Diel phosphate flux in Lake Washington, U.S.A.

Summary

The post-bloom phosphorus cycle in Lake Washington was investigated over a 36-hour period. ³²P-PO₄ uptake measurements indicated that only the phosphate and particulate pools were of importance. Maximum uptake was 0.5–1.5 μg Pl⁻¹ hr⁻¹. ³²P-PO₄ uptake, ¹⁴C-uptake and respiratory electron transport activity indicated that bacterial respiration may have been supplying the energy for the major fraction of phosphate uptake at that time.