Phytoplankton limitation by phosphorus and zooplankton grazing in an acidic Adirondack lake

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · J. Freshwater Ecol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/02705060.1984.9664622· OSTI ID:5196779

Singer, R; Evans, G L; Pratt, N C

Lakes which are believed to have been acidified by atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic substances are known for their unusually high water clarity and low nutrient concentrations. Some evidence indicates that alterations in predator/prey relationships, an indirect effect of acidification, bring about the increase in water clarity. Enclosures were used to study the effects of phosphorus addition and zooplankton removal on the phytoplankton of an acidic lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Fertilized enclosures had significantly lower alkalinities and contained significantly more dissolved oxygen after the incubation period than did unfertilized enclosures. The P concentration remained at or near the limit of detection in the unfertilized enclosures. The phytoplankton population bloomed after the addition of 80 micro g/liter of phosphate as KH/sub 2/PO/sub 4/. The response was measured by cell counts of the dominant phytoplankton. Chlamydomonas, and by changes in chlorophyll a concentration. About half the number of algal cells were present after the two week incubation when zooplankton were not removed, indicating that zooplankton herbivory can influence, but not totally control, the algal production. 46 references.

• Research Organization: Syracuse Univ., NY
• OSTI ID: 5196779
• Journal Information: J. Freshwater Ecol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Freshwater Ecol.; (United States) Vol. 2:5; ISSN JFRED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GRAZING
LAKES
MOUNTAINS
NONMETALS
NUTRIENTS
PHOSPHORUS
PHYTOPLANKTON
PLANKTON
POPULATION DYNAMICS
PREDATOR-PREY INTERACTIONS
RAIN
SURFACE WATERS
ZOOPLANKTON