There are many factors influencing the clarity and ecology of Lake Tahoe. Temperature, light transparency, and the nutrient concentrations available for algae growth all effect how and where plants and animals thrive in the lake. Researchers routinely measure these and other parameters (particles, dissolved oxygen, primary productivity, chlorophyll, zooplankton and others) to determine how the lake is responding to environmental and human influences. With decades of data and experience, TERC scientists are able to produce mathematical models that predict ecological shifts based on predicted future conditions.