Before the introduction of the invasive starry stonewort in Minnesota, little was known about the diversity of algae in our lakes. The aquatic plant survey of Leech Lake published in 2010, many species were roughly categorized as “chara spp.” referring to a family of algae with over 600 species worldwide. Characeae (chara) are very hard to identify down to the species level, thus only 17 species had been recorded in Minnesota prior to 2015. Now, three years into this project over 40 species have been identified, some previously unknown to science!
Chara can form large underwater meadows in our lakes and are important for many reasons. As primary producers, chara not only contribute to the food web, but also provide extensive habitat for aquatic animals. Chara beds stabilize sediments with their roots, absorb a lot of nutrients, and help maintain lake clarity.
This LCCMR-funded project sampled 650 statewide sites with a special focus of 100+sites within the Leech Lake Reservation. LLTC staff and student interns, along with the professionals from LLBO DRM, trained on chara sampling, identification, preservation, and documentation.
Once chara samples were collected, a portion of each was sent to the New York Botanical Garden’s Herbarium, where experts in freshwater algae identified the species with high power imaging and genetic sequencing.
