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Subalpine and alpine lakes are generally low in phytoplankton
abundance and lakes in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains are
no exception. Low nutrient levels and cold temperatures result in
low productivity and biomass. Although a vast colonization pool
of algae are present in the form of wind-deposited spores, only
those physiologically able to withstand the low temperatures and
extreme seasonality of light and hydrologic regimes are present
in significant numbers. These and other physical factors exert a
strong control on the composition and biomass of the phytoplankton
community. In addition, ecological factors such as algal parasitism,
nutrient competition, and food web interactions may influence phytoplankton
populations (Canter and Lund 1968; Kalff and Knoechel 1978; Bird
and Kalff 1986; Carpenter et al. 1985; Carpenter and Kitchell 1988).
The most common phytoplankton in LVWS include Asterionella formosa
Hass. in the spring and Oscillatoria limnetica Lemm. in
the autumn. For detailed lists of Loch Vale phytoplankton and macroinvertebrate
populations, go to our species lists link below.
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