Phytoplankton production in a central Texas reservoir.
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1969Author
Kimmel, Bruce Lee
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Phytoplankton production and other environmental variables were
measured from June to November, 1968 to determine factors affecting
production and trophic status of the producer community in a shallow,
polymictic, central Texas reservoir. The reservoir was highly productive
and eutrophic. Net phytoplankton production estimates, derived from
data, averaged 390 mg C m“3 day“^, 857 mg C m“2 day”^, and 300 g C m"^
yr~for the impoundment. Light extinction by organic and inorganic
turbidity limited phytoplankton production by decreasing the photic
depth. Nutrient limitation was of minor importance, although greater
production occurred near points of nutrient inflow than in other reservoir areas.
Wind-mixing of the reservoir is believed to accelerate its eutrophication by promoting rapid nutrient recirculation, and thus maintaining nutrient availability for primary production. The impoundment is
expected to age more rapidly with time as its basin shallows and phytoplankters spend an increasingly larger fraction of their lives in the
productive zone.