Seasonal changes in the abundance of autotrophic picoplankton and some environmental factors in hypereutrophic Furuike Pond

Abstract

Seasonal change in the abundance of autotrophic picoplankton (APP) was investigated once or twice a week in relation to some environmental variables in a hypereutrophic pond, from July 1999 to June 2000. Cell density of APP ranged between 0.3×105 and 10.1×105 cells ml−1, overlapping the lower range of APP abundances given in the literature for hypereutrophic systems. The pattern of seasonal change in concentration of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (0.3–20.3 μ mol P l−1) was similar to that of cell density of APP, suggesting that phosphorus limitation on APP abundance. By contrast, nitrogen limitation seemed unlikely since the pattern of seasonal change in concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen was different from that of APP cell density. We could not find any coupled oscillations between APP abundance and heterotrophic nanoflagellates, or between that of APP and ciliates. The dominant ciliate taxa, based on their cell densities, were Cinetochilum margaritaceum, Cyclidium glaucoma, Halteria grandinella, Strobilidium sp. and Urotricha spp. The relative contribution of the < 2 μm fraction to total chlorophyll concentration was seasonally high (up to 16.2%), indicating seasonal importance of APP abundance as food for heterotrophs.