Abstract

Phosphate release rates by Stylodrilus heringianus, tubificids, and Chironomus spp. were quantified in laboratory experiments by incubating the animals in wet sand under two temperature regimes (5 and 20 °C) and under two nutritional states (full and empty guts). Inorganic phosphorus release rates (± SE) for animals incubated 24 h ranged from 0.12 ± 0.02 (n = 5) nmol phosphorus (P)∙(mg ash-free dry weight)−1∙h−1 for S. heringianus beginning with cleared guts at 5 °C to 0.81 ± 0.09 (n = 5) nmol P∙(mg ash-free dry weight)−1∙h−1 for chironomids beginning with full guts at 20 °C. Calculations based on total invertebrate bio-mass and mean basal release rate suggest that benthic invertebrate excretion could account for most P released from aerobic Lake Michigan sediments.Key words: phosphorus, benthic invertebrates, macroinvertebrates, excretion, nutrients, sediments, nutrient release

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