Seasonal Dynamics of a Northern Minnesota Stream

Abstract

Streams are dynamic ecosystems in which physical factors such as temperature, depth, and velocity change throughout the year. Benthic algae, which provide food for many invertebrates and form the base of many stream food chains, can respond to these factors. To understand how seasonal change influenced benthic algae, this study examined how algal abundance responded to variation in streambed temperature, current velocity and stream depth in early and late summer.