Replicate algal communities were isolated from Lake Memphremagog (Quebec–Vermont) in large–volume enclosures, and the abundance of herbivores was changed in them to produce a gradient of herbivore biomass among enclosures. The performance of the phytoplankton and their phosphorus uptake was observed in response to these different levels of crustacean Zooplankton biomass. In general, reducing Zooplankton biomass did not lead to phosphorus-deficient algal communities. Seven field experiments were done in 1979, 1980, and 1981 Only two of these experiments produced algal communities in which the cycling rate of orthophosphate per unit algal biomass was modified by reduction of crustacean Zooplankton biomass.
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McCauley et al. (1987) studied this question.