Epiphytic diatoms along environmental gradients in Western European shallow lakes

TY - JOUR

T1 - Epiphytic diatoms along environmental gradients in Western European shallow lakes

AU - Blanco, S.

AU - Cejudo-Figueiras, C.

AU - Álvarez-Blanco, I.

AU - Van Donk, E.

AU - Gross, E.M.

AU - Hansson, L-A.

AU - Irvine, K.

AU - Jeppesen, E.

AU - Kairesalo, T.

AU - Moss, B.

AU - Nõges, T.

AU - Bécares, E.

N1 - Reporting year: 2014 Metis note: 5462; AqE

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - international

U2 - 10.1002/clen.201200630

DO - 10.1002/clen.201200630

M3 - Article

SN - 1863-0650

VL - 42

SP - 229

EP - 235

JO - Clean - Soil, Air, Water

JF - Clean - Soil, Air, Water

IS - 3

ER -