Internal Phosphorus Loading in Shallow Lakes: Importance and Control

Abstract

ABSTRACT Decreasing the algal biomass and increasing transparency in shallow, unstratified lakes is usually more difficult than for deep, stratified lakes. Eutrophic unstratified lakes (or shallow, stratified lakes susceptible to metalimnion erosion) have typically responded slowly to reduced external nutrient loading, usually because of longevity of internal loading. That is because sediment-released nutrients (especially phosphorus) readily enter the trophogenic zone of shallow lakes during the growing season and result in high lake concentrations. In stratified lakes, metalimnia may serve as barriers to phosphorus transport into the trophogenic zone. Although the whole water column in shallow lakes is usually aerobic, several mechanisms can combine to produce relatively high sediment phosphorus release rates in these lakes. These include: 1) wind resuspension and bioturbation, combined with high pH or low Fe/P ratio that maintains high P solubility, 2) periodic anoxia and reducing conditions promoted by calm, warm weather, and 3) macrophyte senescence. Attempts to reduce algal biomass by controlling internal phosphorus loading have often been effective.