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Saline Lakes pp 147–164Cite as

Large-scale patterns of Nodularia spumigena blooms in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, determined from Landsat imagery: 1972–1986

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Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 59))

Abstract

Magnitude and longterm periodicity of summer-autumn blooms of the nitrogenfixing cyanobacterium, Nodularia spumigena, were characterized for hyposaline Pyramid Lake, Nevada, from Landsat MSS band 3 film negatives. Predicted lakewide mean chlorophyll a concentrations for Landsat overpasses during the July-October Nodularia bloom season ranged from 27 to 72 mg m-3 with an overall average concentration of 32 ± 7 mgm-3 between 1972 and 1986.

Nodularia blooms were usually annual events. Blooms were not observed on Landsat images in only three of 15 years (1973, 1980, 1982) and midsummer calcium carbonate whitings occurred in two of these years (1973, 1980). Magnitude of Nodularia blooms was highly variable among years and ‘very large’ blooms, where maximum mean chlorophyll a concentration exceeded one standard deviation of the 15 year overall mean (> 39 mg m-3), appeared in 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1984, 1985 and 1986. Very large early-July blooms always occurred during or following years of above average fluvial discharge to Pyramid Lake (1984–1986) and were associated with meromixis produced by the large influx of freshwater.

Several problems arise using Landsat remote sensing to estimate magnitude and periodicity of scumforming blue-green algal blooms. These complications may reduce accuracy and precision of phytoplankton biomass estimates made from Landsat images. Nevertheless, Landsat remote sensing enabled us to quantify relative bloom magnitude with limited collection of ground-based data and at a large-scale temporal and spatial resolution not possible using alternative methodologies.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. David L. Galat

    Present address: Missouri Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, University of Missouri, 112 Stephens Hall, Columbia, Missouri, 65211, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 85287, USA

    David L. Galat

  2. Division of Research and Laboratory Services, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado, 80225, USA

    James P. Verdin

  3. Advanced Sciences, Inc., Denver, Colorado, 80225, USA

    Lori L. Sims

Authors
  1. David L. Galat
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  2. James P. Verdin
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  3. Lori L. Sims
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dpt. Ecologia, Fac. Biologia, Univ. Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Franciso A. Comín

  2. Dpt. Zoology, Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., VGT 2A9, Canada

    Thoma G. Northcote

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© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Galat, D.L., Verdin, J.P., Sims, L.L. (1990). Large-scale patterns of Nodularia spumigena blooms in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, determined from Landsat imagery: 1972–1986. In: Comín, F.A., Northcote, T.G. (eds) Saline Lakes. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 59. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0603-7_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0603-7_14

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  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6759-1

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