Abstract
Nutrient limitation of primary production was experimentally assessed using an in situ bioassay technique in the Quebrada Salto, a third-order tropical stream draining the northern foothills of the Cordillera Central in Costa Rica. Bioassays employed artificial substrata enriched with nutrients that slowly diffuse through an agar-sand matrix (Pringle & Bowers, 1984). Multiple comparisons of regression coefficients, describing chlorophyll-a accrual through time for different nutrient treatments, revealed positive micronutrient effect(s). Micronutrient treatment combinations (Fe, B, Mn, Zn, Co, Mo, EDTA), supplemented with and without nitrate and phosphate, exhibited significantly greater chlorophyll-a accrual over all other treatments (P < 0.05), supporting over three times that of the control after 14-d of substratum colonization. Neither of the major nutrients (N or P) produced a significant stimulation, although the N treatment displayed ≃50% more chlorophyll-a than the control after 14-d. Similarly, Si, EDTA, and Si + N + P treatments did not exhibit chlorophyll-a response curves that were significantly different from the control. During the experiment, mean NH4-N and (NO2 + NO3)-N concentrations in the Salto were 2.0 µM (28.6 µg · l−1) and 7.2 µM (100.2 µg · l −1), respectively. High concentrations of PO4-P (\(\bar X\) = 2.0 µM; 60.9 µg · l−1) and TP (\(\bar X\) = 3.0 µM; 94.0 µg · l−1) were also found, and consequently low molar N:P ratios \(\bar X\) = 4.7). Despite the potential for N limitation in the system, both N and P appear to be at growth saturating levels. This may be due to micronutrient limitation and/or light limitation of periphyton growth in densely shaded upstream portions of the stream.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
American Public Health Association, 1980. Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater, 14th Edn., APHA, 1193 pp.
Bormann, F. H. & G. E. Likens, 1979. Catastrophic disturbance and the steady state in northern hardwood forests. Am. Sci. 67: 660–669.
Bourgeois, W. W., D. W. Cole, H. Reikerk & S. P. Gessel, 1972. Geology and soils of comparative ecosystem study areas, Costa Rica. Contrib. 11, Inst. For. Prod., Univ. Wash., 112 pp.
Cole, G. A. & G. L. Batchelder, 1969. Dynamics of an Arizona travertine-forming stream. J. Ariz. Acad. Sci. 5: 271–283.
Elwood, J. W., J. D. Newbold, A. F. Trimble & R. W. Stark, 1981. The limiting role of phosphorus in a woodland stream ecosystem: Effects of P enrichment on leaf decomposition and primary producers. Ecology 62: 146–158.
Goldman, C. R., 1964. Primary productivity and micronutrient limiting factors in some North American and New Zealand lakes. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 15: 365–374.
Goldman, C. R., 1966. Molybdenum as an essential micronutrient and useful watermass marker in Castle Lake, California. Proc. IBP Symp. Amst.: 229–238.
Goldman, C. R. & A. J. Horne, 1983. Limnology. McGraw-Hill Book Co., N.Y., 464 pp.
Greenland, D. J., 1981. Soil management and soil degradation. J. Soil. Sci. 32: 301–312.
Gregory, S. V., 1980. Effects of light, nutrients and grazing on periphyton communities in streams. Ph.D. Thesis, Oregon St. Univ., Corvallis, OR, 150 pp.
Grimm, N. R., S. G. Fisher & W. L. Minckley, 1981. Nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in hot desert streams of southwestern USA. Hydrobiologia 83: 303–312.
Grobbelaar, J. U., 1983. Availability to algae of N and P adsorbed on suspended solids in turbid waters of the Amazonian River. Arch. Hydrobiol. 96: 302–316.
Henry, R. & J. G. Tundisi, 1982. Evidence of limitation by molybdenum and nitrogen on the growth of the phytoplankton community of the Lobo Reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil). Revue Hydrobiol. trop. 15: 201–208.
Hynes, H. B. N., 1970. Ecology of running waters. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 555 pp.
Kamphake, L. J., S. A. Hannah & J. M. Cohen, 1967. Automated analysis for nitrate by hydrazine reduction. Wat. Res. 1: 205–216.
Kilkus, S. P., J. D. Laperriere & R. W. Bachman, 1975. Nutrients and algae in some central Iowa streams. J. Wat. Pollut. Cont. Fed. 47: 1870–1879.
Luvall, J. & C. Jordan, 1984. Chemical analyses of two watershed streams at La Selva Reserve, Costa Rica: Special Report on Watershed Feasibility Study. Orgn. trop. Stud., Univ. N. Carolina, Durham, NC, 34 pp.
Moore, J. W., 1977. Some factors affecting algal densities in a eutrophic farmland stream, Oecologia 29: 257–267.
Moss, B., 1972. The influence of environmental factors on the distribution of freshwater algae: An experimental study, 1. The influence of calcium concentration. J. Ecol. 60: 917–932.
Nürnberg, G., 1984. Iron and hydrogen sulfide interference in the analysis of soluble reactive P in anoxic waters. Wat. Res. 18: 327–369.
Omernik, J. M., 1977. Nonpoint source-stream nutrient level relationships: a nationwide survey. EPA-600/3–77–105, Ecol. Res. Ser., USEPA, Washington, D.C.
Parfitt, R. L., 1980. Chemical properties of variable charge soils. In B. K. G. Theng (ed.), Soils with variable charge. NZ Soc. Soil Sci., Lower Hutt, NZ: 167–194.
Patrick, R., 1966. The effect of varying amounts and ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus on algal blooms. Proc. indian. Waste Conf. 21: 41–51.
Patrick, R., B. Crum & J. Coles, 1969. Temperature and manganese as determining factors in the presence of diatom or bluegreen algal floras in streams. J. Phil. Nat. Acad. Sci. 64: 472–478.
Peterson, B. J., J. E. Hobbie, T.L. Corliss & D. Kriet, 1983. A continuous flow periphyton bioassay; Tests of nutrient limitation in a tundra stream. Limnol. Oceanogr. 28: 582–595.
Pringle, C. M. & J. A. Bowers, 1984. An in situ substratum fertilization technique: Diatom colonization on nutrient enriched sand substrata. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 41: 1247–1251.
Pringle, C. M., I. Chacón, M. H. Grayum, H. W. Greene, G. S. Hartshorn, G. E. Schatz, F. G. Stiles, C. Gomez & M. Rodriguez, 1984. Natural history observations of the La Selva Protection Zone, Costa Rica. Brenesia 22: 189–206.
Redfield, A. C., B. H. Ketchum & F. A. Richards, 1963. The influence of organisms on the composition of sea-water. In M. N. Hill (ed.), The Composition of Sea Water: Comparative and Descriptive Oceanography. Interscience, N.Y.: 26–77.
Schelske, C. L., 1984. In situ and natural phytoplankton assemblage bioassays. In L. E. Schubert (ed.), Algae as Ecological Indicators. Academic Press, Inc., Lond.: 15–47.
Setaro, F. V. & J. M. Melack, 1984. Responses of phytoplankton to experimental nutrient enrichment in an Amazon flood-plain lake. Limnol. Oceanogr. 29: 972–984.
Sioli, H., 1975. Amazon tributaries and drainage basins. In A. D. Hasler (ed.), Coupling of Land Water Systems. Springer-Verlag, NY. 199–214.
Sokal, R. R. & F. J. Rohlf, 1981. Biometry, (2nd Edn.), W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco, 776 pp.
Solorzano, L., 1969. Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenol-hypochlorite method. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14: 799–801.
Sommerfeld, M. R., R. D. Olsen & T. D. Love, 1974. Some chemical observations on the upper Salt River and its tributaries. J. Ariz. Acad. Sci. 9: 78–81.
Stockner, J. G. & K. R. Shortreed, 1978. Enhancement of autotrophic production by nutrient addition in a coastal rainforest stream on Vancouver Island. J. Fish Res. Bd Can. 35: 28–34.
Stookey, L. L., 1970. Ferrozine, a new spectrophotometric reagent for iron. Analyt. Chem. 42: 779–781.
Tundisi, R. H. & R. R. Curi, 1984. Effects of phosphorus and nitrogen enrichment on the phytoplankton in a tropical reservoir (Lobo Reservoir, Brazil). Hydrobiologia 118: 177–185.
Vitousek, P. M., 1984. Litterfall, nutrient cycling and nutrient limitation in tropical forests. Ecology 65: 285–298.
Wuhrmann, K. & E. Eichenberger, 1975. Experiments on the effects of inorganic enrichment of rivers on periphyton primary production. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 19: 2028–2031.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pringle, C.M., Paaby-Hansen, P., Vaux, P.D. et al. In situ nutrient assays of periphyton growth in a lowland Costa Rican stream. Hydrobiologia 134, 207–213 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008489
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008489