Factors influencing periphyton growth in agricultural streams of central Illinois

Abstract

Factors limiting periphyton accrual in east-central Illinois agricultural streams were investigated. Nutrient-diffusing substrata were used to examine periphyton macronutrient limitation in streams in two agricultural watersheds. Substrata consisted of sand-agar mixtures with one of six experimental treatments. Macronutrients included carbon, nitrate, phosphate and combinations of the three. Substrata were collected after a 5 and 9 day period and analyzed for chlorophyll a. None of the treatments were significantly greater than the controls at any of the seven stations, thus we conclude that periphyton in these streams was not nutrient limited. Highest periphyton colonization/growth rates were associated with the smaller upstream reaches, while lower rates occurred in the larger downstream reaches. Multiple regression showed that most of the variance in the rate of chlorophyll a accrual after five days was explained through water temperature and turbidity (13 = 0.91); whereas, stream nitrate and phosphate concentrations accounted for no significant portion of the variance. We conclude that instream primary production in agricultural streams of central Illinois is limited by temperature and light.

Using benthic diatom assemblages to assess human impacts on streams across a rural to urban gradient

“…There is good evidence that nutrient concentrations are poor predictors of Chl a ( Figueroa-Nieves et al 2006), which has been shown by other researchers (Munn et al 1989). However, others have shown the opposite effect (LaPerriere et al 1989).…”

Response of algal metrics to nutrients and physical factors and identification of nutrient thresholds in agricultural streams

“…Previous studies that have tried to relate chlorophyll or AFDW with TN or TP have often determined poor relationships (Munn et al 1989;Kjeldsen 1994;Dodds et al 2002;Porter et al 2008; but see Biggs and Close 1989;Lohman et al 1992). Although these two metrics often are examined as part of biomonitoring efforts focusing on nutrient enrichment, a number of studies have determined that these biomass estimates may be more related to hydrologic stability, water clarity, light availability, and the abundance of grazers rather than nutrients (Rosemond et al 1993;Poff and Ward 1995;Riseng et al 2004;Biggs et al 2005).…”

Dynamics and attenuation characteristics of periphyton upon artificial substratum under various light conditions and some additional observations on periphyton upon Potamogeton pectinatus L.

“…Possible factors which exerted the dominant control over periphyton growth might have been the periphyton growth-light response curve characteristics (Meulemans & Heinis, 1983;Meulemans, 1988), nutrient concentrations (Bothwell, 1988;Bushong & Bachmann, 1989), carbon concentrations (Munn et al, 1989) and water temperature (Bothwell, 1988;Bushong & Bachmann, 1989;Vermaat & Hootsmans, 1992).…”

“…Several workers have shown that the growth of periphyton is affected by photon flux density (Gons, 1982;Meulemans & Heins, 1983;Bothwell, 1988;Meulemans, 1988;Munn et al, 1989;Vermaat & Hootsmans, 1992). However, the photon flux density has not been controlled in field studies on periphyton development as far as known.…”