Purpose

Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms that live in wet environments, such as Lake Champlain. The word phytoplankton comes from the Greek-- “phyto” (plant) and “plankton” (made to wander or drift). 

There are many different types of phytoplankton and they come in numerous shapes and sizes. Some are bacteria, others are protist, the most common type being single-celled plants. These phytoplankton get their energy just like plants, capturing light through the use of chlorophyll. They rival rainforests in oxygen production, consuming carbon dioxide and nutrients like nitrate, phosphate, calcium, and silicate from the water. 

 Given the right conditions, these phytoplankton can experience explosive growth that we call blooms. These blooms produce tremendous food sources for plant-seeking animals that graze on these nutrient-rich organisms. 

 That is where my research comes in. If you take the mapped locations of the most famous lake monster sightings and overlay the data of the phytoplankton blooms during that period, you will start to see a correlation between them. It is my hypothesis that large water animals like baleen whales, manatees, and dugong are much like these lake monsters in that they feed on these nutrient-rich plant sources, rather that on other animals in the lake. By measuring the phytoplankton levels of various regions of the lake and identifying new blooms, we may soon be able to predict where Champ will turn up next, which is a hugely-important step in discovering things like how he fits into the natural ecosystem and just how long this magnificent creature has existed in this lake. With a little luck and a lot of scientific calculation, we may even be able to get a long-awaited glimpse of this elusive creature.