Phytoplankton monitoring in the Great Salt Lake (Utah, USA) using a combination of satellite

and on-lake remote sensing

Shane Bradt1, Wayne Wurtsbaugh2,

David Naftz3, Timothy Moore1, James Haney1

1University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA2Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA3United States Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

1. 2005-2006 synoptic surveys

2. Remote sensing technique development

3. Spatial & temporal phytoplankton dynamics

1. 2005-2006 synoptic surveys

2. Remote sensing technique development

3. Spatial & temporal phytoplankton dynamics

10 km

Bear River

Farmington Bay

Salt LakeCity

GilbertBay

GunnisonBay

Causeway

Causeway

Eutrophication

--Ecology

--Anoxia

--Cyanotoxins

--Artemia..?

Nodularia bloom in Farmington Bay

2005-2006Study Objectives

• Understand spatial dynamics of phytoplankton populations of the Great Salt Lake

• Assess impact of Farmington Bay eutrophication on larger Great Salt Lake

Limnology-Extracted chlorophyll-Secchi disk-In vivo fluoresence (Chl a, Phc)-Salinity-Nitrogen fixation-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton

Remote sensing-MODIS imagery-On-lake reflectance-Extraction chlorophyll-CDOM

May 31–June 3, 200542 stations

May 17-May 21, 200629 stations

June 20-23, 200629 stations

Nov 29-Dec 2, 200616 stations

TOTAL STATIONS116

May 31–June 3, 200542 stations – 18 spectra

May 17-May 21, 200629 stations – 25 spectra

June 20-23, 200629 stations – 0 spectra

Nov 29-Dec 2, 200616 stations – 8 spectra

TOTAL STATIONS116

TOTAL SPECTRA51

Wavelength (nm)

400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750

Ref

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ance

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10 km

May 2005

1. 2005-2006 synoptic surveys

2. Remote sensing technique development

3. Spatial & temporal phytoplankton dynamics

Pigment data from lake collections

Great Salt Lake specific Chl algorithm

2 Jun 0518 May 05 7 Jun 05 9 Jun 05 14 Jun 05 17 Jun 0526 May 0513 May 058 May 05

MODIS “standard” Chl algorithm

Synoptic surveys, 53 points

USGS monthly sampling sites

Monthly samples, 23 points

1. 2005-2006 synoptic surveys

2. Remote sensing technique development

3. Spatial & temporal phytoplankton dynamics

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2006

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2006

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2006

0

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yll a

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n 9

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n 1

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l 12006

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n 9

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yll a

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n 9

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l 12006

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Northcentral

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yll a

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Ju

n 9

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n 1

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n 1

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l 12006

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loro

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yll a

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Ju

n 9

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l 12006

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Northwest

Northcentral

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loro

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yll a

(u

g/L

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Ju

n 9

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n 1

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Ju

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Ju

n 5

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l 12006

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Northwest

Northcentral

Northeast

Ch

loro

ph

yll a

(u

g/L

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Ju

n 9

Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

9

Ju

n 2

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n 5

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l 12006

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Northcentral

Northeast

Ch

loro

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yll a

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Ju

n 9

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n 1

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n 1

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n 1

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n 5

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l 12006

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Northwest

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loro

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yll a

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Ju

n 9

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n 1

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l 12006

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Northwest

Northcentral

Northeast

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loro

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yll a

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g/L

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Ju

n 9

Ju

n 1

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n 1

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n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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n 2

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n 2

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n 7

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n 5

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l 12006

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Northwest

Northcentral

Northeast

Ch

loro

ph

yll a

(u

g/L

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Ju

n 9

Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

9

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n 2

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Ju

n 5

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l 12006

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Northwest

Northcentral

Northeast

Ch

loro

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yll a

(u

g/L

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Ju

n 9

Ju

n 1

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n 1

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n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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n 2

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Ju

n 7

Ju

n 5

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l 12006

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Northwest

Northcentral

Northeast

Ch

loro

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yll a

(u

g/L

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Ju

n 9

Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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n 7

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n 5

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l 12006

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Northwest

Northcentral

Northeast

Ch

loro

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yll a

(u

g/L

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Ju

n 9

Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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n 1

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Ju

n 1

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Ju

n 1

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n 2

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n 2

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n 2

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n 2

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n 2

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n 7

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n 5

Ju

l 12006

Chlorophyll detection on the GSL

Test GSL MODIS algorithm on other years

Look at other satellite options

MODIS land team, other MODIS algorithms, MERIS

Use spectra to develop new algorithmsbottom influence on signal

phycocyanins - cyanobacteria

Future applications of RS methodGreat Salt Lake

use chlorophyll maps with Artemia populations

use chlorophyll maps with hydrological modeling

Other Saline Lakes…

Next steps…

We would also like to thank:

UNH: Janet Campbell, Mark Dowell

USU: Phillip Brown, Andrew, Johnson, Ashley Nielson, Sonja Raub, Kris Bell, Amy Marcarelli

USGS: Terry Kenney, David Allen, Cory Angeroth

CALMIT: Bryan Leavitt, Giorgio Dall’Olmo

Creighton: John Schalles

Funding:United States Geological Survey Utah State UniversityUtah Division of Wildlife Resources Central Davis Sewer Improvement District Project Lake Watch (NSF) New Hampshire Space Grant Consortium