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Nutrient concentration of aquatic plants: Patterns across species
Author(s) -
Duarte Carlos M.
Publication year - 1992
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.1992.37.4.0882
Subject(s) - macrophyte , phytoplankton , nutrient , seagrass , aquatic plant , biology , ecology , habitat , algae , aquatic ecosystem , botany
An extensive compilation of data for 96 phytoplankton species, 46 macroalgal species, 27 seagrass species, 11 species of freshwater angiosperms, and several mixed phytoplankton and macroalgal communities revealed a tendency toward higher concentrations of N and P in phytoplankton compared to those of macrophytes. The depletion of P, and to a lesser extent N, in macrophytes, particularly macroalgae, appears to reflect a greater degree of P and N limitation of growth of natural macrophyte populations, rather than an intrinsic difference in their chemical composition relative to that of phytoplankton. Close associations between nutrients, particularly a strong linear relationship between concentrations of N and P, reflect the similar biochemical basis of the different aquatic plant groups and appear to represent a fundamental characteristic of the plant kingdom. The results obtained indicate, therefore, that aquatic plants form a continuum across a unique pattern of change in nutrient concentrations, despite considerable differences in their architectural, evolutionary, and life histories, and the growth conditions encountered in their habitats.