Strength and uncertainty of phytoplankton metrics for assessing eutrophication impacts in lakes

Carvalho, L.; Poikane, S.; Lyche Solheim, A.; Phillips, G.; Borics, G.; Catalan, J.; De Hoyos, C.; Drakare, S.; Dudley, B.J.; Jarvinen, M.; Laplace-Treyture, C.; Maileht, K.; McDonald, C.; Mischke, U.; Moe, J.; Morabito, G.; Noges, P.; Noges, T.; Ott, I.; Pasztaleniec, A.; Skjelbred, B.; Thackeray, S.J.. 2013 Strength and uncertainty of phytoplankton metrics for assessing eutrophication impacts in lakes. Hydrobiologia, 704 (1). 127-140. 10.1007/s10750-012-1344-1

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Abstract/Summary

Phytoplankton constitutes a diverse array of short-lived organisms which derive their nutrients from the water column of lakes. These features make this community the most direct and earliest indicator of the impacts of changing nutrient conditions on lake ecosystems. It also makes them particularly suitable for measuring the success of restoration measures following reductions in nutrient loads. This paper integrates a large volume of work on a number of measures, or metrics, developed for using phytoplankton to assess the ecological status of European lakes, as required for the Water Framework Directive. It assesses the indicator strength of these metrics, specifically in relation to representing the impacts of eutrophication. It also examines how these measures vary naturally at different locations within a lake, as well as between lakes, and how much variability is associated with different replicate samples, different months within a year and between years. On the basis of this analysis, three of the strongest metrics (chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton trophic index (PTI), and cyanobacterial biovolume) are recommended for use as robust measures for assessing the ecological quality of lakes in relation to nutrient-enrichment pressures and a minimum recommended sampling frequency is provided for these three metrics.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s10750-012-1344-1
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 onwards > Water > WA Topic 3 - Science for Water Management > WA - 3.4 - Develop novel and improved methods to enable the sustainable management of freshwaters and wetlands
CEH Sections:	Parr Watt
ISSN:	0018-8158
Additional Keywords:	ecological indicator, eutrophication, Water Framework Directive, WFD, chlorophyll, cyanobacteria, algal bloom
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	20 Nov 2012 12:40
URI:	http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/19372

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