Phytoplankton Energetics in a Sewage‐Treatment Lagoon

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Abstract
Metabolic rates in a sewage—treatment lagoon system near Deshler, Ohio, were investigated between March 21 and June 10, 1964. The ponds were well mixed vertically, exhibiting daytime average eddy diffusivities of about 1 cm2/sec. The waters had a high titratable base, ranging from 3 to 10 meq/1 during the period of study. Low oxygen levels were encountered for only a short period in the second stage of the two—pond system. Light absorption averaged about 99%/m. The phytoplankton communities, dominated by Scenedesmus, rose to values near 50 (mu)1/1. Rates of CO_2—uptake in the order of one mole–m(—3) day(—1) were observed, but O_2 production averaged only one—fifth as high. A graph of CO2—uptake vs. light intensity revealed a curve closely similar in shape to the typical photosynthesis vs. light curve, but a separate set of data, based on the (14)C uptake, showed anomalously high values at surface light intensities. CO_2 uptake by a photosynthetic metabolic process that does not produce oxygen is postulated to explain the imbalance between CO_2 and O_2 budgets.

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