Physiological indicators of nutrient deficiency in phytoplankton in southern Chilean lakes |
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Authors: | Gail S. Steinhart Gene E. Likens Doris Soto |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;(2) Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA;(3) Present address: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;(4) Facultad de Pesquerías y Oceanografía, Universidad Austral de Chile, Puerto Montt, Chile |
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Abstract: | We assessed the nutrient status of phytoplankton in 28 lakes in southern Chile using two types of physiological indicators: specific alkaline phosphatase activity, and the elemental composition (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) of seston. Alkaline phosphatase activity ranged from 0.001 to 0.11 mol P g chl–1 h–1, with P-deficiency indicated in about one-half the study lakes. C:N ranged from 3.9 to 24, C:P ranged from 86 to 919, and N:P ranged from 8.7 to 99. C:P and N:P ratios greater than the Redfield ratio were common, suggesting P deficiency in many of the lakes. C:N ratios were not generally indicative of N deficiency. Previous studies have suggested N may be the primary limiting nutrient in southern Chilean lakes, but our results indicate that P should not be discounted as a limiting nutrient. |
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Keywords: | nutrient limitation phytoplankton Chile seston composition |
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