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The Potential for Nitrogen Fixation in a Lake Receiving Sewage Effluent (Grasmere, English Lake District)
Author(s) -
JONES K. L.,
ROSCOE JOSE V.,
JONES J. G.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1980.tb01052.x
Subject(s) - hypolimnion , epilimnion , nitrogen fixation , environmental chemistry , effluent , nitrogen , water column , environmental science , sewage , cyanobacteria , chemistry , eutrophication , nutrient , environmental engineering , ecology , biology , bacteria , organic chemistry , genetics
The potential for nitrogen fixation in the water column and sediment of Grasmere (English Lake District) was investigated using the acetylene reduction technique, with reference to seasonal changes and concentrations of dissolved oxygen and inorganic nitrogen in the epilimnion and hypolimnion. Potential rates of nitrogen fixation and MPN counts of nitrogen‐fixing bacteria correlated with each other and with decreases in dissolved oxygen concentration. The results suggested that selective changes in the nitrogen‐fixing microflora took place during the period of thermal stratification. Neither light‐dependent fixation, nor cyanobacteria could be detected in water column samples, and acetylene reduction was detected, for most of the season, only in samples of water and sediment to which a source of carbon and phosphorus had been added. The possible role of the sewage effluent in suppressing nitrogen fixation is discussed.