Plankton associations and related factors in a hypereutrophic lake

Abstract

Cluster analysis was used to group samples collected from ten stations in Moses Lake, Washington, according to the similarity of their contained algal species. During the period 1968 to 1970, nine recurring distinct sample groups, or algal populations, were identified. Of the nine, three were most distinct; they consistently recurred at the same stations, and were dominated by diatom, green, and blue-green algae, respectively. Of the six species of blue-greens that characterized that population, the recreationally nuisance forms,Aphanizomenon flos-aquae andMicrocystis aeruginosa, were dominant. The blue-green population was the most widespread in the lake and occurred in waters that were warmest and contained the lowest concentrations of inorganic nutrients: N, P, and C. Green algae dominated in waters that received treated sewage effluent and contained relatively high concentrations of nutrients. As the nutrient content declined when proceeding away from that area, blue-green algae became dominant. Temporal variation in biomass (chlorophyll content) of the blue-green population was inversely related to phosphate content, but not to the other nutrients. These results support the hypothesis that nuisance blue-green algae dominate in shallow eutrophic lakes during warm summer months when ambient nutrient content is low because, under these conditions, they apparently out-compete other forms for nutrients. In shallow unstable eutrophic lakes like Moses Lake, the nutrient supply rate from sediments may be considered great although ambient concentrations are low which allow the dominating blue-green population to reach a large biomass, e. g., maximums as high as 300 µg l−1 chlorophyll were observed. Because correlation analysis andin situ bioassays showed that biomass of blue-green algae was most closely related to inorganic phosphate even at times when nitrate was very low and invariable, we suggest that phosphorus availability is most critical to biomass formation. Control of ambient phosphorus content, therefore, would be most apt to result in a reduction in maximum biomass of the blue-greens. Phosphorus control would be unlikely to alter algal dominance in this shallow lake, however, since blue-greens seem to be generally favored over other populations by reduction in nutrient concentration during warm weather.