SOME ASPECTS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF REACTIVE PHOSPHORUS IN LAKE McILWAINE, RHODESIA: PHOSPHORUS LOADING AND ABIOTIC RESPONSES

SUMMARY

This study was designed to investigate the apparent loss from the water column in Lake McIlwaine This study of significant quantities of reactive phosphorus. The Total Reactive Phosphorus mass-balance for the lake for 1977/78 was calculated, and both in situ and laboratory experiments were carried out to determine the effect of the lake sediments on the phosphorus loading of the lake. The experimental results showed that both uptake and release of phosphorus occurs in the lake, but that uptake of phosphorus by the sediments was by far the dominant process, thus accounting for the observed loss of phosphorus from the water column. The availability of the bound phosphorus for algal growth was also studied and it is suggested that algal uptake of bound phosphorus is possible. Various factors affecting phosphorus uptake by the sediments are discussed.

KEY WORDS:

• Phosphorus loading
• phosphorus removal
• abiotic removal
• lake sediments
• algal bioassay