We studied the effects of N on submersed macrophytes represented by Vallisneria natans (Lour.) Hara in pots positioned at three depths (0.4 m, 0.8 m, and 1.2 m
to form a gradient of underwater light conditions) in 10 large ponds having moderate concentrations of P
(TP 0.03 ± 0.04 mg L1) and five targeted concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) (0.5, 2, 10, 20, and
100 mg L1), there were two ponds for each treatment. To study the potential shading effects of other
primary producers, we also measured the biomass of phytoplankton (ChlaPhyt) and periphyton (ChlaPeri)
expressed as chlorophyll a.We found that leaf length, leaf mass, and root length of macrophytes declined
with increasing concentrations of TN and ammonium, while shoot number and root mass did not. All the
measured growth indices of macrophytes declined significantly with ChlaPhyt, while none were significantly
related to ChlaPeri. Neither ChlaPhyt nor ChlaPeri were, however, significantly negatively related to
the various N concentrations. Our results indicate that shading by phytoplankton unrelated to the
variation in N loading and perhaps toxic stress exerted by high nitrogen were responsible for the decline
in macrophyte growth.