Diurnal variation in N2 [nitrogen] fixation and photosynthesis by aquatic blue-green algae

Rates of 14CO2 fixation, O2 evolution, and N2 fixation (acetylene reduction) by natural populations of blue-green algae recovered from Lake Mendota were measured at frequent intervals between sunrise and sunset. Photosynthesis and N2 fixation were depressed during midday when light intensity was greatest. As the light intensity rose, most of the algal population migrated to deeper, light-limited waters where radiation damage would be diminished. As the relative rate of N2 fixation compared to CO2 fixation increases with depth, it is suggested that the algae maintain balanced growth by migrating vertically via buoyancy regulation. High concentrations of dissolved O2 in lake water may inhibit N2 fixation by enhancing photorespiration. Several factors such as photosynthetic rate, light intensity, dissolved O2, species composition, and vertical and horizontal migration all affect observed rates of in situ N2 fixation.