Prediction of Chlorophyll a Concentrations in Florida Lakes: Importance of Aquatic Macrophytes

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Abstract
Chlorophyll a concentrations in Lake Pearl, Florida, increased as the percentage of the lake''s total volume infested with aquatic macrophytes decreased. Using data from 32 Florida lakes having a wide range of limnological characteristics, predictions of chlorophyll a concentrations could be improved by including a term for the percentage of the lake''s total volume infested with macrophytes in existing nutrient-chlorophyll models. The best-fit multivariate regression equation was log CHLA = 1.02 log TN + 0.28 log TP -0.005 PVI -2.08 where CHLA is the chlorophyll a concentration (mg .cntdot. m-3), TN is the total N concentration (mg .cntdot. m-3), TP is the total P concentration (mg .cntdot. m-3), and PVI is the percentage of the lake''s total volume infested with macrophytes. By use of this equation, the potential effect of aquatic macrophytes on chlorophyll yields and Secchi disc transparencies was assessed in lakes of different trophic status.