Phosphorus as a driver of nitrogen limitation and sustained eutrophic conditions in Bolinao and Anda, Philippines, a mariculture-impacted tropical coastal area

Abstract

The dynamics of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) was studied in mariculture areas around Bolinao and Anda, Philippines to examine its possible link to recurring algal blooms, hypoxia and fish kills. They occur despite regulation on number of fish farm structures in Bolinao to improve water quality after 2002, following a massive fish kill in the area. Based on spatiotemporal surveys, coastal waters remained eutrophic a decade after imposing regulation, primarily due to decomposition of uneaten and undigested feeds, and fish excretions. Relative to Redfield ratio (16), these materials are enriched in P, resulting in low N/P ratios (~ 6.6) of regenerated nutrients. Dissolved inorganic P (DIP) in the water reached 4 μM during the dry season, likely exacerbated by increase in fish farm structures in Anda. DIP enrichment created an N-limited condition that is highly susceptible to sporadic algal blooms whenever N is supplied from freshwater during the wet season.