Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Forest Die-Back Modified Plankton Recovery from Acidic Stress

  • Report
  • Published:
AMBIO Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined long-term data on water chemistry of Lake Rachelsee (Germany) following the changes in acidic depositions in central Europe since 1980s. Despite gradual chemical recovery of Rachelsee, its biological recovery was delayed. In 1999, lake recovery was abruptly reversed by a coincident forest die-back, which resulted in elevated terrestrial export of nitrate and ionic aluminum lasting ~5 years. This re-acidification episode provided unique opportunity to study plankton recovery in the rapidly recovering lake water after the abrupt decline in nitrate leaching from the catchment. There were sudden changes both in lake water chemistry and in plankton biomass structure, such as decreased bacterial filaments, increased phytoplankton biomass, and rotifer abundance. The shift from dominance of heterotrophic to autotrophic organisms suggested their substantial release from severe phosphorus stress. Such a rapid change in plankton structure in a lake recovering from acidity has, to the best of our knowledge, not been previously documented.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

References

  • Almer, B., W. Dickson, C. Ekström, and E. Hörnström. 1978. Sulphur pollution and the aquatic ecosystems. In Sulphur in the environment, part II. Ecological impacts, ed. J.O. Nriagu, 271–311. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avalos Perez, E.A., J. DeCosta, and K.E. Havens. 1994. The effects of nutrient addition and pH manipulation in bag experiments on the phytoplankton of a small acidic lake in West Virginia, USA. Hydrobiologia 291: 93–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Currie, D.J., and J. Kalff. 1984. A comparison of the abilities of freshwater algae and bacteria to acquire and retain phosphorus. Limnology and Oceanography 29: 298–310.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Driscoll, C.T., G.B. Lawrence, A.J. Bulger, T.J. Butler, C.S. Cronan, C. Eagar, K.F. Lambert, G.E. Likens, et al. 2001. Acidic deposition in the northeastern US: Sources and inputs, ecosystems effects, and management strategies. BioScience 51: 180–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fott, J., M. Pražáková, E. Stuchlík, and Z. Stuchlíková. 1994. Acidification of lakes in Šumava (Bohemia) and in the High Tatra Mountains (Slovakia). Hydrobiologia 274: 37–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frič, A. 1874. Über weitere Untersuchungen der Böhmerwaldseen. Sitzungsbericht der königlichen böhmischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften in Prag, Jahrgang 1873: 103–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, M.D., R.D. Vinebrooke, B. Keller, J. Heneberry, K.H. Nicholls, and D.L. Findlay. 2007. Comparative responses of phytoplankton during chemical recovery in atmospherically and experimentally acidified lakes. Journal of Phycology 43: 908–923.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gray, D.K., and S.E. Arnott. 2009. Recovery of acid damaged zooplankton communities: measurement, extent, and limiting factors. Environmental Reviews 17: 81–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hellich, B. 1877. Die Cladoceren Böhmens. Archiv für die naturwissenschaftliche Landesdurchforschung von Böhmen, Prag 3: 1–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heurich, M. 2009. Progress of forest regeneration after a large-scale Ips typographus outbreak in the subalpine Picea abies forests of the Bavarian Forest National Park. Silva Gabreta 15: 49–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffries, D.S., T.A. Clair, S. Couture, P.J. Dillon, J. Dupont, W.B. Keller, D.K. McNicol, M.A. Turner, et al. 2003. Assessing the recovery of lakes in southeastern Canada from the effects of acidic deposition. AMBIO 32: 176–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller, W., and N.D. Yan. 1998. Biological recovery from lake acidification: Zooplankton communities as a model of patterns and processes. Restoration Ecology 6: 364–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kopáček, J., J. Hejzlar, E. Stuchlík, J. Fott, and J. Veselý. 1998. Reversibility of acidification of mountain lakes after reduction in nitrogen and sulphur emissions in Central Europe. Limnology and Oceanography 43: 357–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kopáček, J., J. Hejzlar, and R. Mosello. 2000. Estimation of organic acid anion concentrations and evaluation of charge balance in atmospherically acidified colored waters. Water Research 34: 3598–3606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kopáček, J., M. Brzáková, J. Hejzlar, J. Nedoma, P. Porcal, and J. Vrba. 2004. Nutrient cycling in a strongly acidified mesotrophic lake. Limnology and Oceanography 49: 1202–1213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kopáček, J., M. Posch, J. Hejzlar, F. Oulehle, and A. Volková. 2012. An elevation-based regional model for interpolating sulphur and nitrogen deposition. Atmospheric Environment 50: 287–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koste, W. 1978. Rotatoria. Die Rädertiere Mitteleuropas. I. Textband. Berlin: Gebrüder Borntraeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nedbalová, L., J. Vrba, J. Fott, L. Kohout, J. Kopáček, M. Macek, and T. Soldán. 2006. Biological recovery of the Bohemian Forest lakes from acidification. Biologia 61: S453–S465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nedoma, J., J. Vrba, T. Hanzl, and L. Nedbalová. 2001. Quantification of pelagic filamentous microorganisms in aquatic environments. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 38: 81–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Psenner, R., and J. Catalan. 1994. Chemical composition of lakes in crystalline basins: A combination of atmospheric deposition, geologic background, biological activity and human action. In Limnology now: A paradigm of planetary problems, ed. R. Margalef, 255–314. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuss, J.O., and D.W. Johnson. 1986. Acid deposition and the acidification of soils and waters. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Schaumburg, J. 2000. Long-term trends in biology and chemistry of the acidified Bavarian Forest lakes. Silva Gabreta 4: 29–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schindler, D.W. 1988. Effects of acid rain on freshwater ecosystems. Science 239: 149–157.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Skjelkvåle, B.L., C. Evans, T. Larssen, A. Hindar, and G.G. Raddum. 2003. Recovery from acidification in European surface waters: A view to the future. AMBIO 32: 170–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, C., K. Arzet, and D. Krause-Dellin. 1984. Gewässerversauerung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland im Lichte paläolimnologischer Studien. Naturwissenschaften 71: 631–633.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoddard, J.L., D.S. Jeffries, A. Lükewille, T.A. Clair, P.J. Dillon, C.T. Driscoll, M. Forsius, M. Johannessen, et al. 1999. Regional trends in aquatic recovery from acidification in North America and Europe. Nature 401: 575–578.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Straškrabová, V., C. Callieri, P. Carrillo, L. Cruz-Pizarro, J. Fott, P. Hartman, M. Macek, J.M. Medina-Sánchez, et al. 1999. Investigations on pelagic food webs in mountain lakes—Aims and methods. Journal of Limnology 58: 77–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • ter Braak, C.J.F., and P. Šmilauer. 2002. CANOCO Reference Manual and Users Guide to Canoco for Windows: Software for Canonical Community Ordination (Version 4.5). Ithaca, NY: Microcomputer Power.

  • Veselý, J., J. Hruška, S.A. Norton, and C.E. Johnson. 1998a. Trends in water chemistry of acidified Bohemian lakes from 1984 to 1995: I. Major solutes. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 108: 107–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veselý, J., J. Hruška, and S.A. Norton. 1998b. Trends in water chemistry of acidified Bohemian lakes from 1984 to 1995: II. Trace elements and aluminium. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 108: 425–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vrba, J., J. Kopáček, and J. Fott. 2000. Long-term limnological research of the Bohemian Forest lakes and their recent status. Silva Gabreta 4: 7–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vrba, J., J. Kopáček, J. Fott, L. Kohout, L. Nedbalová, M. Pražáková, T. Soldán, and J. Schaumburg. 2003a. Long-term studies (1871–2000) on acidification and recovery of lakes in the Bohemian Forest (central Europe). Science of the Total Environment 310: 73–85.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vrba, J., J. Nedoma, L. Kohout, J. Kopáček, L. Nedbalová, P. Ráčková, and K. Šimek. 2003b. Massive occurrence of heterotrophic filaments in acidified lakes: Seasonal dynamics and composition. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 46: 281–294.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vrba, J., J. Kopáček, T. Bittl, J. Nedoma, A. Štrojsová, L. Nedbalová, L. Kohout, and J. Fott. 2006. A key role of aluminium in phosphorus availability, food web structure, and plankton dynamics in strongly acidified lakes. Biologia 61: S441–S451.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, R.F., T. Larssen, L. Camarero, B.J. Cosby, R.C. Ferrier, R. Helliwell, M. Forsius, A. Jenkins, et al. 2005. Recovery of acidified European surface waters. Environmental Science and Technology 39: 64A–72A.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan, N.D., B. Leung, W.B. Keller, S.E. Arnott, J.M. Gunn, and G.G. Raddum. 2003. Developing conceptual frameworks for the recovery of aquatic biota from acidification. AMBIO 32: 165–169.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by several CSF projects (particularly No. 206/07/1200, P504/12/1218). Burkhard Beudert, Claus Bässler, and Heinrich Rall (NPBW) assisted with lake sampling, Ludwig Butz (WWA Passau/Deggendorf) kindly provided data (2000–2002) on lake chemistry, and Keith R. Edwards revised the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

    Jaroslav Vrba

  2. Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre AS CR, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

    Jiří Kopáček

  3. Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jan Fott & Linda Nedbalová

Authors
  1. Jaroslav Vrba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jiří Kopáček
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jan Fott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Linda Nedbalová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jaroslav Vrba.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vrba, J., Kopáček, J., Fott, J. et al. Forest Die-Back Modified Plankton Recovery from Acidic Stress. AMBIO 43, 207–217 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-013-0415-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-013-0415-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation