Epiphytic Diatoms along Environmental Gradients in Western European Shallow Lakes

Summary, in English

Diatom-based assays have been successfully associated worldwide with the tropic 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.

• Author: Saul Blanco; Cristina Cejudo-Figueiras; Irene Alvarez-Blanco; Ellen van Donk; Elisabeth M. Gross; Lars-Anders Hansson; Kenneth Irvine; Erik Jeppesen; Timo Kairesalo; Brian Moss; Tiina Noges; Eloy Becares
• Department/s: Division aquatic ecology; BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate; Aquatic Ecology
• Publishing year: 2014
• Language: English
• Pages: 229-235
• Publication/Series: Clean - Soil, Air, Water
• Volume: 42
• Issue: 3
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/clen.201200630
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Topic: Ecology
• Keywords: Bacillariophyta; Bioindication; European shallow lakes; Eutrophication; Total phosphorus
• Status: Published
• Research group: Aquatic Ecology
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1863-0650