Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Analysis of changes over 44 years in the phytoplankton of Lake Võrtsjärv (Estonia): the effect of nutrients, climate and the investigator on phytoplankton-based water quality indices

  • SHALLOW LAKES
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We analysed long-term changes in phytoplankton composition in relation to hydrological, meteorological and nutrient loading data in the large (270 km2) shallow (mean depth 2.8 m) Lake Võrtsjärv. Nutrient loads to the lake were heavy in the 1970s and 1980s and decreased considerably thereafter. The average nutrient concentrations for 1985–2004 (1.6 mg l−1 of total nitrogen and 53 μg l−1 of total phosphorus) characterize the lake as a eutrophic water body. All four calculated taxonomic indices showed a unidirectional deterioration of the lake’s ecological status, despite reduced concentrations of nutrients. We focused our analysis on the PTSI index, which revealed a stepwise change between the years 1977 and 1979 that coincided with a large increase in water level, but also with a change of investigator. After correcting input data for possible investigator-induced differences, the step change remained because it was caused by major changes in the whole phytoplankton community. The previous dominant Planktolyngbya limnetica was replaced by two species of seasonally altering Limnothrix. Among phytoplankton functional groups, there was a decrease in all groups comprising small-sized phytoplankton species, such as X1, E, F, J, N and an increase in S1 and H1, both represented by filamentous cyanobacteria. Our results suggest a non-linear response of phytoplankton to changing nutrient loadings, and that the change observed between 1977 and 1979 was a regime shift triggered by water level change. High shade tolerance of the new dominants, and their ability to create shade, obviously stabilized the new status making it resistant to restoration efforts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anneville, O., S. Gammeter & D. Straile, 2005. Phosphorus decrease and climate variability: mediators of synchrony in phytoplankton changes among European peri-alpine lakes. Freshwater Biology 50: 1731–1746.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brettum, P., 1989. Algen als Indikatoren für die Gewässerqualität in norwegischen Binnenseen. NIVA, Trondheim.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, S. R., 2003. Regime Shifts in Lake Ecosystems: Pattern and Variation, Vol. 15. Excellence in Ecology Series. Ecology Institute, Oldendorf/Luhe, Germany.

  • Carvalho, L., A. G. Solimini, G. Phillips, M. Van den Berg, O.-P. Pietiläinen, A. Lyche Solheim, S. Poikane & U. Mischke, 2008. Chlorophyll reference conditions for European lake types used for intercalibration of ecological status. Aquatic Ecology 42: 203–211.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coops, H., M. Beklioglu & T. L. Crisman, 2003. The role of water-level fluctuations in shallow lake ecosystems – workshop conclusions. Hydrobiologia 506–509: 23–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crossetti, L. O. & C. E. de M Bicudo, 2008. Phytoplankton as a monitoring tool in a tropical urban shallow reservoir (Garças Pond): the assemblage index application. Hydrobiologia 610: 161–173.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Directive, 2000. Directive 2000/60/EC of the European parliament and of the council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy. Official Journal of the European Communities L 327: 1–72.

  • Dokulil, M. T. & K. Teubner, 2003. Eutrophication and restoration of shallow lakes – the concept of stable equilibria revisited. Hydrobiologia 506–509: 29–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dokulil, M. T. & K. Teubner, 2005. Do phytoplankton communities correctly track trophic changes? An assessment using directly measured and palaeolimnological data. Freshwater Biology 50: 1589–1593.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dokulil, M., A. Hamm & J.-G. Kohl (eds), 2001. Ökologie und Schutz von Seen. UTB, Facultas-Universitäts-Verlag, Wien.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dokulil, M. T., K. Teubner & J. Greisberger, 2005. Typenspezifische Referenzbedingungen für die integrierende Bewertung des ökologischen Zustandes stehender Gewässer Österreichs Gemäß der EU-Wasserrahmenrichtlinie. Modul 1: Die Bewertung der Phytoplankton Struktur nach dem Brettum-Index. Projektstudie Phase 3, Abschlussbericht. Im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft: Wien.

  • Geelen, J. F. M., 1969. Vergelijkend planktononderzoek in twee Hatertse vennen (Comparative plankton investigation in two Hatertse fens). Proefschrift, Nijmegen.

  • Hajnal, É. & J. Padisák, 2008. Analysis of long-term ecological status of Lake Balaton based on the ALMOBAL phytoplankton database. Hydrobiologia 599: 227–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hörnström, E., 1981. Trophic characterisation of lakes by means of quantitative phytoplankton analysis. Limnologica 13: 249–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaagus, J., 2006. Climatic changes in Estonia during the second half of the 20th century in relationship with changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation. Theoretical and Applied Climatology 83: 77–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacquet, S., J.-F. Briand, C. Leboulanger, C. Avois-Jacquet, L. Oberhaus, B. Tassin, B. Vinçon-Leite, G. Paolini, J.-C. Druart, O. Anneville & J.-F. Humbert, 2005. The proliferation of the toxic cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens following restoration of the largest natural French lake (Lac du Bourget). Harmful Algae 4: 651–672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeppesen, E., M. Søndergaard, M. Søndergaard & K. Christofferson (eds), 1998. The Structuring Role of Submerged Macrophytes in Lakes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jöhnk, K. D., J. Huisman, J. Sharples, B. Sommeijer, P. M. Visser & J. Stroom, 2008. Summer heatwaves promote blooms of harmful cyanobacteria. Global Change Biology 14: 495–512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiblinger, C., O. Anneville, R. Tadonleke, F. Rimet, J. C. Druart, J. Guillard & M. T. Dokulil, 2009. Central-European Water Quality indices applied to long-term data from peri-alpine lakes: test and possible improvements. Hydrobiologia 633: 67–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Köhler, J., S. Hilt, R. Adrian, H. P. Kozerski & N. Walz, 2005. Long-term response of a shallow, moderately flushed lake to reduced external phosphorus and nitrogen loading. Freshwater Biology 50: 1639–1650.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maileht, K., 2008. Phytoplankton as an indicator in lakes for EU Water Framework Directive classification. Master Thesis, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu.

  • Marchetto, A., B. M. Padedda, M. A. Mariani, A. Lugliè & N. Sechi, 2009. A numerical index for evaluating phytoplankton response to changes in nutrient levels in deep mediterranean reservoirs. Journal of Limnology 68: 106–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mischke, U. & B. Nixdorf, 2003. Equilibrium phase conditions in shallow German lakes: how Cyanoprokaryota species establish a steady state phase in late summer. Hydrobiologia 502: 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mischke, U. & J. Böhmer, 2008. Software PhytoSee Version 3.0 Preliminary English Version of the calculation program for German Phyto-See-Index (PSI) according to Mischke et al. 2008 to assess natural lakes to implement the European Water Framework Directive. Free Internet Download (PhytoSee_Vers3_0_eng.zip), http://igb-berlin.de/abt2/mitarbeiter/mischke.

  • Mischke, U., U. Riedmüller, E. Hoehn, I. Schönfelder & B. Nixdorf, 2008. Description of the German system for phytoplankton-based assessment of lakes for implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). In Mischke, U. & B. Nixdorf (eds), Bewertung von Seen mittels Phytoplankton zur Umsetzung der EU-Wasserrahmenrichtlinie. Gewässerreport Nr. 10. Brandenburg Technical University of Cottbus, ISBN 978-3-940471-06-2, BTUC-AR 2/2008: 117–146.

  • Mooij, W. M., S. Hülsmann, L. N. De Senerpont Domis, B. A. Nolet, P. L. E. Bodelier, P. C. M. Boers, L. M. Dionisio Pires, H. J. Gons, B. W. Ibelings, R. Noordhuis, R. Portielje, K. Wolfstein & E. H. R. R. Lammens, 2005. The impact of climate change on lakes in the Netherlands: a review. Aquatic Ecology 39: 381–400.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, K. J., M. P. Kennedy, V. McCarthy, M. T. Ó’Hare, K. Irvine & C. Adams, 2002. A review of ecology based classification systems for standing freshwaters. SNIFFER Project Number: W(99)65, Environment Agency R&D Technical Report: E1-091/TR.

  • Netherland, M. D., C. A. Lembi & A. G. Poovey, 2009. Screening of various herbicide modes of action for selective control of algae responsible for harmful blooms. Technical Note ADA494357, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, Vicksburg: 1–12. http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA494357.

  • Nixdorf, B., U. Mischke & J. Rücker, 2003. Phytoplankton assemblages and steady state in deep and shallow eutrophic lakes – an approach to differentiate the habitat properties of Oscillatoriales. Hydrobiologia 502: 111–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nõges, P. 1999. Seasonal variation in trichome length of cyanophytes Limnothrix planctonica and L. redekei in a large shallow lake. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Suppl. 129/Algological Studies 94: 261–274.

  • Nõges, P. & A. Järvet, 1995. Water level control over light conditions in shallow lakes. Report Series in Geophysics, University of Helsinki 32: 81–92.

  • Nõges, P. & A. Kisand, 1999. Forms and mobility of sediment phosphorus in shallow eutrophic Lake Võrtsjärv (Estonia). International Review of Hydrobiology 84: 255–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nõges, P. & T. Nõges, 2006. Indicators and criteria to assess ecological status of the large shallow temperate polymictic lakes Peipsi (Estonia/Russia) and Võrtsjärv (Estonia). Boreal Environment Research 11: 67–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nõges, P., R. Laugaste & T. Nõges, 2004. Phytoplankton. In Haberman, J., E. Pihu & A. Raukas (eds), Lake Võrtsjärv. Estonian Encyclopedia Publishers, Tallinn: 217–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nõges, T., A. Järvet, A. Kisand, R. Laugaste, E. Loigu, B. Skakalski & P. Nõges, 2007. Reaction of large and shallow lakes Peipsi and Võrtsjärv to the changes of nutrient loading. Hydrobiologia 584: 253–264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nõges, T., R. Laugaste, P. Nõges & I. Tõnno, 2008. Critical N:P ratio for cyanobacteria and N2-fixing species in the large shallow temperate lakes Peipsi and Võrtsjärv, North-East Europe. Hydrobiologia 599: 77–86.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nygaard, G., 1949. Hydrobiological studies in some ponds and lakes. Part II: the quotient hypothesis and some new or little known phytoplankton organisms. Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, Biologiske Skrifter 7: 1–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nygaard, G., 1955. On the productivity of five Danish waters. Proceedings of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology 12: 123–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nyström, B., B. Björnsäter & H. Blanck, 1999. Effects of sulfonylurea herbicides on non-target aquatic micro-organisms. Growth inhibition of micro-algae and short-term inhibition of adenine and thymidine incorporation in periphyton communities. Aquatic toxicology 47: 9–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD, 1982. Eutrophication of Waters, Monitoring, Assessment and Control. OECD, Paris. 154 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksanen, J., R. Kindt, P. Legendre, B. O’Hara, G. L. Simpson, P. Solymos, M. H. H. Stevens & H. Wagner, 2009. Community Ecology Package, Version 1.15-2. http://www.cran.r-project.org/.

  • Padisák, J. & C. S. Reynolds, 1998. Selection of phytoplankton associations in Lake Balaton, Hungary, in response to eutrophication and restoration measures, with special reference to the cyanoprokaryotes. Hydrobiologia 384: 41–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padisák, J., G. Borics, G. Fehér, I. Grigorszky, I. Oldal, A. Schmidt & Z. Zámbóné-Doma, 2003. Dominant species and frequency of equilibrium phases in late summer phytoplankton assemblages in Hungarian small shallow lakes. Hydrobiologia 502: 157–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padisák, J., G. Borics, I. Grigorszky & É. Soróczki-Pintér, 2006. Use of phytoplankton assemblages for monitoring ecological status of lakes within the Water Framework Directive: the assemblage index. Hydrobiologia 553: 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padisák, J., L. O. Crossetti & L. Naselli-Flores, 2009. Use and misuse in the application of the phytoplankton functional classification: a critical review with updates. Hydrobiologia 621: 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paerl, H. W. & J. Huisman, 2008. Blooms like it hot. Science 320: 57–58.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paerl, H. W. & J. Huisman, 2009. Climate change: a catalyst for global expansion of harmful cyanobacterial blooms. Environmental Microbiology Reports 1: 27–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pettersson, K., K. Grust, G. Weyhenmeyer & T. Blenckner, 2003. Seasonality of chlorophyll and nutrients in Lake Erken – effects of weather conditions. Hydrobiologia 506–509: 75–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ptacnik, R., L. Lepistö, E. Willén, P. Brettum, P. T. Andersen, S. Rekolainen, A. Lyche Solheim & L. Carvalho, 2008. Quantitative responses of Lake Phytoplankton to eutrophication in Northern Europe. Aquatic Ecology 42: 227–236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rawson, D. S., 1956. Algal indicators of trophic lakes types. Limnology & Oceanography 1: 18–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, C. S. & A. E. Irish, 1997. Modelling phytoplankton dynamics in lakes and reservoirs: the problem of in situ growth rates. Hydrobiologia 349: 5–17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, C. S., V. Huszar, C. Kruk, L. Naselli-Flores & S. Melo, 2002. Towards a functional classification of the freshwater phytoplankton. Journal of Plankton Research 24: 17–428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rott, E., 1981. Some results from phytoplankton counting intercalibrations. Journal Aquatic Sciences 43: 34–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rücker, J., C. Wiedner & P. Zippel, 1997. Factors controlling the dominance of Planktothrix agardhii and Limnothrix redekei in eutrophic shallow lakes. Hydrobiologia 342(343): 107–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salmaso, N. & J. Padisák, 2007. Morpho-functional groups and phytoplankton development in two deep lakes (Lake Garda, Italy and Lake Stechlin, Germany). Hydrobiologia 578: 97–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salmaso, N., G. Morabito, F. Buzzi, L. Garibaldi, M. Simona & R. Mosello, 2006. Phytoplankton as an indicator of the water quality of the deep lakes south of the Alps. Hydrobiologia 563: 167–187.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scheffer, M., S. Rinaldi, A. Gragnani, L. R. Mur & E. H. van Nes, 1997. On the dominance of filamentous cyanobacteria in shallow, turbid lakes. Ecology 78: 272–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teubner, K., M. Tolotti, S. Greisberger, H. Morscheid, M. T. Dokulil & H. Morscheid, 2003. Steady state phytoplankton in a deep pre-alpine lake: species and pigments of epilimnetic versus metalimetic assemblages. Hydrobiologia 502: 49–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teubner, K., M. Tolotti, S. Greisberger, H. Morscheid, M. T. Dokulil & V. Kucklentz, 2006. Steady state of phytoplankton and implications for climatic changes in a deep pre-alpine lake: epilimnetic versus metalimnetic assemblages. Verhandlungen der internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 29: 1688–1692.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thunmark, S., 1945. Zur Sociologie des Süsswasserplanktons. Eine methodologisch-ökologische Studie. Folia Limnologica Scandinavica 3: 1–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremel, B., 1996. Determination of the trophic state by qualitative and quantitative phytoplankton analysis in two gravel pit lakes. Hydrobiologia 323: 97–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Troell, M., L. Pihl, P. Rönnbäck, H. Wennhage, T. Söderqvist & N. Kautsky, 2005. When resilience is undesirable: regime shifts and ecosystem service generation in Swedish coastal soft bottom habitats. Ecology and Society 10: 30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Utermöhl, H., 1958. Zur Vervollkommnung der quantitativen Phytoplankton-Methodik. Mitteilungen der internationalen Vereinigung der theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 5: 567–596.

    Google Scholar 

  • von zur Mühlen, M. & G. Schneider, 1920. Der See Wirzjerw in Livland (Lake Wirzjerw in Livland (in German). Archiv für die Naturkunde des Ostbaltikums 14: 1–156.

  • Vuorio, K., L. Lepistö & A.-L. Holopainen, 2007. Intercalibrations of freshwater phytoplankton analyses. Boreal Environment Research 12: 561–569.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willén, E., 2007. Växtplankton i sjöar. Bedömningsgrunder. SLU, Institutionen för Miljöanalys, Rapport 5: 33 pp.

  • Zebek, E., 2006. Quantitative changes of Planktolyngbya brevicellularis, Limnothrix redekei and Aphanizomenon gracile in the annual cycle vs. physicochemical water parameters in the urban Lake Jeziorak Mały. Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies 35: 69–84.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study was supported by SF 0170011508 from Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, by grant 7600 from Estonian Science Foundation and by EC FP7 project WISER. Data collection in frames of the state monitoring programme was supported by the Estonian Ministry of Environment. We acknowledge hydrological and meteorological data contributed by the Estonian Institute of Hydrology and Meteorology.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Limnology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Rannu, 61117, Tartumaa, Estonia

    Peeter Nõges & Reet Laugaste

  2. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Via Enrico Fermi, 2749, 21027, Ispra, Italy

    Peeter Nõges & Angelo G. Solimini

  3. Department of Shallow Lakes and Lowland Rivers, Leibniz-Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany

    Ute Mischke

  4. Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy

    Angelo G. Solimini

Authors
  1. Peeter Nõges
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ute Mischke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Reet Laugaste
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Angelo G. Solimini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peeter Nõges.

Additional information

Guest editors: M. Meerhoff, M. Beklioglu, R. Burks, F. García-Rodríguez, N. Mazzeo & B. Moss / Structure and Function of World Shallow Lakes: Proceedings from the 6th Shallow Lakes Congress, held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, 23–28 November, 2008

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nõges, P., Mischke, U., Laugaste, R. et al. Analysis of changes over 44 years in the phytoplankton of Lake Võrtsjärv (Estonia): the effect of nutrients, climate and the investigator on phytoplankton-based water quality indices. Hydrobiologia 646, 33–48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-010-0178-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-010-0178-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation