The skewed N:P stoichiometry resulting from anthropogenic drivers regulate production of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in Ganga River.

Abstract

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), generated from excretion products of microalgae, trigger flocculation of diatoms and sinking of organic matter. Investigations along 797 km stretch of Ganga River indicated that TEP declined with increasing N:P stoichiometric ratio downstream. The TEP showed positive relationship with chlorophyll a (R(2) = 0.9661; p < 0.0001) and biogenic silica (R(2) = 0.8797; p < 0.0001) and negative relationship (R(2) = 0.8547; p < 0.0001) with N:P ratio. The study that forms the first report on N:P linked changes in TEP in Ganga River showed that the shifting N:P stoichiometric ratios resulting from anthropogenic release may alter TEP production and, by implication, ecosystem functioning including carbon sequestration in the river.