Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Carbon dioxide supersaturation in Florida lakes

  • Primary research paper
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined data on CO2 and related limnological and geographic information from a sample of 948 Florida freshwater lakes. The objectives for this study were (1) to determine the partial pressures of carbon dioxide (ρCO2) in the surface waters of a large sample of Florida lakes, (2) to determine if several limnological or geographic factors are related to levels of ρCO2 in Florida lakes, and (3) to estimate the net annual rate of loss of CO2 to the atmosphere from the freshwater lakes of Florida. The calculated ρCO2 for the lakes in our sample range from 0 to 81,000 μatm, with a mean of 3,550 μatm, a median of 1,030 μatm, and a geometric mean of 1,270 μatm. About 87% of the Florida lakes were supersaturated with CO2. There were statistically significant correlations between values for ρCO2 and several water chemistry variables; however, the R 2 values were small and accounted for only a small portion of the variance. In general the ρCO2 values were higher in the lakes with low alkalinities and low contents of dissolved salts. The best predictor of ρCO2 is pH, with an R 2 of 0.82 for a polynomial relationship. The ρCO2 values tend to decrease from northwest to southeast across the state of Florida, which corresponds to the gradients we found for pH, alkalinity, and specific conductance. The average areal rate of carbon emission from the Florida lakes was 328 g C m−2 y−1, and the total carbon loss for the lakes and ponds of Florida was 2.0 Tg y−1. This amounts to about 2% of the total carbon emissions from all the lakes of the world as estimated by previous studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Algesten, G., S. Sobek, A. Bergstrom, A. Agren, L. J. Tranvik & M. Jansson, 2004. Role of lakes for organic carbon cycling in the boreal zone. Global Change Biology 10: 141–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alin, S. R. & T. C. Johnson, 2007. Carbon cycling in large lakes of the world: a synthesis of production, burial, and lake–atmosphere exchange estimates. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 2121: GB3002.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • American Public Health Association (APHA), 1985, 1989, 1992. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 16th, 17th & 18th edns. APHA, Washington D.C.

  • Bachmann, R. W. & D. E. Canfield Jr., 1996. Use of an alternative method for monitoring total nitrogen concentrations in Florida lakes. Hydrobiologia 323: 1–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bowling, L., M. Steane & P. Tyler, 1986. Spectral distribution and attenuation of underwater irradiance in Tasmanian Inland Waters. Freshwater Biology FWBLAB 16: 313–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, H. K., 1982. Geologic map of Florida. Center for Environmental and Natural Resources, University of Florida.

  • Bryan, J. R., T. M. Scott & G. H. Means, 2008. Roadside Geology of Florida. Mountain Press Publishing Co., Missoula, MT: 375 pp.

  • Butler, J. N., 1992. Carbon Dioxide Equilibrium and Their Applications. Lewis, Detroit: 259 pp.

  • Canfield, D. E. Jr., 1983. Sensitivity Florida lakes to acidic precipitation. Water Resources Research 19: 833–839.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Canfield, D. E. Jr. & R. W. Bachmann, 1981. Prediction of total phosphorus concentrations, chlorophyll a, and Secchi depths in natural and artificial lakes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 38: 414–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canfield, D. E. Jr. & M. V. Hoyer, 1988. Regional geology and the chemical and trophic state characteristics of Florida lakes. Lake and Reservoir Management 4: 21–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canfield, D. E. Jr. & M. V. Hoyer, 1992. Aquatic macrophytes and their relation to the limnology of Florida lakes. Final Report Submitted to the Bureau of Aquatic Plant Management, Florida Department of Natural Resources, Tallahassee, FL.

  • Canfield, Jr., D. E., C. D. Brown, R. W. Bachmann & M. V. Hoyer, 2002. Volunteer lake monitoring: testing the reliability of data collected by the Florida LAKEWATCH program. Lake and Reservoir Management 18: 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, E. & J. F. Gerber, 1990. Climate. In Myers, R. L. & J. J. Ewel (eds), Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando: 11–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, J. J. & N. F. Caraco, 1998. Atmospheric exchange of carbon dioxide in a low-wind oligotrophic lake measured by the addition of SF6. Limnology and Oceanography 43: 647–656.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, J. J., N. F. Caraco, G. W. Kling & T. W. Kratz, 1994. Carbon dioxide supersaturation in the surface waters of lakes. Science 265: 1568–1570.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, J. J., Y. T. Prairie, N. F. Caraco, W. H. McDowell, L. J. Tranvik, R. G. Striegl, C. M. Duarte, P. Kortelainen, J. A. Downing, J. J. Middleburg & J. Melakck, 2007. Plumbing the global carbon cycle: integrating inland waters into the terrestrial carbon budget. Ecosystems 10: 171–184.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crusius, J. & R. Wanninkhof, 2003. Gas transfer velocities measured at low wind speed over a lake. Limnology and Oceanography 48: 1010–1017.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Elia, C. F., P. A. Steudler & N. Corwin, 1977. Determination of total nitrogen in aqueous samples using persulfate digestion. Limnology Oceanography 22: 760–764.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dillon, P. J. & L. A. Molot, 1997. Dissolved organic and inorganic carbon mass balances in central Ontario lakes. Biogeochemistry 36: 29–42.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Downing, J. A., Y. T. Prairie, J. J. Cole, et al., 2006. The global abundance and size distribution of lakes, ponds, and impoundments. Limnology and Oceanography 5: 2388–2397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte, C. & Y. Prairie, 2005. Prevalence of heterotrophy and atmospheric CO2 emissions from aquatic ecosystems. Ecosystems 8: 862–870.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Florida LAKEWATCH, 2002. Florida LAKEWATCH Annual Data Summaries for 1986 through 2001. Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Library University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankignoulle, M., G. Abril, A. Borges, I. Bourge, C. Canon, B. Delille, E. Libert & J. M. Théate, 1998. Carbon dioxide emission from European estuaries. Science 282: 434–438.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greis, J. G., 1985. A characterization of 60 Ocala National Forest Lakes. Report by John G. Greis, Hydrologist. National Forests in Florida, Tallahassee, FL.

  • Griffith, G. E., D. E. Canfield, Jr., C. A. Horsburgh & J. M. Omernik, 1997. Lake Regions of Florida. EPA/R-97/127. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR: 89 pp. http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/education/misc_pdfs/Lake_regions.pdf

  • Grubbs, J. W., 1995. Evaluation of ground-water flow and hydrologic budget for Lake Five-O, A seepage lake in northwestern, Florida, U.S. Geological Survey WRIR 94-4145: 41 pp.

  • Hach Chemical Company, 1992. Procedures Chemical Lists and Glassware for Water and Wastewater Analysis. HACH Chem. Co., Ames, Iowa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hope, D., T. Kratz & J. Riera, 1996. Relationship between ρCO2 and dissolved organic carbon in northern Wisconsin lakes. Journal of Environmental Quality 25: 1442–1445.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JMP, 1989–2007. Version 5. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.

  • Jonsson, A., J. Aberg & M. Jansson, 2007. Variations in pCO2 during summer in the surface water of an unproductive lake in northern Sweden. Tellus B59: 797–803.

    Google Scholar 

  • Juday, C., E. Birge & W. W. Meloche, 1935. The carbon dioxide and hydrogen ion content of the lake waters of northeastern Wisconsin. Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters 29: 1–82.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kling, G. W., G. W. Kipphut & M. C. Miller, 1991. Arctic lakes and streams as gas conduits to the atmosphere: implications for tundra carbon budgets. Science 251: 298–301.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kling, G. W., G. W. Kipphut & M. C. Miller, 1992. The flux of CO2 and CH4 from lakes and rivers in arctic Alaska. Hydrobiologia 240: 23–36.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kortelainen, P., M. Rantakari, J. Huttunen, T. Mattsson, J. Alm, S. Juutinen, T. Larmola, J. Silvola & P. J. Martikainen, 2006. Sediment respiration and lake trophic state are important predictors of large CO2 evasion from small boreal lakes. Global Change Biology 12: 1554–1567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, T. M., & A. Swancar, 1997. Influence of evaporation, ground water, and uncertainty in the hydrologic budget of Lake Lucerne, a seepage lake in Polk County, Florida: U.S. Geological Survey WSP 2439: 61 pp.

  • Menzel, D. W. & N. Corwin, 1965. The measurement of total phosphorus in seawater based on the liberation of organically bound fractions by persulfate oxidation. Limnology and Oceanography 10: 280–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Molot, L. A. & P. J. Dillon, 1997. Colour-mass balances and colour-dissolved organic carbon relationships in lakes and streams in central Ontario. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 54: 2789–2795.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J. & J. P. Riley, 1962. A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters. Analytica Chimica Acta 27: 31–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • NOAA, 1998–2007. Local Climatological Data, Florida. National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service, National Climate Data Center, Asheville, NC.

  • Parsons, T. T. & J. D. H. Strickland, 1963. Discussion of spectrophotometric determination of marine-plant pigments, with revised equations for ascertaining chlorophylls and carotenoids. Journal of Marine Research 21: 155–163.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prairie, Y. T., D. F. Bird & J. J. Cole, 2002. The summer metabolic balance in the epilimnion of southeastern Quebec lakes. Limnology and Oceanography 47: 316–321.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pressler, E. D., 1947. Geology and the occurrence of oil in Florida. American Association Petroleum Geologists 31: 1851–1862.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Puri, H. S. & R. O. Vernon, 1964. Summary of the Geology of Florida and a Guidebook to the Classic Exposures, Special Publication 5. Florida Geological Survey, Tallahassee.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raymond, P. A. & J. E. Bauer, 2000. Atmospheric CO2 evasion, dissolved inorganic carbon production, and net heterotrophy in the York River estuary. Limnology and Oceanography 45: 1707–1717.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raymond, P. A., N. F. Caraco & J. J. Col, 1997. Carbon dioxide concentration and atmospheric flux in the Hudson River. Estuaries 20: 381–390.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reche, I. & M. L. Pace, 2002. Linking dynamics of dissolved organic carbon in a forested lake with environmental factors. Biogeochemistry 61: 21–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richey, J. E., J. I. hedges, A. H. Devol, P. D. Quay, R. Victoria, l. Martinelli & B. Forsberg, 1992. Biogeochemistry of carbon in the Amazon River. Limnology and Oceanography 35: 352–371.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sacks, L. A., A. Swancar & T. M. Lee, 1998. Estimating ground-water exchange with lakes using water-budget and chemical mass-balance approaches for ten lakes in ridge areas of Polk and Highlands Counties, U.S. Geological Survey WRIR, 98–4133, Florida.

  • Sartory, D. P. & J. U. Grobbelaar, 1984. Extraction of chlorophyll a from freshwater phytoplankton for spectrophotometric analysis. Hydrobiologia 114: 177–187.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schafer, M. D., R. E. Dickinson, J. P. Heaney & W. C. Huber, 1986. Gazetteer of Florida lakes, Publication 96. Florida Water Resources Research Center, Gainesville, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simal, J., 1985. Second derivative ultraviolet spectroscopy and sulfamic acid method for determination of nitrates in water. Journal of Analytical Chemistry 68: 962–964.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sobek, S., 2005. Carbon Dioxide Supersaturation in Lakes—Causes, Consequences and Sensitivity to Climate Change. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 90: 1–42

  • Sobek, S., G. Algesten, A. Bergström, M. Jansson & L. Tranvik, 2003. The catchment and climate regulation of ρCO2 in boreal lakes. Global Change Biology 9: 630–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Striegl, R. G. & C. Michmerhuizen, 1998. Hydrologic influence on methane and carbon dioxide dynamics at two north-central Minnesota Lakes. Limnology and Oceanography 43: 1519–1529.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stumm, W. & J. J. Morgan, 1996. Aquatic Chemistry: Chemical Equilibria and Rates in Natural Waters, 3rd ed. Wiley, NY: 1022.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA, 1979. Methods for Chemical Analysis of Waters and Wastes. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA, 1997. Lake Regions of Flrida (Map). U.S. EPA and Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, FL. http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/fl_eco.htm

  • Vidondo, B., Y. T. Prairie, J. M. Blanco & C. M. Duarte, 1997. Some aspects of the analysis of size spectra in aquatic ecology. Limnology and Oceanography 42: 184–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, W. II, 1970. The Geomorphology of the Florida Peninsula. Geological Bulletin No. 51, Florida Department of Natural Resources, Tallahassee.

  • Wollin, K. M., 1987. Nitrate determination in surface waters as an example of the application of UV derivative spectrometry to environmental analysis. Acta Hydrochemica Hydrobiologia 15: 459–469. (Ger.)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yentsch, C. S. & D. W. Menzel, 1963. A method for the determination of phytoplankton chlorophyll and phaeophytin by fluorescence. Deep Sea Research 10: 221–231.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Yves T. Prairie and Dr. Carlos M. Duarte for providing help in the design of the study and the analysis of the data. We also thank Dr. Charles Cichra for his review of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, 7922 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA

    Jenney K. Lazzarino, Roger W. Bachmann, Mark V. Hoyer & Daniel E. Canfield Jr

Authors
  1. Jenney K. Lazzarino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Roger W. Bachmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mark V. Hoyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Daniel E. Canfield Jr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jenney K. Lazzarino.

Additional information

Handling editors: Darren Bade

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lazzarino, J.K., Bachmann, R.W., Hoyer, M.V. et al. Carbon dioxide supersaturation in Florida lakes. Hydrobiologia 627, 169–180 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9723-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9723-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation