Competition between pelagic and benthic microalgae for phosphorus and light

Flöder, Sabine; Combüchen, Anja; Pasternak, A. F.; Hillebrand, Helmut

doi:10.1007/s00027-006-0824-7

Cited by 24 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(57 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In contrast to our previous experiments (Flçder et al, 2006), where benthic algae did not dominate treatments with low phosphorus concentrations in the water column, the presence of nutrient diffusing sediments (independent of the concentration) led to the opposite result. Increasing the phosphorus concentration in the water column did not result in pelagic algae shading the benthic community, as was the case in Hanssons (1988) enclosure experiments.…”

Section: Comparative Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 56%

Competition between benthic and pelagic microalgae for phosphorus and light – long-term experiments using artificial substrates

2009

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Benthic and pelagic microalgae inhabiting shallow lakes compete mainly for the limiting resources phosphorus and light. The availability of these resources depends on the spatial structure of the algal habitats. Pelagic microalgae use phosphate that is dissolved in the water column, and in turn their biomass affects the light intensity that reaches benthic microalgae. Benthic algae are able to use sediment-associated nutrients and nutrients that are recycled within the algal mats. To investigate competition between benthic and pelagic microalgae in shallow lakes, we performed two microcosm experiments with a three-factorial design. Phosphorus concentration in both the artificial substrates and the water column as well as light intensity were manipulated. The manipulated factors significantly affected Chl a and particulate phosphate concentrations of the experimental communities. In both experiments, benthic algae dominated during the entire time. Irrespective of light intensity, phosphate concentrations in the sediments and in the water column, pelagic algae were unable to become competitively superior by producing a biomass that was dense enough to shade the benthic algal community. Nutrients dissolved in the water column were effectively used by benthic microalgae, which reduced their availability for pelagic algae. The assumption that increasing the nutrient concentration in the water column would result in the loss of benthic communities was not confirmed.

show abstract

Section: Comparative Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 56%

Competition between benthic and pelagic microalgae for phosphorus and light – long-term experiments using artificial substrates

2009

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…, 2003). Flöder et al. (2006) manipulated light and P levels to show that, when cultured separately, pelagic and benthic microalgae each increased in abundance with higher P and light.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, when grown together, pelagic microalgae dominated under high light conditions, irrespective of P levels, as planktonic growth intercepted light that otherwise would reach the benthic algae. In contrast, benthic microalgae grew well under low light and high P. Flöder et al. ’s (2006) experiment did not include sediments, and therefore did not account for the possible advantage benthic algae might receive from sediment‐derived nutrients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoplankton response to light and internal phosphorus loading from sediment release

2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary 1. A 2 × 2 factorial design was employed to look at the influence of two levels of phosphorus (P; high and low) and two levels of light (high and low) and their interactions, on phytoplankton abundance, elemental tissue composition and community structure in two seasons (April and June) of 2005. 2. A novel feature of the experiment was the creation of high and low P levels by manipulating sediment core conditions in the laboratory. Sediment cores were incubated with their associated overlaying water column from four different sites in Mona Lake, Michigan, under anaerobic or aerobic conditions, respectively. 3. After 24 days, the water overlaying the sediment cores was collected and used as growth media for phytoplankton collected from Mona Lake. Phytoplankton communities were grown in the laboratory in the high or low P water, and subjected to high (250 μmol m−2 s−1) or low (10 μmol m−2 s−1) light for 9 (April) or 14 (June) days. 4. In the April experiment, high P treatments resulted in significantly higher chlorophyll‐a concentrations, significantly lower C : P ratios from two of the four sites, and greater dominance by Scenedesmus at all sites relative to low P treatments. High light generally led to higher chlorophyll‐a concentrations, higher C : P ratios and greater Scenedesmus and Fragilaria biovolume at all sites. A significant interaction was measured between P and light for chlorophyll‐a and Scenedesmus biovolume, suggesting the influence of P was more apparent at high light than at low light levels. 5. In the June experiment, high P increased ash‐free dry mass (AFDM), lowered C : P ratios and resulted in increased Pediastrum biovolume. High light levels led to greater chlorophyll‐a concentrations, AFDM and C : P ratios, as well as increased biovolumes of Scendesmus, Pediastrum and Fragilaria. A significant interaction was found between P and light for all three taxa, as the positive influence of P was more pronounced at high light levels. 6. The results of our study demonstrate that sediment‐derived P stimulates phytoplankton growth, but that its effect on phytoplankton dynamics is modulated by other factors, such as light.

show abstract

“…Thus, changes in environmental conditions can promote an increase in the density of those algae that can develop in both the sediment and the water column, giving them a competitive advantage over the algae that can live in only one of those lake habitats. The seasonal distribution of algal productivity observed by HANSSON (1996) in North American lakes, and by BARKO et al (1977) andFLÖDER et al (2006) in small ponds, suggests an exchange of algal organisms between the planktonic and epipelic populations.The phosphorus in shallow lakes tends to accumulate in the sediments and in the macrophytes (SØNDERGAARD et al, 2003;ROONEY and KALFF, 2003). Thus, the nonplanktonic algae 154 M. A. CASCO et al …”

mentioning

confidence: 81%

Phytoplankton and Epipelon Responses to Clear and Turbid Phases in a Seepage Lake (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Casco

Donagh

Cano

et al. 2009

International Review of Hydrobiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Annual changes in the algal density and concentrations of chlorophyll a, total phosphorus, and organic matter were analyzed in water and sediments at four sites characterized by the presence or absence of submerged and emergent macrophytes, during turbid-and clear-water conditions to determine the contribution of the algal components of the plankton and the epipelon and to identify the most typical species in each community. Three states were recognized: one turbid and two clear, with different submerged macrophyte cover. The peaks of phytoplankton and epipelon occurred in the turbid phase, whereas the highest proportion of true epipelic algae in sediments was reached in the second clear phase. The Oscillatoriaceae dominated during the turbid phase in the water and throughout the entire year within the sediments. IntroductionIn shallow lakes where alternative equilibrium states can occur, the importance of the relationships between epipelic and pelagic algae has recently been highlighted (VADEBON-COEUR et al., 2002). In such lakes the structure and biomass of epipelon varies in relation to spatial heterogeneity created by the presence or absence of emergent and submerged macrophytes. According to CYR (1998), the biomass of benthic algae varies among sites and according to depth in small oligotrophic and mesotrophic lakes.The benthic assemblages are made up of autochthonous species plus others incorporated from the plankton and periphyton. Thus, changes in environmental conditions can promote an increase in the density of those algae that can develop in both the sediment and the water column, giving them a competitive advantage over the algae that can live in only one of those lake habitats. The seasonal distribution of algal productivity observed by HANSSON (1996) in North American lakes, and by BARKO et al. (1977) andFLÖDER et al. (2006) in small ponds, suggests an exchange of algal organisms between the planktonic and epipelic populations.The phosphorus in shallow lakes tends to accumulate in the sediments and in the macrophytes (SØNDERGAARD et al., 2003;ROONEY and KALFF, 2003). Thus, the nonplanktonic algae 154 M. A. CASCO et al.

show abstract

Competition between pelagic and benthic microalgae for phosphorus and light

Cited by 24 publications

References 46 publications

Competition between benthic and pelagic microalgae for phosphorus and light – long-term experiments using artificial substrates

Competition between benthic and pelagic microalgae for phosphorus and light – long-term experiments using artificial substrates

Phytoplankton response to light and internal phosphorus loading from sediment release

Phytoplankton and Epipelon Responses to Clear and Turbid Phases in a Seepage Lake (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About