Physico‐chemical features of lake Pupuke, Auckland

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Abstract
Lake Pupuke, situated in the North Island of New Zealand near Auckland (Latitude 36° 53'S, Longitude 174° 52'E), is a small, circular body of water (maximum width 1.2 km, maximum depth 55 m). From November 1966 to November 1967 observations on its physico‐chemical factors were made twice monthly. The range of temperatures in the year was 12.0–24.2°c at the surface and 11.3–14.5°c at 40 m. A thermocline farmed between early October and early January, when it became strongly developed at about 17 m and persisted until late April. Between early May and late June the stratification was breaking down and between mid July and mid September the lake was isothermal. The values for light transmitted per metre through the water were high from mid August to mid December (53–76% per metre), very low from mid December until mid February (23–49% per metre), high in March (75% per metre) and relatively constant over the winter months (53–64% per metre). The amount of light transmitted depended closely on the density of phytoplankton. Changes in the depth at which a Secchi disc disappeared paralleled the light transmission values, and the mean Secchi depth was 2.2 m, range 1.0–5.2 m. Oxygen concentrations down to 30 m were highest at all depths from mid November to early January (112–134% saturation). From early January to late April oxygen was strongly stratified (epilimnion 55–100% saturation, hypolimnion 24–77% saturation). During winter oxygen values gradually increased at all depths. The range of pH was 7.8–9.5 units at the surface and 7.8–8.6 units at 30 m. From early January to late April pH values were strongly stratified but from mid July to mid August they were nearly uniform. The range of alkalinity (mainly HCO3 − ions) was 76.0–80.8 ppm CaCO3 and values showed stratification in summer. Carbonate ion was present from early October to mid June, but free carbon dioxide was only found in trace amounts. The range of nitrate ion concentrations was 0.05–0.31 ppm; nitrate became obviously depleted in summer. Only one nitrite value was significant, 0.25 ppm. other nitrite values never exceeded 0.10 ppm. The concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen built up to a summer maximum of 0.95 ppm in the hypolimnion (annual range 0–0.95 ppm); values for albuminoid ammonia (0.016–1.03 ppm of nitrogen) varied with the quantity of living matter present. The annual mean for total ion concentration (3.30 meq./1) was high and the order of ions was Na+>Mg2+>Ca2+>K+ and HCO3 −>CI−>SO4 2−. Such dissolved salts may have arrived as airborne particles, dissolved in rain, or as sea spray.

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