Nutrient-phytoplankton relationships in a tropical meromictic soda lake

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.