COMPARING THE LIMNOLOGY AND PALEO-LIMNOLOGY OF UPSTATE NEW YORK LAKES

Upstate New York features dozens of lakes formed by glacial and fluvial processes. Water quality in these lakes reflects the diverse influences of the morphometry, geology, and vegetation of their watersheds as well as the nature and extent of human and natural disturbances. The sediment records of these lakes often bear the imprint of climate change and past watershed events. In Lakes and Environmental Change, students learn techniques of modern limnology and paleo-limnology by comparing two distinctly different lakes in the Mohawk Valley region of New York. The particular lakes vary from year to year, but Collins Pond and Ballston Lake tend to recur. Collins Pond, Scotia, New York, undergoes periodic inundation during flooding episodes in the Mohawk River, which are evident in sediment cores from the lake. Ballston Lake, Burnt Hills, New York, features an intensely-anoxic meromictic sub-basin, which has yielded well-laminated sediment cores.

Lakes and Environmental Change is a lecture and laboratory course. Lectures address principles of limnology and techniques in interpreting the sediment history of lakes. We also assign relevant readings in the primary literature. Laboratory exercises include four to six field trips for water and sediment sampling. Remaining laboratory periods in the ten-week term are devoted to laboratory analysis of samples and data analysis.

We have recognized several advantages in using nearby field sites as a focus for this course. We require students to apply principles covered in lectures to field situations. We also ask students to explain differences observed in the two lakes. Because students approach the lakes as systems, they are compelled to tie together a diversity of topics covered in lectures and the literature. Although this type of comparative analysis can be successful in a variety of ecosystems, we are fortunate to have local lakes with such unique sediment and water quality conditions.