Abstract
The purpose of this study was to experimentally evaluate the effects of nutrient ratios and nutrient concentration (NC) on periphyton biomass using water from 4 Irish streams. Stream water nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P) ratios were manipulated (high >50, medium 15–30, low <10) and crossed with 3 different NCs over a 2-week period. Algal biomass as chlorophyll a (Chl-a) showed variable response to the treatments compared to the control in 3 streams and no response to the treatments in the forth stream. The 3 streams showed significant interaction between N:P ratio and NC. Periphyton response to the NC treatments and N:P ratio was varied; 2 streams had a significant response to both NC treatments and N:P ratios. In these 2 streams Chl-a was positively correlated to dissolved inorganic N but not to soluble reactive P, indicating N limitations despite the high N:P ratio from the ambient stream water. The third stream showed a significant response to NC and was again co-limited by N and P. The results suggest that nutrient ratio has no real application in predicting nutrient limitation in flowing water. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of considering N in the potential for eutrophication.
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