Decomposition of Seston in the Hyolimnion

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Abstract
In 12 lakes a significant fraction of the hypolimnetic oxygen deficit was produced by the respiration of seston in the hypolimnetic water column. Mean summer seston respiration rates ranged between 4 and 80 mg O2∙m−3∙d−1. Rates of seston respiration were proportional to the in situ water temperature and to the concentration of Chlorophyll a. The amount of oxygen consumed in the water column and the fraction of the total oxygen deficit produced by sestonic respiration were correlated with the amount of phosphorus sedimented from the epilimnion. Fifteen to 66% of the total oxygen consumption occurred in the water column of the hypolimnion. Seston respiration was a larger proportion of the total respiration in the hypolimnion of lakes with a thick hypolimnion than in lakes with a shallow hypolimnetic water column.