Science activity #49805,
updated 17 November 2022
Do light, nutrient, and salinity interactions drive the “bad Suisun” phenomenon? A physiological assessment of biological hotspots in the San Francisco Bay-Delta
Description / purpose
This project assessed the physiological basis for reduced phytoplankton growth in Suisun Bay, prior to the major upgrade at the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (SRWTP), which is responsible for 90% of the nitrogen released into the bay. The work involved analyzing almost three decades of historical eld data from the bay-delta and using it to build a model to evaluate environmental drivers of phytoplankton biomass. Discoveries from the eld data were then tested through laboratory culturing experiments. By illuminating the interacting e ects of bottom- up drivers (light, nutrients, salinity) on phytoplankton, this research helps provide a fundamental understanding of this complex ecosystem.
Linked science activities
None specifiedCollaborators
Alexis Fischer, Principal investigator -
University Corporation of Atmospheric Research [UCAR]
Raphael Kudela, Co-investigator -
University of California - Santa Cruz [UCSC]
James Cloern, Contributor -
U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
Activity status
- 1 Awarded / Initiating (2018)
- 2 In progress / Ongoing (2018 - 2020)
- 3 Complete
Funding summary
Total allocated funding: $200,143
Label | Value |
---|---|
Contract # or labor code | 5298 |
Implementing organization | University of California - Santa Cruz [UCSC] |
Funding organization | Delta Stewardship Council |
Funding Source | Delta Stewardship Council - General Fund |
Date of award | 2018-02-01 |
Date of fiscal year-end | Not provided |
Total award amount | $200,143 |
State type of obligation | Not provided |
Federal type of obligation | Not provided |
Reimbursability | Not provided |
Procurement mechanism | Contracted competitive or direct award |
Location
Subbasins
Delta regions
Geographic tags
None specified
Products and outputs
Type | Title | Description | Views |
---|---|---|---|
Delta Science Fellow 2018: A physiological assessment of biological hotspots in the San Francisco Bay-Delta | Project fact sheet | 10 | |
Is Intermediate salinity partly responsible for low primary productivity in the upper San Francisco Estuary, California? | Presentation at the 2020 Ocean Sciences Meeting, S | 0 | |
Bottom-up drivers of phytoplankton biomass in the upper San Francisco Estuary. | Presentation at the 2018 Nutrient Management Strat | 0 | |
Facial Recognition for San Francisco Bay Plankton. | Public Seminar at the Exploratorium Museum, San Fr | 0 |
Type and context
Science action area
Management themes
Science themes
Types
Science functions
Management actions
Habitat protection / enhancement / restoration
,
Natural environmental flows
,
Pollution control
,
Population enhancement of listed species
,
Wastewater management
,
Water operations