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The effect of flow patterns on uptake of phosphorus by river periphyton
Author(s) -
Lock Maurice A.,
John Peter H.
Publication year - 1979
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.1979.24.2.0376
Subject(s) - periphyton , flume , phosphorus , hydraulic jump , zoology , turbulence , chemistry , diffusion , flow velocity , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , environmental chemistry , flow (mathematics) , biology , ecology , geology , nutrient , mathematics , geotechnical engineering , geometry , physics , organic chemistry , thermodynamics
The effect of various flow patterns on the uptake of 32 P by river periphyton was examined in a laboratory flume. In general, water movement increased 32 P uptake, except where the phosphorus demand of the microorganisms was presumably satisfied by molecular diffusion at high phosphorus concentrations (105 µ g·liter −1 PO 4 ‐P). However, there was little difference in 32 P uptake between the several distinct flow regimes produced by increasing or decreasing velocity and turbulence associated with a hump and hydraulic jump. It appears that the threshold limit for water movement, after which no further stimulation occurs, is ⩽5.4 cm·s −1 , the lowest velocity tested. A reduction in 32 P uptake by formaldehyde‐killed films of periphyton indicated that 50–75% of the uptake of the untreated films was due to biological activity.