Abstract
European shallow lakes;
epiphyton;
Bacillariophyta;
bioindication;
eutrophication;
total phosphorus
Diatom-based assays have been successfully associated worldwide with the trophic status of lakes. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between epiphytic diatoms and nutrient load in shallow lakes and wetlands. We examine the relative importance of environmental factors in explaining the structure of epiphytic diatom communities in a set of Western European shallow lakes. The effects of lake physical/chemical, morphometric and geographical variables on diatom assemblages were tested using distance-based, canonical correspondence and regression analyses. Our results show that epiphytic diatom communities respond, mainly to physical/chemical variables, overriding the effects of lake depth, size and location. The clustering of studied systems based along a total phosphorus concentration gradient concurs with previous classification of diatom taxa and nutrient state. Assessment of epiphytic diatoms provided a potential method for shallow lake classification.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 229-235 |
Journal | Clean - Soil, Air, Water |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Keywords
- international