Balance between Phytoplankton Production and Plankton Respiration in Lakes

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. del Giorgio ◽  
Robert H. Peters
Keyword(s):  
Community Respiration ◽  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
External Energy ◽  
Eutrophic Lakes ◽  
Oligotrophic Lakes ◽  
Plankton Community Respiration ◽  
Algal Photosynthesis ◽  
Chlorophyll Concentrations ◽  
Trophic Range ◽  
Good Agreement

We analyzed published rates of algal photosynthesis and plankton community respiration to test the hypothesis that the ratio of planktonic primary production to community (P/R) varies systematically with lake trophy. Regression analyses show that algal production and plankton respiration are closely related to chlorophyll concentrations for lakes spanning a wide trophic range. More surprisingly, plankton respiration exceeds algal photosynthesis in oligotrophic lakes, and P/R rises above unity only when chlorophyll concentrations are above 17 mg∙m−3. A simple allometric model based on the predicted biomasses of the different planktonic component yield rates of community respiration that are in good agreement with measured values. Moreover, the model suggest that in oligotrophic lakes, microbial respiration may greatly exceed the current estimates based on bacterial production data and that heterotrophs contribute proportionately more to total plankton metabolism than they do in eutrophic lakes. Because such high respiration rates require external energy subsidies, these results; challenge the view that pelagial communities of most lakes are even approximately self-supporting.

Primary Productivity of Southern Indian Lake before, during, and after Impoundment and Churchill River Diversion

1984 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Hecky ◽  
S. J. Guildford
Keyword(s):  
Light Intensity ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Phosphorus Deficiency ◽  
Light Environment ◽  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
Light Penetration ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Chlorophyll Concentrations

The primary productivity of seven regions of Southern Indian Lake and neighboring Wood Lake was measured during open-water seasons from 1974 to 1978. The lake had regional differences in chlorophyll concentrations and daily rates of integral primary production in 1974 and 1975 prior to impoundment of the lake. Regions receiving Churchill River flow tended to have higher chlorophyll concentrations and production rates than those regions marginal to the flow. Impoundment of the lake resulted in higher efficiencies of primary production in all regions, as indicated by higher light-saturated rates of carbon uptake per unit chlorophyll and by higher initial slopes of the hyperbolic light response relation of the phytoplankton. Many large basins of the lake had light penetration reduced by high concentrations of suspended sediment from eroding shorelines, while other areas had relatively unchanged light penetration. The increased efficiency of carbon fixation per unit chlorophyll resulted in higher rates of integral production in those regions where light penetration was not greatly affected. Daily rates of integral primary production in lake regions where light penetration had decreased markedly were not significantly different after impoundment because efficiencies of light utilization were higher. Comparison of the mean water column light intensities for those turbid regions with the values of Ik (light intensity at the onset of light saturation) for phytoplankton indicated that these turbid regions are now light deficient on average. Phosphorus deficiency, as indicated by alkaline phosphatase activity per unit ATP, which was present before impoundment, has been eliminated as the mean water column light intensity declined below 5 mEinsteins∙m−2∙min−1. The light environment of a new reservoir can be a significant determinant of integral production, and predicting the consequences of impoundment on phytoplankton production requires accurate prediction of the light environment.

scholarly journals Plankton community respiration and bacterial metabolism in a North Atlantic Shelf Sea during spring bloom development (April 2015)

2019 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
pp. 101873 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Elena García-Martín ◽  
Chris J. Daniels ◽  
Keith Davidson ◽  
Jose Lozano ◽  
Kyle M.J. Mayers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Spring Bloom ◽  
Plankton Community ◽  
Bacterial Metabolism ◽  
Community Respiration ◽  
Shelf Sea ◽  
Plankton Community Respiration

scholarly journals Can iron defecation from fish influence phytoplankton production and biomass in eutrophic lakes?1

1984 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1330-1334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Age Brabrand ◽  
Bjørn Faafeng ◽  
Torsten Källqvist ◽  
Jens Petter Nilssen
Keyword(s):  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
Eutrophic Lakes

Fish Production Correlated with Primary Productivity, not the Morphoedaphic Index

1990 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 1929-1936 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Downing ◽  
Céline Plante ◽  
Sophie Lalonde
Keyword(s):  
Standing Stock ◽  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
Phosphorus Concentration ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Fish Production ◽  
Oligotrophic Lakes ◽  
Yield Data ◽  
Total Phosphorus Concentration ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Morphoedaphic Index

Estimates of the biological production of entire lake fish communities were collected from the published literature on lakes covering a wide range of geographic areas and trophic status. Correlation analysis shows that fish production is uncorrected with the morphoedaphic index (p > 0.05) but closely correlated with annual phytoplankton production (r2 = 0.79), mean total phosphorus concentration (r2 = 0.67), and annual average fish standing stock (r2 = 0.67). Empirically derived regression equations are presented and compared with previous models based on catch and yield data. Analysis of these equations suggests that conversion of phytoplankton into fish production is 100 times more efficient in oligotrophic lakes than hyper-eutrophic ones, but that a much lower fraction of fish production can be channeled to sustainable yield in oligotrophic lakes. Sustained yields were frequently as little as 10% of the annual community fish production.

Diurnal Variation of Dissolved Inorganic Carbon and its Use in Estimating Primary Production and CO2 Invasion in Lake 227

1973 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 1501-1510 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Schindler ◽  
E. J. Fee
Keyword(s):  
Inorganic Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Inorganic Carbon ◽  
Community Respiration ◽  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
Carbon Limitation ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Natural Lakes ◽  
Tracer Techniques

Standard in situ measurements of phytoplankton production and 14C bottle bioassays gave erroneous results when applied to lake 227, a eutrophic softwater lake in the Canadian Shield. Errors were found to be due to diurnal variations in the degree of carbon limitation of phytoplankton, and to invasion of CO2 from the atmosphere and hypolimnion.A method based on diurnal measurements of dissolved inorganic carbon, community respiration, and invasion of CO2, using gas chromatography, is described. Production by phytoplankton in lakes fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus was found to be several times higher than in natural lakes of the area. Net production during summer stratification was found to equal invasion of CO2 from the atmosphere.The new technique should have application in other eutrophic low carbon lakes, where 14C tracer techniques are encumbered by serious technical complications.

Relationships between Suspended Particulate Matter and Sinking Flux along a Trophic Gradient and Implications for the Fate of Planktonic Primary Production

1994 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen B. Baines ◽  
Michael L. Pace
Keyword(s):  
Primary Production ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
Trophic Gradient ◽  
Eutrophic Lakes ◽  
Suspended Particulate ◽  
Algal Pigment ◽  
Sinking Flux

We measured water column variables and the sinking flux of C, N, P and pigments in 15 lakes which varied in algal biomass to determine (1) the relationship between sinking flux and suspended particulate concentrations, (2) if sinking rates of particles changed as a function of trophic status, and (3) the importance of sinking as a fate for phytoplankton production along a trophic gradient. Sinking flux was well predicted by metalimnetic algal pigment concentrations (chlorophyll + phaeopigments) and epilimnetic C:N ratios (R2 = 83–97%). Sinking rates of algal pigments were not significantly higher in lakes with higher chlorophyll concentrations. Predictions based on observed C sinking fluxes, water column chlorophyll, and an empirical relationship between primary production and chlorophyll concur with published observations in suggesting a slight negative relationship between production and the ratio of sinking flux to production. Our results challenge the notion that plankton communities in oligotrophic lakes are more efficient than those in eutrophic lakes in the retention of nutrients within the water column.

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