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Dynamics of dissolved organic nitrogen in subalpine Castle Lake, California

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Abstract

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations were measured in meso-oligotrophic Castle Lake, California during the ice-free season in 1982, 1983 and 1984. No consistent relationships were found between DON and particulate-N, primary productivity rates or chlorophyll concentrations. However, increases in DON concentrations were observed in the early growing season of 1982 and 1984 when water temperature was rising and a diatom bloom was senescing. DON increased at a high rate (0.31 mg atom N m−3 day−1), and then rapidly disappeared. Sediment released appared to be the most important source of DON. Dissolved free amino acids were always less than 7.5% of the DON pool, and did not vary in the composition of specific amino acids during the growing season.

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  1. J. P. Zehr

    Present address: Marine Science Research Center, State University of New York, 11794, Stony Brook, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental Studies, University of California, 95616, Davis, CA, USA

    J. P. Zehr, S. G. Paulsen, R. P. Axler & C. R. Goldman

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  2. S. G. Paulsen
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  3. R. P. Axler
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  4. C. R. Goldman
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Zehr, J.P., Paulsen, S.G., Axler, R.P. et al. Dynamics of dissolved organic nitrogen in subalpine Castle Lake, California. Hydrobiologia 157, 33–45 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008808

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