Minnesota macrophytes: linking aquatic plants, lake health, and human activities
2013-06
Loading...
View/Download File
Persistent link to this item
Statistics
View StatisticsJournal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Title
Minnesota macrophytes: linking aquatic plants, lake health, and human activities
Alternative title
Authors
Published Date
2013-06
Publisher
Type
Thesis or Dissertation
Abstract
Aquatic plants (macrophytes) are an undervalued but critically important component of Minnesota's lakes. The macrophyte Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) was developed to evaluate lake health using metrics that describe the condition of the aquatic plants. However, a detailed evaluation to determine whether the index can explicitly link lake condition with activities that negatively impact lake resources has not been conducted. This information is necessary before the IBI can be used to develop biological standards required under the federal Clean Water Act. The goal of this dissertation was to develop and implement a framework for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the index to inform biological assessment. Four chapters describe research to fulfill this goal. The first chapter identifies comparable groups of lakes using a set of environmental variables that influence macrophyte community composition. The second chapter describes the development and application of semi-automated techniques for quantifying potential stressors of aquatic macrophytes in nearshore areas of lakes, such as docks and boat lifts. The third chapter provides a complementary analysis to chapter two by examining the relationships of shoreline development at different spatial scales with metrics describing macrophyte richness. The fourth and final chapter develops modeling techniques to quantify the relative effects of multiple stressors on the IBI. Specifically, I have used artificial neural network models that can 'learn' inherent data structures and are especially useful for modeling noisy data with non-linear relationships. Outcomes from my dissertation will inform management agencies on the most appropriate use of the index, which will ultimately facilitate the protection and restoration of Minnesota's lakes.
Keywords
Description
University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. June 2013. Major: Conservation Biology. Advisors:Bruce Vondracek and Lorin K. Hatch. 1 computer file (PFD); xvii, 195 pages, appendices A-F.
Related to
Replaces
License
Collections
Series/Report Number
Funding information
Isbn identifier
Doi identifier
Previously Published Citation
Other identifiers
Suggested citation
Beck, Marcus W.. (2013). Minnesota macrophytes: linking aquatic plants, lake health, and human activities. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/155563.
Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.