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Seasonal changes of C:P ratios of seston, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton in a deep, mesotrophic lake
Author(s) -
Hochstädter Silke
Publication year - 2000
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.1365-2427.2000.00597.x
Subject(s) - seston , zooplankton , phytoplankton , plankton , phosphorus , water column , seasonality , ecology , zoology , nutrient , environmental science , biology , oceanography , chemistry , geology , organic chemistry
Summary1 The C:P ratios of seston, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton were measured twice a week in situ in mesotrophic, large and deep Lake Constance from April to December 1995. Except for zooplankton, a strong seasonality was exhibited with low C:P ratios during P‐enriched early spring conditions and high values during P‐depleted summer conditions. 2 Molar C:P ratios of seston varied between 180:1 and 460:1 demonstrating moderate phosphorus limitation in spring and during the clear‐water phase, and strong limitation for the rest of the season. The sestonic C:P ratio increased significantly during two decades of re‐oligotrophication of Lake Constance, reflecting an enhanced phosphorus limitation of the plankton community in summer. Molar C:P ratios of bacteria and phytoplankton varied seasonally between 50:1 and 130:1 and 180:1 and 500:1, respectively, and indicate carbon or light limitation in winter and phosphorus limitation in summer. Zooplankton had a molar C:P ratio of about 124:115 which was nearly constant throughout the seasons. 3 These differences in the C:P ratios of planktonic organisms have direct implications for phosphorus recycling within the food web as C:P ratios of excreta should be highly variable.