Alpine lakes on the move
In my presentation I will address change in phytoplankton of deep peri-alpine lakes, both at spatial and temporal scales. I am interested in the scope for niche differentiation in lakes, which works to enhance co-existence and biodiversity. In this I will focus on cell size as the key functional trait of phytoplankton that determines the outcome of competition. The spatial gradient I will address is lake depth and I will discuss how this gradient is altered by the combined effects of climate warming and re-oligotrophication with surprising effects on biodiversity. I will also address the question how this affects the population size of the key toxic cyanobacterium in our lakes, Plankothrix rubescens. The temporal scales I will refer to vary from decadal to hourly. I will highlight our efforts to study fine temporal and spatial scales with our new floating research station in Lake Geneva (Switzerland): www.lexplore.ch.
Host: Rita Adrian