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Algal responses to experimental nutrient addition in the littoral community of a subtropical lake
Author(s) -
Havens Karl E.,
East Therese L.,
Hwang SoonJin,
Rodusky Andrew J.,
Sharfstein Bruce,
Steinman Alan D.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2427.1999.444479.x
Subject(s) - periphyton , nutrient , mesocosm , water column , phosphorus , phytoplankton , littoral zone , hydrobiology , biomass (ecology) , algae , environmental science , nitrogen , ecology , zoology , chemistry , environmental chemistry , biology , organic chemistry , aquatic environment
Summary 1. An in situ experiment was performed in the littoral zone of a large, subtropical lake to quantify effects of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) on algal biomass, productivity, nutrient content and phosphate uptake kinetics. 2. We hypothesized that resident periphyton rapidly sequester added nutrients from the water column, but once a certain threshold is reached, nutrients remain in the water and permit a shift to a phytoplankton‐dominated community. 3. Three duplicate sets of 1.2‐m diameter mesocosms were treated with 10, 20 or 50 μg P L −−1 in combination with 100, 200 or 500 μg N L −−1 , respectively. The nutrients were added thrice weekly for 14 days, after which the treatment doses were doubled for an additional 9 days. The cumulative amounts of P and N added over the course of the study were 700 and 7000 μg L −−1 , respectively. Two untreated mesocosms and two open reference sites were used as controls. 4. The total P concentration in the water column of nutrient‐treated mesocosms remained low, even after prolonged high dosing. However, there was a two‐fold increase in the P content of surface algal mats and epiphyton. This indicates that some of the added P was sequestered by those components of the community. In contrast, metaphyton and epipelon displayed little or no increase in their P content. Large quantities of added P could not be accounted for in the periphyton community, and may reflect unmeasured losses to the sediments or other pools. 5. Nitrogen also was depleted from the water column, but there were no significant increases in periphyton N content. Much of the added N could not be accounted for in mass balances, and may have been lost from the mesocosms through volatilization or other biochemical processes. 6. Chlorophyll‐ a in epiphyton increased significantly after 14 days in the highest nutrient treatment, where there also was a proliferation of Spirogyra on day 28. 7. On day 28, water column samples from the highest nutrient treatment also displayed a significantly higher rate of carbon uptake, and a significantly higher concentration of midday dissolved oxygen. 8. The hypothesis that phytoplankton become dominant at high nutrient loading rates was not supported. However, there were dramatic changes in community structure (increased dominance by epiphytic Spirogyra ) and function (increased productivity and dissolved oxygen) in response to nutrient additions.