Photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton in a high altitude lake (Emerald Lake, Sierra Nevada, California)

✍ Scribed by James O. Sickman; John M. Melack

• Book ID: 104613852
• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 942 KB
• Volume: 230
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-5141
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00015113

✦ Synopsis

Photosynthetic activity by phytoplankton was measured during the ice-free seasons of 1984, 1985 and 1987 using the 14C radioassay in high altitude Emerald Lake (California). Relative quantum yield (aB) and light-saturated chlorophyll-specific carbon uptake (PmB) were calculated from the relationship of light and photosynthesis fitted to a hyperbolic tangent function. Temporal changes in PmB showed no regular pattern. Seasonal patterns of ctB generally had peaks in the summer and autumn. Phytoplankton biomass (as measured by chlorophyll a ) and light-saturated carbon uptake (P,) had peaks in the summer and autumn which were associated with vertical mixing. Estimates of mean daily carbon production were similar among the three years: 57 mg C m -d -' in 1984, 70 mg C m -d -' i n 1985 and 60 mg C m-d ' in 1987. Primary productivity in Emerald Lake is low compared to other montane lakes of California and similar to high-altitude or high-latitude lakes in other regions.