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The seasonal phytoplankton cycles of two saline lakes in central Washington 1
Author(s) -
Walker K. F.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1975.20.1.0040
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , zooplankton , productivity , oceanography , environmental science , plankton , population , thermocline , ecology , algal bloom , nutrient , biology , geology , demography , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
Soap Lake and Lake Lenore occupy adjacent basins in the Lower Grand Coulce, Washington, but show several strong limnological contrasts despite correspondence in rates and trends of heat storage. Seasonal events in the dynamics of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations generally coincide with different phases in thermal behavior of the lakes. Both lakes show a dramatic summer decline in phytoplankton population density, with spring and fall periods of more intense activity. In Soap Lake, which stratifies thermally in summer, a dense algal population is established in the metalimnion. The summer phytoplankton minima in both lakes coincide with maximum development of zooplankton populations, although there is no conclusive evidence that zooplankton grazing actually limits phytoplankton growth. The seasonal phytoplankton cycles may be more closely dependent on nutrient depletion in surface waters, and oxygen inhibition of photosynthesis might also be implicated. Close agreement was evident in 14 C productivity measurements for both lakes, but these may have been affected by oxygen inhibition in light and dark bottles. Both lakes, however, are highly productive, and productivity estimates are comparable with those obtained for soda lakes elsewhere.