Nitrogen and phosphorus limitation and the management of small productive lakes

Maberly, Stephen C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3541-5903; Pitt, Jo-Anne; Davies, P. Sian; Carvalho, Laurence ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9768-9902. 2020 Nitrogen and phosphorus limitation and the management of small productive lakes. Inland Waters, 10 (2). 159-172. 10.1080/20442041.2020.1714384

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Abstract/Summary

Many inland waters are enriched with nutrients, causing deleterious effects to their ecology and the benefits they provide for society, but their effective management first requires identification of the nutrient(s) that limit algal production. Concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) were used to assess nutrient limitation seasonally at 17 meres over 2 time periods: historic (2005–2009; 1995–1998 at one site) and contemporary (2014–2018). Different approaches were used to assess nutrient limitation because they reflect different aspects of nutrient availability and their conversion into biomass. In the historic period, 3 meres were phosphorus (P) limited, 3 nitrogen (N) limited, 5 co-limited; the remaining 6 meres were not nutrient limited. For this period, ecological status assessed using phytoplankton Chl-a was only at good or high ecological status (sensu the Water Framework Directive) at 2 sites. The contemporary period was slightly improved, with 4 sites at good status. At the sites that failed to meet good ecological status, the required reduction in P concentration was least in P-limited sites and, conversely, the reduction in N was least in N-limited sites, suggesting that remediation by nutrient reduction would be most efficient if it was targeted using site-specific information. Even in primarily P-limited sites, once input of P has been reduced, further ecological benefit of reducing N at targeted sites should be explored.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1080/20442041.2020.1714384
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Water Resources (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	2044-2041
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	eutrophication, meres, nutrient limitation, phytoplankton, remediation, Water Framework Directive
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	29 Apr 2020 11:05 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/527563

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