Center for Embedded Network Sensing

The Networked Aquatic Microbial Observing System (NAMOS) is an array of embedded networked sensors that has been developed to study plankton populations in marine and aquatic environments. The application of NAMOS in Lake Fulmor, adjacent to the James Mountain Reserve, California, has begun to yield valuable insights into plankton community structure and dynamics including the spatial and temporal distributions of phytoplankton throughout the lake, and their adaptive strategies to deal with extremely high light intensities in surface waters of this subalpine lake. Data collected during deployments of NAMOS in May, June, and August, 2006 revealed changes in vertical temperature stratification, accompanied by overall increases in chlorophyll in the lake throughout the three deployments. The phytoplankton community structure was also highly variable for the three deployments, with diatoms, dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria dominating at different times, most likely as temperature stratification, nutrient concentrations, and light regimes underwent seasonal changes.