A Study of Differences in Vertical Phosphorus Profiles Within the Sediments of Selected Florida Lakes as Related to Trophic Dynamics

Several Florida lakes with different documented trophic state indices were selected for sediment analysis. Vertical sections of the sediment were taken at depths of .1, .5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and l5 centimeters below the surface of the sediment-water interface. Total Phosphorus analysis was done on each section. The profile presented was then evaluated and was found that the profiles best fit the equation Y = X/ (A + BX), where Y is the Phosphorus Concentration in ppm and X is the sediment depth in cm. Correlation between the trophic state and the profiles characteristics are presented. A hypothesis as to how the sediment profile changes as the lake experiences increased Phosphorus loading is presented, and is used to evaluate the lake studied. This discussion expresses phosphorus dynamics within the sediments in terms of adsorption, chemical changes, biological activity, and molecular and eddy diffusion