Abstract
The ratios of different forms of nitrogen to phosphorus (particulate, total, total dissolved, and dissolved inorganic N:P) from four eutrophic lakes are presented to assess their variability during two consecutive growing seasons. Particulate and total N:P ratios showed the lowest amplitude of fluctuations, while the total inorganic N:P ratios showed the highest. All N:P forms demonstrated substantial variations and seasonal pattern over the growing period April-October. It was the short-lasting spring minima of the N:P ratios, ranging from less than 1:1 to 6:1, which triggered the onset of nitrogen-fixing cyanophyte blooms. Seasonal mean values were as high as 20:1 to 30:1 and misleading in assessing nitrogen limitation. The nitrogen fixation rapidly restored the N:P values to normal levels (TN:TP of 15:1 and over).
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© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht
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Barica, J. (1990). Seasonal variability of N:P ratios in eutrophic lakes. In: Biró, P., Talling, J.F. (eds) Trophic Relationships in Inland Waters. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 53. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0467-5_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0467-5_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6695-2
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