Nitrogen Transformations in Lake Ontario

Concentrations of ammonium plus nitrite in Lake Ontario were highly correlated with ammonium regeneration from zooplankton excretion (r = 0.966), inferring that elevated nitrite concentrations result from nitrification. Nitrapyrin-sensitive dark 14C-labeled bicarbonate assays confirmed high rates of nitrification by chemoautotrophic bacteria. 15N-labeled nitrate experiments showed that nitrate, not ammonium, was the principal form of N used for total microbial protein synthesis. Size fractionation experiments also suggested that small cells were responsible for most of the ammonium uptake, while large cells used mostly nitrate. Nitrate depletion in the surface waters during summer stratification resulted from movement to particulate N, nitrite, and ammonium as well as losses in particulate N due to sedimentation. At least one third, however, was unaccounted for (i.e. 30 mg N∙m−2∙d−1) and may have been converted to protein which would move up the food chain to larger organisms (e.g. fish) not sampled during conventional water chemistry. Nitrous oxide profiles showed that nitrate losses through denitrification are unlikely to occur. Consequently, unless nitrate loading to Lake Ontario is reduced, nitrate concentrations should be expected to continue to increase.