Stoichiometric imbalances complicate prediction of phytoplankton biomass in U.S. lakes: implications for nutrient criteria.

ABSTRACT: Using National Lakes Assessment data, we evaluated the influence of total N (TN), total P (TP), and other variables on lake chlorophyll-a concentrations. With simple linear regressions, high TN/TP samples biased predictions based on TN, and low TN/TP samples biased predictions based on TP. The bias problem was corrected, and correlation was improved, by splitting the dataset at the TN/TP ratio we estimated to be indicative of a balanced supply and developing separate regressions that predict chlorophyll-a based on TP, TN, dissolved inorganic N (DIN), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), non-algal light attenuation, depth, area, latitude, elevation, and conductivity. Both nutrients were excellent predictors, and non-algal light attenuation was the next most influential predictor. The regression

SUBMITTER: Moon DL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9337752 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature