Primary production
Rates of photosynthetic carbon fixation during the A.ovalisporum bloom from 12
September until the end of October 1994 were unusually high in comparison to
those normally observed during this season (1.6- to 2-fold the multi-year average;
Table IV). The elevated rates of photosynthetic activity may not have been due
entirely to A.ovalisporum because unusually high numbers of Peridiniopsis spp.
were also present in the phytoplankton (see above). We have no data on the
specific photosynthetic activities associated with A.ovalisporum and Peridiniopsis.
The values of assimilation numbers (ranging from 3.62 to 6.5 mg C mg"1
Chi h"1
at optimum depth) during the A.ovalisporum bloom were also significantly
higher than those normally observed in Lake Kinneret at this time (Table
III). Highest assimilation numbers were observed at the beginning of the bloom,
and declined over the duration of the bloom. Correspondingly, carbon turnover
times were short at the beginning of the bloom (0.8 days), increasing to 6 days in
November (Table IV).
The levels of primary production were again significantly above the multi-year
average throughout the summer-fall of 1995.