'Environmental Controls on Didymo Bloom Formation in the Logan River'
Poster |
Poster: |
Overgrowth or “blooms” of Didymosphenia geminata (Didymo) have increased across North America in recent decades and the cause still unknown. Blooms can wreak havoc on water infrastructure and have ecological consequences for stream ecosystems. Because Didymo is native to North America, the recent increase in Didymo overgrowths is thought to be the result of changing environmental conditions favoring stalk formation, rather than an introduction of an invasive species. The distribution of Didymo in Utah is largely unknown, but predictions based off geology and climate have indicated their likely presence. We sampled at 10 locations along the Logan River in Logan Canyon in 2017 and at one location on the Logan River repeatedly through 2017 and 2018. We related Didymo presence and stalk formation to physical conditions found in the stream system, including phosphorus (SRP), nitrogen, light, and flow. A negative relationship between SRP and biomass at our site is identified and discussed. |
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