Title
Phosphorus and trace metal limitation of algae and bacteria in Lake Superior
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2004
Publication Title
Limnology and Oceanography
Volume
49
Issue
2
First Page
495
Last Page
507
Abstract
We performed a set of nutrient-enrichment bioassay experiments using metal-clean protocols, testing for macronutrient and micronutrient limitation of algae and bacteria in western Lake Superior. Our analysis involved a novel approach to estimating the strength of nutrient limitation in factorial enrichment designs. We found that phytoplankton and bacterioplankton growth both increased with added phosphorus alone but not with iron, manganese, or zinc alone. However, even very small increases in growth rates following P supplementation (on the order of an additional 0.1 d-1) induced iron limitation in the phytoplankton, indicating that the algae in this large lake may be on the cusp of micronutrient and macronutrient limitation. In contrast, and contrary to expectations, bacteria responded only to P and not to metals. Spatial and temporal variability in degree and quality of nutrient limitation was considerable.
DOI
10.4319/lo.2004.49.2.0495
ISSN
00243590
Recommended Citation
Sterner, Robert W.; Smutka, Tanya M.; McKay, R. Michael L.; Xiaoming, Qin; Brown, Erik T.; and Sherrell, Robert M.. (2004). Phosphorus and trace metal limitation of algae and bacteria in Lake Superior. Limnology and Oceanography, 49 (2), 495-507.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/glierpub/613