Elizabeth Moreau

0000-0003-3363-5670

Trophic State: A Useful Scale for Classifying Lakes Based on Biological Productivity

Elizabeth Duermit Moreau

Lakes are diverse and come in all shapes and sizes. The Trophic State Classification System allows people to group waterbodies into one of four categories, called “trophic states,” based on their level of biological productivity. Knowing what these terms mean can help you understand how your waterbody compares to others, and what changes in its water quality over time could mean. This publication explains how water chemistry is used to determine a waterbody’s trophic state; what criteria are used to define the four trophic states; which trophic state category your waterbody fits into; and how the Trophic State Classification System can be useful.

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Lake Morphometry

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginners Guide to Water Management—Symbols, Abbreviations, and Conversion Factors

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—The ABCs

Florida LAKEWATCH

This document is the first in a series of Information Circulars developed by the LAKEWATCH Program. It is an introduction to the basic terminology and concepts used in the water management arena. First published Aug. 2000

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Common Aquatic Birds Using Florida Lakes

Mark V. Hoyer

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Oxygen and Temperature

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginners Guide to Water Management—Fish Kills

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Muck: Causes and Corrective Actions

Mark V. Hoyer, Daniel E. Canfield Jr., and Mark Brenner

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Aquatic Plants in Florida Lakes

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Bacteria

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Fish Communities and Trophic State in Florida Lakes

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Nutrients

Florida LAKEWATCH

Nutrients are substances required by all organisms for growth, and they are found in every aquatic system. Nutrients are also the object of much discussion by lake management professionals and the general public who are concerned about the influence nutrients sometimes have on the growth of algae and/or aquatic plants in lakes. Written for the lay public, this information circular is an ideal reference booklet for students and/or professionals interested in water management. First published Aug. 2000.

Natural Climate Variability Can Influence Cyanobacteria Blooms in Florida Lakes and Reservoirs

Karl E. Havens, Mark V. Hoyer, and Edward J. Phlips

A Beginners Guide to Water Management—Color

Florida LAKEWATCH

A Beginner's Guide to Water Management—Water Clarity

Florida LAKEWATCH

Water clarity is one of the most noticeable attributes of a waterbody. It's also of great importance to many people. However, crystal clear water is not the ruler by which all lakes should be measured. As you'll learn in this circular, lakes with a wide range of water clarity occur naturally in Florida. Anyone interested in the subject can benefit from reading this basic introduction. Topics range from how we measure water clarity, what affects it, the relationship between water clarity and biological productivity, and techniques used for managing water clarity in lakes. Mathematical models are introduced as a way of predicting water clarity in lakes. This reader-friendly booklet is 33 pages in length and includes numerous photographs and figures. First published Sept. 2001.