Hot spots and hot moments of planktonic nitrogen fixation in a eutrophic southern reservoir

Abstract

Reservoirs have been identified as hot spots of biogeochemical activity, although they are known to exhibit pronounced temporal and spatial variability in planktonic community dynamics. Results from this 19-month study at 5 locations on a southern polymictic reservoir identify pronounced temporal (seasonal and interannual) and significant spatial variability in planktonic nitrogen fixation. Planktonic nitrogen fixation was found to be high during the warmest portion of the year and undetectable for most of the rest of the year. Interannual variability between 2 consecutive summer periods was high and likely due to differences in rainfall pattern and resulting differences in ambient nutrient concentrations and flushing rates. Rates during the dry summer exceeded those during the following summer when unexpected summer rains occurred. Spatial differences in areal and volumetric rates were also significant. Volumetric rates were highest in the inflow transition zone of a river draining a watershed impacted by dairy operations, with inflows exhibiting low N:P ratios. Areal rates were highest in the deeper and clearer portions of the reservoir. Areal rates of nitrogen fixation varied among the 5 stations by a factor of 4.4 in the dry summer and by a factor of 22 in the wetter summer.