OE Lake Huron Sinkhole Exploration

The Lake Huron Sinkhole project is an Ocean Exploration funded effort aimed at understanding the physical, chemical, and biological processes in and around the shallow and deep sinkholes present in the area. A team of scientists from many disciplines and institutions are conducting this study. Characterized by high sulfate and low dissolved oxygen, these habitats are dominated by single-celled microorganisms like bacteria and lack the typical fish and metazoan communities found in Lake Huron. In addition to time series measurements of physical parameters, the team has sampled groundwater chemistry, groundwater flow, and has obtained samples of microbial mats growing in low oxygen conditions for pharmacological analysis. Remotely operated vehicles allowed mapping of chemical and biological characteristics over large areas of the study site, located within the boundaries of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in northwestern Lake Huron.

See 2008 Fieldwork Ocean Exploration Website*

Link to GLERL project background.

Study Sites Images: Study Location Blue Hole Middle Island Isolated Sinkhole El Cajon Springs Cruise Information Steve Ruberg, NOAA/GLERL Principal Investigator (734)741-2271

Data Pages:   Select Data: CTD Data Contour Maps Dive Images Sample Data Time Series Data Video Records     Database Inventory (.xls)

 

Project Scientists:

• Steve Ruberg - NOAA/GLERL (Physio-Chemical Mapping, Instrumentation, ROVs)
• Bopi Biddanda - Grand Valley State University (Aquatic Ecology / Biology)*
• Mark Baskaran - Wayne State University (Submarine Groundwater Discharge)*
• Tyrone Black - Michigan DEQ (Karst Geology)*
• Jeff Gray - Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary Support, Outreach and Diving)*
• Russ Green - Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary Support, Outreach and Diving)*
• Nathan Hawley - NOAA/GLERL (Oceanography, Time Series Obs)
• Tom Johengen - CIGLR/University of Michigan (Nutrient Chemistry)*
• Scott Kendall - Grand Valley State University (Aquatic Ecology / Biology)*
• Val Klump - University of Wisconsin (Groundwater Discharge and Chemistry)*
• Steve Nold - University of Wisconsin-Stout (Molecular Ecology)*
• Rob Paddock - University of Wisconsin (ROVs and Instrumentation)*

Publications:

Biddanda, B., S.C. Nold, S.A. Ruberg, S.T. Kendall, T.G. Sanders, and J.J. Gray. 2009. Submerged sinkhole ecosystems in the Laurentian Great Lakes: a new biogeochemical research frontier. EOS Transactions 90(8):61-68 (2009).

Ruberg, S., S. Kendall, B. Biddanda, T. Black, W. Lusardi, R. Green, T. Casserley, E. Smith, S. Nold, G. Lang, S. Constant. (Winter 2008/09). Observations of the middle island sinkhole in Lake Huron: a unique hydrogeologic and glacial creation of 400 million years. .Marine Technology Society Journal 42(4):12-21 (2009).
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2009/20090012.pdf

Biddanda, B. A., D. F. Coleman, T. H. Johengen, S. A. Ruberg, G. A. Meadows, H. W. VanSumeren, R. R. Rediske, and S. T. Kendall. Exploration of a submerged sinkhole ecosystem in Lake Michigan. Ecosystems 9:828-842 (2006). http://www.springerlink.com/content/r106152q530xn0m1 , http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060020.pdf

Ruberg, S.A., D.F. Coleman, T.H. Johengen, G.A. Meadows, H.W. VanSumeren, G.A. Lang, and B.A. Biddanda. Groundwater plume mapping in a submerged sinkhole in Lake Huron. Marine Technology Society Journal 39(2):65-69 (2005). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2005/20050038.pdf

*Link leads off GLERL's website