Alteration of phytoplankton phosphorus status during enrichment experiments: implications for interpreting nutrient enrichment bioassay results |
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Authors: | James J Elser Bruce L Kimmel |
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Institution: | (1) Graduate Program in Ecology, University of Tennessee, 37996 Knoxville, TN, USA;(2) Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 37831 Oak Ridge, TN, USA;(3) Present address: Department of Biology, University of Notre Dame, 46556 Notre Dame, USA |
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Abstract: | We compared the results of phosphorus-enrichment bioassay experiments with alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) assays as indicators of phosphorus (P) limitation of in situ phytoplankton growth. In 4-d experiments, phytoplankton APA decreased or remained unchanged in P-enriched samples, but increased in unenriched samples, indicating a rapid alteration of the P status of the unenriched algae during the experimental incubations. In direct comparisons of enrichment bioassays and APA assays of reservoir phytoplankton samples, the results of the two methods corresponded in general, although contradictory results were not uncommon. Our data support the conclusion that enrichment experiments can indicate the potential for nutrient limitation of algal growth in the absence of other limiting factors, but do not necessarily demonstrate the occurrence of in situ nutrient limitation of phytoplankton production. |
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Keywords: | phytoplankton production limiting factors nutrient enrichment bioassay alkaline phosphatase assay |
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