Seasonality and controls of phytoplankton productivity in the middle Cape Fear River, USA

Our 1 year study was aimed at assessing seasonal patterns and controls on phytoplankton primary production (PPR) and biomass (chlorophyll a) in a fourth order section of the middle Cape Fear River in North Carolina, USA, and to determine the impact of three low-head lock and dam (LD) structures on these variables within the 70 km study reach of this coastal river. Mean concentrations of NO3 −–N, NH4 +–N and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) averaged 52.9, 6.0, and 3.6 μmol l−1 in monthly sampling, while the average light attenuation coefficient was 2.4 m−1. The average euphotic depth was 2.1 m. Nutrient concentrations and attenuation coefficients were not significantly different above versus below each LD, or along the entire study reach. Significantly higher concentrations of dissolved O2 below versus above each LD were attributed to re-aeration during spillway transit. No seasonal pattern in physicochemical properties was apparent. Phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations ranged from <1 to 36 μg l−1, while rates of primary production ranged from 18 to 2,580 mg C m−2 day−1, with values for both variables peaking in the spring and early summer. Chlorophyll a and primary productivity values were consistently higher above versus below each LD in May and June suggesting a seasonal effect, but values were otherwise similar such that overall means were not significantly different. Several factors point to light as the primary control on phytoplankton in the middle Cape Fear River: high nutrient concentrations; a low ratio of euphotic : mixing depth (0.46); progressive increases in chlorophyll a and radiocarbon uptake in all treatments in quarterly nutrient enrichment bioassays conducted at levels of irradiance elevated relative to in situ river values; and consistently low quarterly values of \( P^{{\text{B}}}_{{\text{m}}} \) (maximum rate of chlorophyll-normalized C uptake; ≤3.7 mg C mg chl a−1 h−1) and I k (light saturation parameter; ≤104 μmol photons m−2 s−1) for photosynthetic light–response (P–I) curves.