Phytoplankton dynamics,primary productivity and community metabolism in a north-central Texas pond

Phytoplankton diversity, primary productivity and community metabolism were measured for 1 year in a 0.94 ha pond located in north-central Texas. Gross primary production ranged from 4.5 to 46.8 kcal m⁻² day⁻¹ ( =22.0 kcal m⁻² day⁻¹) and community metabolism ranged from 7.3 to 32.4 kcal m⁻² day⁻¹ ( =14.8 kcal m⁻² day⁻¹). Average production/respiration ratio (1.5) showed that the pond was principally autotrophic. Photosynthetic efficiency (gross primary production/0.5 total solar radiation) ranged from 0.32 to 2.8 with a mean of 1.2. Phytoplankton diversity based on numbers and biomass fluctuated greatly. Highest gross primary productivity occurred during Cyanophyta blooms in late summer-early fall when species diversity was minimal. Water temperature and turbidity, which governed light penetration, were the principal determinants of primary production.