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Researchers flag shifting nutrient dynamics and possible berm effects on Great Salt Lake ecology
Summary
Scientists reported unusual January–February chlorophyll dips, rising diatom counts and evidence that brine fly larvae accelerate nitrogen turnover; model comparisons suggest the 2022 berm modification changed nutrient and plankton dynamics, and the monitoring team is switching hypersaline nutrient analysis to Chesapeake Biological Labs.
Gary Golowski and other researchers presented lab results and model diagnostics suggesting unexpected changes in nutrient dynamics and plankton composition at the Great Salt Lake, and they discussed how recent causeway/bioberm modifications may be altering those dynamics.
Gary described laboratory experiments showing that brine fly (lake fly) larvae accelerate decomposition of brine shrimp pellets and therefore can substantially influence nitrogen cycling in the lake. "What this is telling us is that the brine fly larvae are playing a tremendous having a tremendous impact on the nitrogen cycling within the lake," Gary said, arguing that larvae-mediated decomposition may matter beyond the larvae’s role as bird…
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