Influence of aquatic macrophytes on phosphorus cycling in lakes

Emergent macrophytes take up their phosphorus exclusively from the sediment. Submerged species obtain phosphorus both from the surrounding water and from the substrate, but under normal pore and lake water phosphorus concentrations, substrate uptake dominates. Release of phosphorus from actively growing macrophytes (both submerged and emergent) is minimal and epiphytes obtain phosphorus mainly from the water. Decaying macrophytes may act as an internal phosphorus source for the lake and add considerable quantities of phosphorus to the water. A large part of the released phosphorus is often retained by the sediments. In perennial macrophytes the amount of phosphorus released from decaying shoots is dependent on the degree of phosphorus conservation within the plant. Macrophyte stands may also be a permanent phosphorus sink due to burial of plant litter. Macrophytes affect the chemical environment (oxygen, pH), which in turn has effects on the phosphorus cycling in lakes. However, the impact of aquatic macrophytes on whole-lake phosphorus cycling is largely unknown. Controlled full-scale harvesting, herbicide or herbivory experiments are almost totally lacking. Emergent macrophytes respond positively to eutrophication, but fertilization experiments have shown that nitrogen rather than phosphorus may be the key element. Submerged macrophytes are adversely affected by a large increase in the external phosphorus input to a lake. This effect may be caused by epiphyte shading, phytoplankton shading or deposition of unfavourable sediments.