Seasonal phytoplankton response to increased temperature and phosphorus inputs in a freshwater coastal lagoon, Southern Brazil: a microcosm bioassay

Abstract

Aim: the present study aimed at assessing the response of phytoplankton biomass (as chlorophyll-a) to simulated conditions of increased water temperature and phosphorus (P) inputs in Peri lagoon, a subtropical coastal lagoon dominated by Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii most of the year; Methods: microcosm experiments were conducted in thermostatic light chambers during 3 and 7 days in austral summer, autumn and winter 2009. Control temperatures were tested against 3 and 5 °C rises in water temperature in each season. In each temperature treatment, three P concentrations were tested: control (non-enriched, ~1.5 µg.L -1 PO 4 3+ ) and enrichments of four (+6 µg.L -1 PO 4 3+ ) and eight (+12 µg.L -1 PO 4 3+ ) times natural concentrations; Results: the results showed that P enrichments alone did not increase chlorophyll-a concentrations, but temperature increases significantly elevated phytoplankton biomass in autumn and winter microcosms. Water temperature increases were followed by significant elevations in the oxygen saturation levels in all microcosms and seasons. The combined effect of increased temperature and P enrichments resulted in the highest chlorophyll-a levels also in autumn and winter. Summer microcosms seem to have been negatively affected by the experimental conditions (too high water temperatures); Conclusions: the bioassays showed that global temperature rises can significantly elevate the phytoplankton biomass in Peri coastal lagoon, especially in colder months and if followed by increased P inputs, what can lead to major ecological consequences to the water body and to water supply issues in the region.