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Nutrient ratios and phytoplankton community structure in the large, shallow, eutrophic, subtropical Lakes Okeechobee (Florida, USA) and Taihu (China)

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Abstract

Analysis of ten- and four-year datasets for the large, shallow, subtropical, and eutrophic Lakes Okeechobee (USA) and Taihu (China), respectively, suggest that resource-ratio explanations for cyanobacteria dominance may not apply to these two lakes. Datasets were examined to identify relationships between nutrient ratios [total nitrogen (TN):total phosphorus (TP) and ammonium (NH4 +):oxidized N (NO x )] and phytoplankton community structure (as proportions of cyanobacteria and diatoms to total phytoplankton biomass). Datasets were pooled by sampling month, averaged lake-wide, and analyzed with linear regression. In Okeechobee, the cyanobacteria proportion increased and the diatom proportion decreased with increasing TN:TP. In Taihu, cyanobacteria decreased with increasing TN:TP, but the opposite trend observed for diatoms was marginally significant. Okeechobee cyanobacteria increased and diatoms decreased with increasing NH4 +:NO x , but no significant relationships between phytoplankton and NH4 +:NO x were observed in Taihu. Both lakes had significant relationships between phytoplankton community structure and total nutrients, but these relationships were the opposite of those expected. Relationships between phytoplankton community structure and water quality parameters from the previous month resulted in improved relationships, suggesting a predictive capability. Statistical analysis of the entire datasets (not pooled) supported these and additional relationships with other parameters, including temperature and water clarity.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Regents Chair in Marine Science, NOAA Coastal Oceans Program, South Florida Water Management District, and the US National Science Foundation—International and Chemical Oceanography Programs. Additional Chinese collaborators included Dr. Qin Boqiang, Dr. Zhang Lu, and Mr. Yang Longyuan, and their assistance is greatly appreciated. The authors thank Dr. Robert T. Heath, Paul McCormick, Mike Chimney, Andrew Rodusky, and Greg Graves for valuable comments on the manuscript. The authors also would like to thank Shin Nakayama for translating the abstract to Japanese.

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  1. Mark J. McCarthy

    Present address: Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, Succarsale Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Science Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 750 Channel View Drive, Port Aransas, TX, 78373, USA

    Mark J. McCarthy & Wayne S. Gardner

  2. South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, FL, 33416, USA

    R. Thomas James & Therese L. East

  3. Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, 210008, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Yuwei Chen

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  1. Mark J. McCarthy
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Correspondence to Mark J. McCarthy.

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McCarthy, M.J., James, R.T., Chen, Y. et al. Nutrient ratios and phytoplankton community structure in the large, shallow, eutrophic, subtropical Lakes Okeechobee (Florida, USA) and Taihu (China). Limnology 10, 215–227 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-009-0277-5

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