Chlorophyll fluorescence responses to additions of Pinus rigida L. pollen in freshwater kettle ponds of Cape Cod National Seashore (Massachusetts, USA)

Abstract Terrestrial ecosystems contribute many different forms of organic matter to adjacent waterbodies. Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in this material can significantly influence the planktonic communities of these systems, especially where there is a large proportion of contributing area relative to waterbody size and where nutrients are generally in short supply. Plant pollen, which upon degradation releases nutrients into the water column, is one such source of allochthonous material. In Cape Cod (Massachusetts, USA), large amounts of pollen from dense pitch pine (Pinus rigida L.) forest are deposited in late spring into small, freshwater lakes (known locally as kettle ponds) scattered across the landscape. This study examines in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence responses of surface-water samples collected from three such lakes within Cape Cod National Seashore (Wellfleet and Truro) to additions of P. rigida pollen in a laboratory setting. The results indicate that where influxes are high enough, pollen can have a stimulatory effect on phytoplankton communities and is a short-term nutrient subsidy in these systems at a time of year (May-June) when warming temperatures and faster growth rates elevate the demand for nutrients.