2019 Cynobacteria Testing in Lake Garfield

Lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water have microscopic organisms living in the water. Some of these organisms can be toxic in large quantities to humans, pets, and local wildlife. A particular group of potentially toxic organisms are called cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are aquatic bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis (a process of obtaining energy using sunlight). Cyanobacteria are more commonly called “blue-green algae”. There are many different species of cyanobacteria, but not all of them produce toxins. When optimal conditions in place, the cyanobacteria can grow in large blooms which could be toxic to the body of water. Optimal conditions include warmer temperatures, abundant sunlight, more intense rainfall, pollution from human activities and plentiful nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

Many bodies of water throughout the world are experiencing these blooms and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has formed the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative Program in which many states are testing and reporting results to the EPA and their local areas in order to protect the public from health problems. The health effects depend on the toxin present, its concentration, and the duration of the exposure. Skin contact can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, throat and inflammation of the respiratory tract. Swallowing contaminated water can lead to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. In severe cases, the liver and nervous system can be affected.

The Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative Program provides instructions on how to collect samples of water to monitor the cyanobacteria. There are two types of sampling. The first is using a plankton net to collect a 3-meter water sample at the deepest part of the lake. The water sample is then put in the “ZAPPR” which separates the cyanobacteria from the zooplankton (small animals and immature stages of larger animals). Once separation is complete, the sample is prepared on microscope slides to be viewed. The second sampling type consists of collecting a sample with a 3-meter tube and is put in a labeled container that is frozen and sent off to the EPA for cyanotoxin analysis. An ambient analysis can be conducted using the fluorometer to obtain readings of phycocyanin (gives the blue-green pigment), chlorophyll A (a chemical required for oxygenic photosynthesis), and the ratio of the two. The higher the numbers the higher the concentration of cyanobacteria and potential cyanotoxins.

2019 testing is being conducted by Shannon M. Poulin

June 2, 2019

Using the Cyanoscope kit that includes a plankton net, the water was tested in the big bowl of Lake Garfield. Under the microscope, at 40X magnification two species of cyanobacteria were found (see photos). The lake scientist informed me that Lake Garfield has four known species of cyanobacteria with one being toxic. The two species below are non-toxic. The fluorometer readings were low, meaning the cyanobacteria is low in concentration.

Possible IDs of the species, awaiting iNaturalists to confirm the identification. Second photo I am pretty sure I have ID correctly.  —Shannon M. Poulin

June 16, 2019

The fluorometer readings were higher than two weeks ago. The phycocyanin readings were 28.07 which was considerably higher than two weeks ago. When we took a sample with the plankton net green specs were quite visible. Upon analyzing the sample under the microscope, I found several of one species. I also found what I believe is a species of nemotodes. —Shannon M. Poulin

June 29, 2019

This week’s test results with the fluorometer indicated a low amount of phycocyanin and chlorophyll in the water with the lowest ratio. Although, I found a few of the same cyanobacteria species, but none of the previous species found in the past weeks. I spent a bit of time looking at other organisms that I collected in the sample from the lake. Some of the organisms that I photographed, INaturalist website did not provide the right species identification, so I am going to send the photos off to a few biology professors at Westfield State University.

Other observations:

I thought it would be interesting to look at a sample from the bottom of the ZAPPR tube. It was an amazing site and was viewed under the microscope in a concave slide used for viewing live specimen. The fuzzy blob is a copepod zipping through the water on the slide. In the picture, we can see the diatoms, dinoflagellates, zooplankton all in the water at once. There were also some organisms spinning around. —Shannon M. Poulin

July 13, 2019

            Before testing this week, Michael Germain told me that he had been seeing scum near shore. I spotted several clumps of algae near his dock and collected the sample. The sample had to be diluted in order to obtain an accurate reading on the fluorometer. The results were the highest I have seen, with the phycocyanin levels reading 000270.48 and the chlorophyll levels reading 38.49 with an overall ratio of 007.02. I took two readings on the fluorometer from both sampling techniques because the results that the tube sample provided were extremely low when I clearly could see green floating in the plankton net sample. The results were higher with a ratio of 012.07 for phycocyanin to chlorophyll. —Shannon M. Poulin

Algae near Michael’s dock:

July 27, 2019

This week I did not see any scum floating around Michael’s dock, however in the plankton net sample you could clearly see green specs floating. Again, this week the fluorometer readings from the sample tube had very little readings for phycocyanin and chlorophyll. So again, I tested from the plankton net sample and found that the phycocyanin was 000029.48 and the chlorophyll 000003.92 with a ratio of 007.52. These results are lower than two weeks ago. However, recently in the news the Charles River in Boston has been closed due to cyanobacteria blooms and part of Lake Erie has also seen large blooms. We are planning to start testing every week as the peak for potential blooms is upon us. I also asked the lake scientist, Ken Wagner for the testing results that were conducted in 2017. The known cyanobacteria that occupies the lake are Woronichinia, Dolichosperum, Aphanizomenon, and Aphanocapsa. The last species I have yet to find. —Shannon M. Poulin

August 16, 2019

First, I would like to apologize that I do not have cell counts for this week, as the cell counter has not arrived. This week’s readings dropped substantially from the last week with the fluorometer readings for phycocyanin levels at 16.37 and chlorophyll at 1.74. The genus that dominated the slides was Woronichinia and Microcystis, while Dolicospermum and the one that looks like Oscillatoria (its not, still undetermined) were less seen. —Shannon M. Poulin

August 24, 2019

This week the fluorometer readings increased by about half from the previous week. The phycocyanin levels were at 33.74 and the chlorophyll levels were at 4.59. These readings are from using the plankton net. The primary cyanobacteria found this week was Dolichospermum, Woronichinia, and Microcystis with a substantial decrease of the organism in the Family Oscillatoriaceae from previous weeks.

September 5, 2019

The fluorometer readings were 0.10 µg/mL for phycocyanin and 0.47 µg/mL for chlorophyll. The counts for this week were 500 cells/mL. Dolichospermum with 350 cells/mL and Limnoraphis at 150 cells/mL.

September 14, 2019

A sample was taken as this past week I had visible cyanobacteria in Lake Buel and wanted to make sure Lake Garfield was not doing the same. The lake tested out be in good standing. The fluorometer readings were 0.10 µg/mL for phycocyanin and 0.98 µg/mL for chlorophyll. In a one milliliter sample, it was found to have 200 cells with 150 cells of Microcystis and 50 cells of Aphanizomenon. The genus, Aphanizomenon has not been seen all summer with the last time being in the beginning of June.