The Role of Planktonic Organisms in Urea Metabolism in Lakes of Temperate Zone - Case Study

ABSTRACT Although urea is the simplest N-containing organic compound ubiquitous in all aquatic environments, its role in N-nutrition of planktonic biota and relevance for eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems is still insufficiently defined and often bypassed. The dynamics of production of autochthonous urea as well as maximal potential net ureolytic activity (net URA Vmax) of phyto- and bacterioplakton were studied in mesocosm experiment and verified during the field studies conducted in the Great Mazurian Lake system (GMLS). Analysis of the obtained results revealed that the proteins were the main autochthonous urea precursors. Urea concentration in the studied mesocosms and in GMLS surface waters was positively correlated with flagellate, ciliate and crustacean biomass and, less evidently, with bacterial biomass (BB). In surface waters of GMLS net URA Vmax, similarly as urea concentrations, increased with their trophic status. Analysis of correlation of potential ureolytic activity with chlorophylla,...