Spring Transition Period in Lake Ontario — A Numerical Study of the Causes of the Large Biological and Chemical Gradients

Abstract

A two-dimensional model that calculates physical transport, as well as in situ biological and chemical transformations, accurately simulates observations made along a north–south transect in Lake Ontario during April–June 1972. Simulation results show that, during the transition period between spring and summer, the inshore–offshore structure of biological and chemical distributions is controlled by the interaction of in situ processes and differences in vertical mixing on either side of the 4° isotherm. Owing to reversals in flow patterns, the effect of advection is to reduce concentration gradients, but the effect on overall distributions is minimal. An analysis of sinking losses in one- and two-dimensional models indicates that the artificially low sinking rates used in one-dimensional models of the Great Lakes result from the neglect of upwelling.Key words: Lake Ontario; model, hydrodynamic, ecological; sinking, upwelling, convection cells, chemical distributions