insights from
paleolimnological analyses. Journal of Great Lakes Research 38(1): 35-48. doi: 10.1016/j.jglr.2011.07.007
Publisher
Elsevier
Version of Article
Published article
Embargo
The pre-print or post-print version of this article are available for viewing to the public after August 23, 2016.
DOI
10.1016/j.jglr.2011.07.007
ISSN
0380-1330
Rights
This published version is restricted by copyright. Please contact the publisher or author for access.
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
Ostrofsky_2012_JGLR_eutrophication.pdf
Description
Published Restricted
Size
1.67 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (etag)
fa75032747df66827d4166d68a970ea7
Name
Ostrofsky_2012_JGLR_paleolimnological_cover.pdf
Description
Cover Page
Size
332.86 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (etag)
17f02f851e16503eabcbbb62b7b3adce