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Limiting nutrient and its use efficiency of phytoplankton in a shallow eutrophic lake, Lake Kasumigaura

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Abstract

In the management of lakes for a healthy environment, it is crucial to assess the limiting nutrient(s) and understand its use efficiency of the phytoplankton production. We hypothesized that dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) and/or nitrogen concentrations (DIN) describe the state of nutrient limitations on phytoplankton production. Using the 38 years of monthly limnological data at eight stations in Lake Kasumigaura, we analyzed the relationships between the available nutrients for building phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll a (Chla). Better correlations were obtained by subtracting the nutrients in tripton (non-living particulate matter) from the total P and N (available nutrients: TP′ and TN′). We determined the thresholds for P and N limitation (DIP: 0.01 mg l−1; DIN: 0.15 mg l−1) using the slopes of regression, and we examined this assessment in one of four limitation conditions (only P, only N, both, or none) for the respective times and stations. Close relationships between TP′ and Chla for only the P limitation data and between TN′ and Chla for only the N limitation data were observed. Multiple regression models confirmed that TP′ and TN′ predominantly determined Chla in only the P and N limitation conditions, respectively. Factors affecting nutrient use efficiency were also discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan (17H04475 and 17H01850). The data on lake water and sediment quality were provided by the Kasumigaura River Office, Kanto Regional Development Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Monitoring data on water quality and phytoplankton were also provided by the National Institute for the Environmental Studies (NIES). We are grateful to Dr. Yumi Magahama and Dr. Mariko Furukawa for helpful advice on the statistical analysis using R. We thank two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions for improving the quality of the manuscript.

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  1. Ibaraki Kasumigaura Environmental Science Center, 1853 Okijyuku, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, 3000023, Japan

    Takehiko Fukushima

  2. Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 3058572, Japan

    Takehiko Fukushima & Bunkei Matsushita

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  1. Takehiko Fukushima
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TF designed this study and analyzed the data. BM commented on draft version of the article. All authors have approved the final article.

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Correspondence to Takehiko Fukushima.

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Fukushima, T., Matsushita, B. Limiting nutrient and its use efficiency of phytoplankton in a shallow eutrophic lake, Lake Kasumigaura. Hydrobiologia 848, 3469–3487 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-021-04593-y

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