Abstract
The flux of phosphorus in a zooplankton‐phytoplankton system is described by a simple compartment model, with differential equations for grazing, growth an d reproduction of animals, and release and recycling of P. The mean release rates from zooplankton for a given period are derived for cases restricted to animals feeding on algae at densities above the incipient limiting food concentration. The model is used to analyze short term incubaton experiments with Daphnia pulex feeding on Scenedesmus sp. and Daphnia longispina feeding on Rhodomonas lacustris in dim light. When food organisms were saturated with P, total rele ase rates were in the range 1.1–1.5 µg P (mg dry wt)−1 h−1 in accordance with a maximalexcretion rate of 0.8 µg P (mg dry wt)−1 h−1 predicted by the model of Peters. Phosphorus‐starved phytoplankton, containing less P, gave much lower release rates, about 0.05 µg P (mg dry wt)−1 h−1, only 10% of the excretion rate predicted by the model of Peters.
Published Version
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