Nutrient-phytoplankton relationships in a tropical meromictic soda lake
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Date
1988
Authors
Njuguna, S. G.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kluwer Academic Publishers
Abstract
Seasonal variation through one year in total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), phytoplankton biomass, phytoplankton species composition and other environmental factors were examined in Lake Sonachi, a tropical meromictic soda lake. Mean concentrations of TN and TP were 11 000 µg N l-1 and 100 µg P l-1, respectively. Maximum concentrations of TN and TP occurred in the monimolimnion. Phytoplankton biomass ranged from 350 to 1260 mg m-3. Synechococcus bacillaris, a small coccoid cyanophyte, dominated the phytoplankton. The mean chlorophyll a concentration of 37 mg • m-3 was a modest value when compared with those of other tropical soda lakes. High TN:TP ratios indicated phosphorus limitation in the lake.
Description
DOI 10.1007/BF00026265
Keywords
Nutrients, phosphorus, nitrogen, phytoplankton, Lake Sonachi, Kenya
Citation
Hydrobiologia January 1988, Volume 158, Issue 1, pp 15-28