Pm. Gale et Kr. Reddy, CARBON FLUX BETWEEN SEDIMENT AND WATER COLUMN OF A SHALLOW, SUBTROPICAL, HYPEREUTROPHIC LAKE, Journal of environmental quality, 23(5), 1994, pp. 965-972
Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to measure forms, stor
ages, and flux of C in the water-sediment column of a shallow, subtrop
ical, hypereutrophic lake. High gross primary productivity in the lake
(1.4 +/- 0.3 kg C m-2 yr-1) was not significantly correlated with any
water chemistry parameters measured. This suggested that the phytopla
nkton community was functioning at maximum levels and under nutrient n
onlimiting conditions. Major C input to the lake is through gross prim
ary productivity, of which 90% is lost through heterotrophic and micro
bial respiration processes within the water column. Resuspension of th
e bottom sediments was a major input of C into the water column, contr
ibuting 720 g C m-2 yr-1. In comparison, diffusive flux of dissolved o
rganic C from the sediment was minimal (1.2 g C m-2 yr-1), as were ext
ernal inputs into the water column (20 g C m-2 yr-1). High productivit
y of this system was resulted in a net accumulation of C (as sediments
) of 118 g C m-2 yr-1.