Cl. Schelske et al., CAN WIND-INDUCED RESUSPENSION OF MEROPLANKTON AFFECT PHYTOPLANKTON DYNAMICS, Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 14(4), 1995, pp. 616-630
Data from Lake Apopka, Florida, are presented to illustrate the import
ance of wind-induced resuspension of sediments in a shallow, subtropic
al, hypereutrophic lake. Wind-induced resuspension of meroplankton, pr
imarily planktonic diatoms that settle to the benthic environment, acc
ounts for a large component of the temporal variation in phytoplankton
biomass. Chlorophyll concentrations >100 mu g/L are highly correlated
with wind speed, and the regression of wind speed on chlorophyll acco
unts for 53% of the temporal variability in chlorophyll. Resting cells
of diatoms are also resuspended with the meroplanktonic community. In
duction of resting cells that are physiologically dormant occurs in da
rkness; but within a few hours after exposure to the water-column ligh
t and nutrient environment, resting cells become physiologically activ
e. Other types of resting propagules in addition to diatom resting cel
ls also may be resuspended from sediments and affect phytoplankton dyn
amics. Data from Lake Apopka and other systems are used to develop par
adigms about time and depth scales for resuspension of meroplankton an
d resting propagules in lakes and in the sea.