Paleolimnological evaluation of historical trophic state conditions in hypereutrophic Lake Thonotosassa, Florida, USA

Abstract

We used paleolimnological methods to evaluate historical water quality in Lake Thonotosassa, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. Sediment mapping shows that organic deposits are unevenly distributed in the lake. Two short (<130 cm) sediment cores from the depositional zone were analyzed for radioisotopes (²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁶Ra, and ¹³⁷Cs), bulk density, organic matter concentration, nutrients (C,N,P), and diatoms. ²¹⁰Pb results indicate that the profiles represent > 100 years of sediment accumulation. There is an abrupt change in sediment composition at about the turn of the century (∼80 cm depth), above which bulk density decreases and concentrations of organic matter, total C, total N, total P, and ²²⁶Ra activity increase. Diatom-based reconstructions of historical water-column trophic conditions indicate progressive nutrient enrichment in the lake during the past ∼100 years. Stratigraphic changes in diatom assemblages suggest that anthropogenic nutrient loading converted Lake Thonotosassa from a naturally eutrophic system to a hypereutrophic waterbody after ∼1900. Given the edaphic setting of Lake Thonotosassa, efforts to mitigate recent anthropogenic impacts will, at best, yield the eutrophic conditions that characterized the lake prior to human disturbance. This study illustrates the importance of paleolimnological data for targeting realistic water quality conditions when lake restoration is contemplated.