Nitrogen Fixation Does Not Happen Uniformly in Texas Lakes

Newswise - While there is significant variability in water temperature, nutrient availability and plankton production in reservoirs, these bodies of water are nonetheless "hot spots" for plankton nitrogen fixation. These hot spots allow some algae to have significant blooms, which may contribute to taste and odor problems if the reservoir is a source for drinking water. Understanding what causes these hot spots could help municipalities better understand how to control algae outbreaks and potentially improve the water quality for their citizens.

However, exactly what physical factors cause these nitrogen fixation "hot spots" has not been well understood until now, with the completion of a nearly two-year study by Baylor University biologists.

Used by bacteria, algae and other organisms, nitrogen fixation is the natural process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into organic nitrogen. According to the scientific literature, the process is essential for life because nitrogen fixation is required to biosynthesize the basic building blocks of life.