Response of Phytoplankton Primary Productivity to Nutrient Enrichment at Mountain Lake, Virginia

ABSTRACT

Mountain Lake, Virginia is a natural subalpine oligo-mesotrophic lake in the unglaciated southern Appalachians. Recent evidence suggests that this ecosystem is entering early stages of eutrophication. Noticable increases in inorganic N and P concentrations in the water column have occurred over the past decade along with increasing hypolimnetic oxygen deficits. Although the causes of this increased nutrient load are not clearly defined, we show here with nutrient enrichment studies the potential impact of nutrient enhancement on the current phytoplankton community with respect to primary productivity and size class.