Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth in lake Batorino: experimental research
Keywords:
nutrient limitation, phytoplankton growth, aquatic bloom, co-limitationAbstract
Nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, silicon are one of the most important factors controlling phytoplankton growth and proliferation. The depletion of these elements will limit the growth of phytoplankton, which is one of the most effective ways to control the phytoplanrton blooms. This effect is caused everywhere by anthropogenic activities, such as wastewater discharge, the use of large amounts of agricultural fertilizers, etc. The study was conducted in June 2025. In the experiment, into the water from the surface horizon of the lake Batorino the main nutrients were added in various ratios. Then, over the course of 25 days, chlorophyll-a indicators were recorded, reflecting the increase in phytoplankton biomass. On the second day of the research, a negative or near-zero growth rate was recorded, which is probably due to the presence of a «buffer» adaptation period of the phytoplankton community. This period appears probably with a rapid (albeit conducive) change in conditions. At the same time, the proportion of blue-green algae increased due to a decrease in the biomass of the diatoms, cryptophyte and green algae. The study showed the significant (p < 0,05) increase in biomass (according to chlorophyll-a) was recorded when all studied nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, silicon) were added in maximum concentration, while the only phosphorus or silicon addition didn’t cause significant changes in comparison with the control. The only nitrogen addition causes a lower increase in biomass compared to the control. At the same time, by the end of the study, representatives of the green algae predominate in all microcosms, while diatoms along with blue-green algae predominated in the source water.
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