The effects of sediment resuspension on phosphorus available for algal growth in a shallow subtropical Lake, Lake Okeechobee

Abstract

Algal bioassays were conducted to determine whether phosphorus available for algal growth was released during sediment resuspension in Lake Okeechobee. The bioassays included evaluations of resuspension of sediments at different times of the year. Treatments consisted of floc and surface sediment layers mixed with surface lake water, then filtered to remove all but soluble phosphorus. The presence of phosphorus available for algal growth was manifested as the growth responses of unialgal cultures of phosphorus-starved cyanobacteria isolated from Lake Okeechobee. Floc and sediment treatments caused different algal growth responses depending on the sampling dates. In two summer experiments, there was enhanced growth response of the algae in the surface water previously mixed with sediments and floc. This result contrasted with the winter experiments when algal yields were lower in surface water samples mixed with sediment or floc. The results support recent hypotheses that sediment resuspension in Lake Okeechobee can act as either source or sink for orthophosphorus. © 1997 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.