Factors relating to annual planktonic primary production in five small oligotrophic lakes in Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland

Abstract

AbstractAnnual planktonic primary production in five small oligotrophic lakes in Newfoundland, as measured at maximum depth (P‐area) ranged from 5.6 to 12.0 g C/m2/year. Production per unit surface area representative of the whole lake basin (P‐area ) was considerably lower in the shallower lakes (3.3 to 6.4 g C/m2/yr), while production expressed per unit volume representative of the whole lake basin (P‐vol ) was the higher in the shallower lakes (0.6 to 4.1 g C/m3/yr). Production efficiency varied from lake to lake and throughout the year, but it remained fairly stable in a shorter term. Production efficiency and insolation was used to estimate annual production. Lakes with higher summer concentration of total phosphorus had higher rates of carbon assimilation.