Role of Inorganic Phosphate in the Phytoplankton Density of Hazaribag Lake,Hazaribag

Phosphorus is considered to be one of the most important factors in the maintenance of an aquatic eco-system. The study deals with the relation of available inorganic phosphate in water with phytoplankton abundance. The phytoplankton count ranged between 487 and 1711 indiv./l, while phosphate ranged between 0.18 and 1.23 mg/l. A maximum population of phytoplankton was observed in the month of January 1988 and a minimum observed in April 1988. The correlation between the changes in phosphate concentration and phytoplankton abundance revealed an inverse relationship (r= ?0.0773, P>0.05), and the regression is expressed by Y = 370 + 755 (x), indicating its link in the cycle of autotrophs though not significantly.