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Nitrate Reductase Activity in an Eutrophic Reservoir duringthe Stratification Cycle
Author(s) -
Gordillo Francisco J. L.,
GarcíaRuiz Roberto,
Corzo Alfonso,
Lucena Juan,
Niell F. Xavier
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international review of hydrobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 1434-2944
DOI - 10.1002/1522-2632(200110)86:6<603::aid-iroh603>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - hypolimnion , epilimnion , eutrophication , nitrate , nitrate reductase , stratification (seeds) , environmental chemistry , anoxic waters , annual cycle , chemistry , nitrogen , nutrient , environmental science , ecology , biology , botany , seed dormancy , germination , organic chemistry , dormancy
Nitrate reductase activity was measured during the stratification cycle of the eutrophic reservoir La Concepción. Nitrate was consumed in the epilimnion mainly through assimilatory reduction, and in the hypolimnion through dissimilatory reduction triggered by anoxic conditions. Nitrate reductase activity (NR) scaled to particulate nitrogen (PN) was positively correlated with the external nitrate concentration and the NO 3 – /NH 4 + ratio. Using NR as a tool for the assessment of the N cycle dynamics, it can be suggested that at the beginning of the stratification cycle, the phytoplanktonic community was mainly using NO 3 – as N source; and since N was not likely the limiting nutrient at that time of the year, NR was close to its maximum possible.