Author(s): Evelin Humerez; Makoto Umeda
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Biomass; Condoriri glacier; Macrophytes; Nitrogen; Phosphorus
Abstract: The aim of this research is to study the influence of nutrients in water and sediments on macrophyte growth in order to identify the principal source of nutrients for the submerged aquatic plants in a small river basin of the Andes. Field measurements were conducted to determine variations of macrophyte biomass and nutrients in sediments and water in the Condoriri River. The increase in the macrophyte biomass with the increments in total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), sediment nitrogen and sediment phosphorus suggests that macrophytes absorbed nitrogen and phosphorus through both the roots and shoots. Macrophyte biomass exhibited correlations of positive gradients with TN (R=0.60), TP (R=0.63), and sediment phosphorus (R=0.67) due to their high nutrient demand. A multiple linear regression equation was developed for estimating the biomass (R=0.98). Phosphorus was identified as the limiting nutrient on the growth of the submerged macrophytes. Relationships between nutrients in macrophytes, sediments and water could be explained by the metabolic reactions in this unique ecosystem.
Year: 2014