Concentrations of some inorganic plant nutrients in saline lakes on the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

Abstract

The concentrations of major ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO42- and HCO3- + CO32-) and minor ions (NO2, NO3-, NH4 and PO43-) were determined in 10 saline and mostly ephemeral lakes on the Yorke Peninsula, S.A., over a range of salinity (27-250 g/l). The major ion dominances were similar to those of saline lakes elsewhere in southern Australia: Na+> Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ : Cl- > SO42- > HCO3- + CO32-. Concentration ranges of minor ions were wide; individual concentrations of ions were not correlated with salinity, but in the least-saline lakes (salinity < 150 g/l) phosphorus appears to be the most likely limiting plant nutrient, whereas in the more saline lakes (>150 g/l) nitrogen appears to be so.