Comparison of Imaging Flow Cytometry and Manual Counts for Assessing Ecological Status and Harmful Cyanobacterial Bloom Monitoring

Abstract

Numerous sampling and analytical methods exist to assess ecological status and to monitor harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs) in freshwater systems. Imaging flow cytometry presents a powerful tool for assessing phytoplankton assemblages as it reduces processing time when compared to manual counts while maintaining an intermediate level of taxonomic detail. This increased capacity and reduced processing time makes flow cytometry an effective method for HCB monitoring and large-scale ecological assessment. This presentation will compare manual counts and results from the Imaging Flow Cytobot (IFCB) for two projects in New York. Preserved and live samples from two lakes in the Finger Lakes region and preserved samples from one lake in the Adirondack region were included in the analysis, with 22 and 20 sampling events in each region, respectively. Each sample was analyzed using both manual counts and the IFCB. Comparisons between the manual and IFCB counts are analyzed using multidimensional scaling, specifically focusing on differences between functional groups, species classes, and critical water indicators such as HCB species. The differences between live and preserved samples are also compared.

Authors

Ann St. Amand, Jennifer Graham, Lawrence Eichler, Guy M. Foster, Sabina R. Perkins, Cory Sauve, Denise Clark, and Hannah Schroeder-Larkins