Detrital aggregates in some Iowa lakes and reservoirs

Abstract

Detrital aggregates in three eutrophic Iowa lakes and four eutrophic Iowa reservoirs were studied with light and scanning electron microscopy to determine if aggregate morphologies and concentrations were similar. Lake and reservoir aggregates were composed of organic and inorganic particles bound together in an organix matrix. Many of the inorganic particles were calcium carbonate. Obvious bacterial and fungal attachment to the aggregates was rare. Aggregate concentrations ranged from 4 to 274 million aggregates per liter. Aggregates smaller than 18 µm diameter dominated the hyperbolic size-frequency distribution of aggregates in all lakes. Reservoir and lake aggregate concentrations did not differ significantly, but mean aggregate concentrations were directly correlated to the mean chlorophyll a concentration of the lakes. These data strongly suggest that detrital aggregate concentrations are influenced by the trophic status of a lake.