Phosphorus–Chlorophyll Relationships under Contrasting Zooplankton Community Structure: Potential Mechanisms

Abstract

Data from experimental enclosures and natural and manipulated lakes were used to test whether the variable chlorophyll a (Chl) yields to total phosphorus (TP) can be explained by the variable contributions of dissolved (TDP) and zooplankton phosphorus (ZP; P > 200 μm) to TP. Results indicate that low Chl yields to TP in systems with abundant large Daphnia are closely related to greater contributions of TDP and ZP to TP. An opposite pattern is produced by systems lacking large Daphnia. These patterns seem to be consistent among mesoeutrophic to hypereutrophic systems; Chl yields to TP decline with increasing contributions of TDP to TP. In the large-Daphnia-dominated systems, both high grazing and reduced phosphate demand allow a greater sequestering of P into zooplankton and dissolved pools rather than in algae, which generate a lower observed Chl yields to TP. Conversely, lack of large Daphnia and low grazing rates allow proliferation of small algae, and an associated intense phosphate demand allows greater sequestering of P into small algae rather than into zooplankton and dissolved pools, and consequently, a higher Chl yield to TP is produced.