Nutrient function over form: Organic and inorganic nitrogen additions have similar effects on lake phytoplankton nutrient limitation

Authors

Sabrina N. Volponi, University of Notre Dame
Heather L. Wander, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
David C. Richardson, SUNY New Paltz
Clayton J. Williams, Saint Michael's College
Denise A. Bruesewitz, Colby College
Shelley Arnott, Queen’s University
Jennifer A. Brentrup, Dartmouth College
Hailee L. Edwards, State University of New York Albany
Holly Ewing, Bates CollegeFollow
Kristen Holeck, Cornell Biological Field Station
Lauren Johnson, Queen’s University
Brian S. Kim, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Ana M. Morales-Williams, The University of Vermont
Nisha Nadkarni, The University of Vermont
Beth C. Norman, Lacawac Sanctuary Field Station
Lianne Parmalee, The University of Vermont
Amy Shultis, SUNY Oneonta
Adrienne Tracy, Bates College
Nicole K. Ward, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Kathleen C. Weathers, Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Courtney R. Wigdahl-Perry, State University of New York at Fredonia
Kiyoko Yokota, SUNY Oneonta

Publication Title

Limnology and Oceanography

Document Type

Article

Department or Program

Environmental Studies

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

The concentration of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is increasing in many northern hemisphere lakes, yet its use by phytoplankton and fate in the environment seldom have been quantified. We conducted 1 week, in situ, microcosm incubations across 25 lakes in northeastern North America to understand how DON, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (P) affected phytoplankton biomass. In addition, we tested whether lakes were limited by single macronutrients (N or P) or colimited by both. Phytoplankton biomass in 80% of lakes responded similarly to DON and DIN additions. Of the lakes where N form produced differential responses, the majority of phytoplankton communities exhibited greater biomass accumulation with DON than DIN. Colimitation was the most common type of nutrient limitation among the study lakes, followed by P limitation. Limitation type shifted with N form in 40% of the study lakes, but without consistent patterns explaining how shifts occurred. Regardless of N form, lakes with watersheds more dominated by agriculture and higher total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) tended to show P-limited phytoplankton responses, while lakes with less agricultural watersheds and lower TDN tended to show colimited phytoplankton responses. Finally, ambient TDN and total phosphorus (TP) nutrient concentrations were stronger predictors of limitation type than ambient TDN : TP ratios. The different contributions of DON and DIN to phytoplankton biomass in some of our study lakes suggest that DON loading from surrounding watersheds may be an overlooked component in predicting phytoplankton productivity and nutrient limitation dynamics in freshwater ecosystems.

Comments

Original version is available from the publisher at: https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12270

Recommended Citation

Volponi, Sabrina N., et al. “Nutrient Function over Form: Organic and Inorganic Nitrogen Additions Have Similar Effects on Lake Phytoplankton Nutrient Limitation.” Limnology and Oceanography, vol. 68, no. 2, 2023, pp. 307–21.

Copyright Note

© 2022 The Authors. Limnology and Oceanography published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography. This is the publisher's version of this Open Access article.