Photosynthesis-Irradiance Relationship and Primary Production of Phytoplankton in Lake Gocheonam

Photosynthetic activities and primary production of phytoplankton were investigated in Lake Gocheonam from October 1999 to August 2000. As an estuary lake with a barrage in the Southwestern coast of the Korean peninsula, the lake has received more attention after it became known as the habitat of large population of rare and endangered bird- Baikal Teal. As the lake had high algal biomass ranging from $20\mu{g}\;chl-aL^{-1}\;to\;125\mu{g}\;chl-aL^{-1}$ in average values and rich eutrophication indicator species, the freshwaters were in a very productive or hypertrophic state. In the results obtained from the phytoplankton incubation in the laboratory, the maximum photosynthetic rate $(P_{max})$ varied according to seasons and sampling stations. Photo- synthetic activities were higher during the warm season than the cold seasons and the serial order of $P_{max}$ was August dominated with Microcystis, April with Chlamydomonas and Nitzschia, October with Chlamydomonas and January with Stephanodiscus. The water of the lake was persistently turbid throughout the year due to strong winds from the adjacent sea. Despite the water turbidity, the phytoplankton productions estimated from a mathematical model had very broad range from 18mg C $m^{-2}day^{-1}\;to\;10,300mg\;C\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$.