Shuchman, Robert (Bob): Michigan Technological University (Project Lead)
Fahnenstiel, Gary: Michigan Technological University (Co-Investigator)
Project Funding:
2012 - 2014
NRA: 2011 NASA: Carbon Monitoring System
Funded by NASA
Abstract:
The Great Lakes represent approximately 20% of Earth's surface freshwater and are the largest surface area of freshwater on the planet. Understanding the magnitude of the contribution that the Great Lakes make to Earth's carbon budget is important to regional, national, and international carbon monitoring efforts. Quantifying the annual carbon fixation for each of the five Great Lakes as well as determining which of the Lakes are carbon sinks versus sources will be a significant contribution to the overall understanding of the Earth's carbon budget. Despite the large number of in situ based productivity measurements made at selected locations and limited times during the year in the Great Lakes, a strong case can be made that accurate annual lake-wide estimates of primary production do not exist for any of the Great Lakes. Thus, a new approach using satellite data is needed to provide truly lake-wide primary production in these important large ecosystems.
This proposed satellite based program will result in new regional carbon monitoring products that will characterize each Laurentian Great Lake's annual carbon fixation and additionally address whether each Great Lake is a net source or sink of carbon. This will be accomplished through characterization of phytoplankton primary production (PP) using a new Great Lakes Primary Productivity Model (GLPPM). The GLPPM utilizes NASA OceanColor satellite imagery (MODIS, VIIRS). Additionally, aggregating annual PP for all five lakes will give insight into whether the Great Lakes are as a whole is a source or sink of carbon and to determine the significance of the Great Lakes to Earth's total carbon budget. Individual Great Lakes annual carbon production information will also be invaluable input into high resolution regional carbon models.
A key element to the success of this program includes additional field measurements in Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Great Lakes embayments. These in situ observations will be used to better quantify carbon fixation rates that are key to producing accurate carbon estimation products. Additionally the field data will aid in the product accuracy assessment.
In summary, monthly and annual carbon production products for each of the five Great Lakes generated under this program will be provided to stakeholders via an active data sharing program within NOAA/Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL) and the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS). A key to providing this valuable data for decision makers, scientists, the public, and other stakeholders will be rigorous error quantification and accuracy assessment.
Publications:
Fahnenstiel, G. L., Sayers, M. J., Shuchman, R. A., Yousef, F., Pothoven, S. A. 2016. Lake-wide phytoplankton production and abundance in the Upper Great Lakes: 2010-2013. Journal of Great Lakes Research. 42(3), 619-629. DOI: 10.1016/j.jglr.2016.02.004
Yousef, F., Charles Kerfoot, W., Shuchman, R., Fahnenstiel, G. 2014. Bio-optical properties and primary production of Lake Michigan: Insights from 13-years of SeaWiFS imagery. Journal of Great Lakes Research. 40(2), 317-324. DOI: 10.1016/j.jglr.2014.02.018
More details may be found in the following project profile(s):
