Hypolimnetic anoxia in oligotrophic lakes and its effects on nutrient supply and phytoplankton communities

Katlin D. Edwards; Catriona L. C. Jones; Nolan J. T. Pearce; Marguerite A. Xenopoulos; Paul C. Frost

doi:10.1002/ecs2.70595

journal article Open Access Apr 01, 2026

Hypolimnetic anoxia in oligotrophic lakes and its effects on nutrient supply and phytoplankton communities

Katlin D. Edwards

Catriona L. C. Jones Nolan J. T. Pearce

Marguerite A. Xenopoulos

Paul C. Frost

Ecosphere Vol. 17 No. 4 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/ecs2.70595

Abstract

Abstract
Low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) in hypolimnetic waters are becoming more common and could affect nutrient supplies available to phytoplankton communities in meso‐ and eutrophic lakes. We examined the connections among hypolimnetic DO, nutrient concentrations, and phytoplankton communities in 26 oligotrophic lakes in the Kawartha Highland region of south‐central Ontario, Canada. Lakes were divided into two categories based on their mid‐summer hypolimnetic DO concentration: oxic, >2.0 mg/L; anoxic, <2.0 mg/L. Despite differing in DO concentration, nutrient concentrations in surface or deep waters did not strongly differ between these two lake categories. Furthermore, we found no evidence that low hypolimnetic DO was linked to differences in phytoplankton communities either deep in the water column or in surface waters of these lakes. Our results show that low hypolimnetic DO, by itself, is insufficient to alter dissolved nutrient concentrations in hypolimnions and affect algal communities in oligotrophic lake ecosystems.

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Details

Published: Apr 01, 2026
Vol/Issue: 17(4)
License: View

Authors

K

Katlin D. Edwards

Department of Environmental and Life Sciences Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada

C

Catriona L. C. Jones

Department of Environmental and Life Sciences Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada

N

Nolan J. T. Pearce

Department of Biology Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada

M

Marguerite A. Xenopoulos

Department of Biology Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada

P

Paul C. Frost

Department of Biology Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada

Funding

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Cite This Article

Katlin D. Edwards, Catriona L. C. Jones, Nolan J. T. Pearce, et al. (2026). Hypolimnetic anoxia in oligotrophic lakes and its effects on nutrient supply and phytoplankton communities. Ecosphere, 17(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70595

Hypolimnetic anoxia in oligotrophic lakes and its effects on nutrient supply and phytoplankton communities

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