Abstract
In the absence of field data it is often assumed that the C : P ratio of the seston in lakes corresponds to the ‘ideal’ ratio of 106 : 1, reported by Redfield et al. (1963) for marine phytoplankton. However, we found out that in nearly all lakes studied C : P ratios deviate systematically from this value especially during periods, when phosphorus is growth limiting. Thus, during summer the sestonic C : P ratio generally exceeds 106 in the epilimnion, but decreases with depth in the hypolimnion. Possible mechanisms which may lead to these seasonal and spatial changes in the C : P ratio are discussed.
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Gächter, R., Bloesch, J. Seasonal and vertical variation in the C : P ratio of suspended and settling seston of lakes. Hydrobiologia 128, 193–200 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006814
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006814