1. SUSANNA SCOTT MIAMI UNIVERSITY Ecosystem Metabolism: Response to Storm Events

2. Storms and Ecosystem Metabolism Climate change predictions estimate an increase in the frequency of large magnitude storms Understanding the influence of storm events on whole ecosystem metabolism gives new insights about the functioning of the biota in these systems Previous work involving storm events on ecosystem metabolism have focused on season long effects 1  No studies investigating the effects of individual storms 1 Tsai et. al 2008

3. Questions How is reservoir ecosystem metabolism influenced by storm events?  Oxygen concentration  NEP, GPP, R

4. Ecosystem Metabolism Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) – the assimilation of inorganic C Respiration (R)- the release of CO 2 and uptake of O 2 Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) – a measure of the trophic status of an ecosystem NEP = GPP – R Photosynthesis Respiration CO 2 + H 2 O C 6 H 12 O 6

5. Ecosystem Metabolism Quantification of biological activity Estimated from diel oxygen cycles DAY: NEP= GPP- R Night: R = ΔO 2 /Δt Day Night

6. Reservoirs Large watersheds Landscape influence Inputs of suspended sediments and nutrients

7. Storms in Reservoirs Inputs from the landscape during storm events may influence ecosystem metabolism Nutrients Phytoplankton productivity Microbial productivity Sediments Phytoplankton productivity Microbial productivity Water/flushing biota All productivity Bing Maps

8. Sampling Methods  Ecosystem Metabolism  Acton Lake: In situ high- frequency data taken at the outflow with buoy. Inflow Outflow Bing Maps

9. Surface Temperature Temperature at depth pH Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Turbidity Chlorophyll Buoy parameters

12. Data collected at 15 min intervals Buoy data should allow us to model ecosystem response and resilience to storm event.