Status of Phytoplankton, Zooplanktin, and Benthos

• Published in: Special publication - Great Lakes Fishery Commission Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 10
• Main Authors: Barbiero, Richard P, Nalepa, Thomas F, Lesht, Barry M, Warren, Glenn J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Brackish; North America, Superior L; North America, Great Lakes; USA, Michigan L., Saginaw Bay; North America, Huron L; USA, Michigan L
• ISSN: 1090-1051

The main basin of Lake Huron has historically been regarded as one of the least productive of the Laurentian Great Lakes with a trophic state intermediate between Lake Superior, the most oligotrophic of the lakes, and Lake Michigan. Inputs of chemical constituents to the system are determined in large part by inflows in the north from Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, the latter via the St Marys River, and inputs from Saginaw Bay in the south. As a result, water-quality characteristics in Lake Huron are intermediate between the other two upper lakes. The Great Lakes National Program Office of the US Environmental Protection Agency has conducted regular biannual monitoring of the main basin of Lake Huron since 1983. The monitoring effort is focused on detecting whole-lake responses to changes in loadings of anthropogenic substances as well as impacts of invasive species, so sampling is restricted largely to the relatively homogeneous offshore waters of the main basin.