Effects of ultraviolet radiation and nutrients on the structure-function of phytoplankton in a high mountain lake

The combined effect of high solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and nutrient supply in a phytoplankton community of a high mountain lake is analyzed in a in situ experiment for 6 days with 2 x 2 factorial design. Interactive UVR x nutrient effects on structural and functional variables (algal biomass, chlorophyll a (chl a), primary production (PP), maximal electron transport rate (ETRmax), and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA)), as well as stoichiometric ones (sestonic N per cell and N : P ratio) were found. Under non-nutrient enriched conditions, no deleterious effects of UVR on structural variables, PP, photosynthetic efficiency and ETRmax were observed, whereas only particulate and total APA were affected by UVR. However, percentage excreted organic carbon (%EOC), dissolved APA and sestonic C and P per cell increased under UVR, leading to a decrease in algal C : P and N : P ratios. After nutrient enrichment, chl a, total algal biomass and PP were negatively affected by UVR whereas %EOC, ETRmax and internal C, P and N content increased. We suggest that the mechanism of algal acclimation to UVR in this high UVR flux ecosystem seems to be related to the increase of internal algal P-content mediated by physiological mechanisms to save P and by a stimulatory UVR effect on dissolved extracellular APA. The mechanism involved in the unmasking effect of UVR after nutrient-enrichment may be the result of a greater sensitivity to UVR-induced cell damage, making the negative UVR effects more evident.