Abstract
Phytoplankton samples were taken weekly from January to December of 1994 (epilimnion) and 1995 (0–25 m, euphotic zone) from the deep, stratified, alkaline, oligotrophic Lake Stechlin, Baltic Lake District, Germany. The purpose of the study was to gain detailed information about phytoplankton changes including those of picophytoplankton, to relate these changes to stratification patterns and nutrient chemistry of the lake and to compare them to results from other lakes of similar character.
During 1994–1995, a total of 142 phytoplankton taxa was encountered in quantitative samples, most being common in deep, oligotrophic lakes. Seasonal development of phytoplankton is characterized by a definite spring peak followed by a moderate summer peak. Autotrophic picophytoplankton made the largest contribution to the annual total biomass. This is probably true for other, temperate, non-acidic, oligotrophic lakes.
Development of the spring assemblage (autotrophic picophytoplankton and centric diatoms) starts in February—March and is terminated by the onset of stratification when diatoms sink to the hypolimnion. Picophytoplankton, especially Synechococcus sp., assembles in a narrow deep-layer maximum in the upper hypolimnion.
Our data show that neither deep circulations nor decreased incident radiation under winter ice and snow cover prevent the development of some specially adapted low-light — high-nutrient species. Our views about the length of vegetation period for phytoplankton need to be revised with respect to winter and isothermal conditions.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Allan, R. J., M. Dickmann, C. B. Gray and V. Cromie, 1994. The book of Canadian lakes. The Canadian Association on Water Quality, Monogr. ser. 3: 563–570.
Blomquist, P., A. Pettersson and P. Hyenstrand, 1995. Ammonium-nitrogen: a key regulatory factor causing dominance of nonnitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria in aquatic systems. Arch. Hydrobiol. 132: 141–164.
Carney, H. J., P. J. Richerson and P. Eloranta, 1987. Lake Titicaca ( Peru/Bolivia) phytoplankton: Species composition and structural comparison with other tropical and temparate lakes. Arch. Hydrobiol. 110: 365–385.
Casper, S. J. (ed.), 1985a. Lake Stechlin. A temperate oligotrophic lake. Dr. W. Junk Publ., Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster.
Casper, S. J., 1985b. The phytoplankton. In Casper, S.J. (ed), 1985a. Lake Stechlin. A temperate oligotrophic lake. Dr. W. Junk Publ., Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster: 157–195.
Casper, P. and R. Koschel, 1995. Description of Lake Stechlin. Limnologica, Berlin 25: 281–284.
Fängström, I. and E. Willén, 1987. Clustering and canonical correspondence analysis of phytoplankton and environmental variables. Vegetatio 71: 87–95.
Hamilton, P. B. 1990. The revised edition of a computerized plankton counter for plankton, periphyton and sediment analyses. Hydro-biologia 194: 23–30.
Hecky, R. E., E. J. Fee, H. Kling and J. W. Rudd, 1978. Studies on the planktonic ecology of Lake Tanganyika. Can. Fish. mar. Serv. tech. Rep. 816, 51 pp.
ILEC, 1987–1989. Data book of world lake environments - a survey of the state of world lakes. ILEC and UNEP, Otsu.
ILEC, 1995. Data book of world lake environments - a survey of the state of world lakes - 3. The Americas. ILEC and UNEP, Kusatsu.
Ilmavirta, V., 1974. Diel periodicity in the phytoplankton community of the oligotrophic lake Pääjärvi, southern Finland. I. Phytoplanktonic primary production and related factors. Ann. Bot. Fenn. 11: 136–177.
Ilmavirta, V., 1975. Diel periodicity of phytoplankton community of the oligotrophic Lake Pääjärvi, southern Finland. II. Late summer phytoplanktonic biomass. Ann. Bot. Fenn. 12: 37–44.
Ilmavirta, V., 1981. The ecosystem of the oligotrophic Lake Pääjärvi 1. Lake basin and primary production. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 21: 442–447.
Jónasson, P. M., H. Adalsteinsson and G. St. Jónasson, 1992. Production and nutrient supply of phytoplankton in subarctic, dimictic Thingvallavatn, Iceland. Oikos 64: 162–187.
Koschel, R., 1981. Bilanz der Primärproduktion des Phytoplanktons in den Gewässern des Stechlinseesystems. Limnologica, Berlin 13: 55–81.
Koschel, R., 1985. The primary production of the phytoplankton. In Casper, S.J. (ed), 1985. Lake Stechlin: a temperate oligotrophic lake. Dr. W. Junk Publ., Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster: 287–313.
Koschel, R., 1995. Manipulation of whole-lake ecosystems and longterm limnological observation in the Brandenburg-Mecklenburg lake district, Germany. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. 80: 1–12.
Koschel, R. and J. Casper, 1986. Die ökologische Bedeutung des Kernkraftwerkes I der DDR `Rheinsberg’ für den Stechlin. Biol. Rundschau 24: 179–195.
Koschel, R., Mothes, G. and Casper, S. J., 1985. The nuclear power plant and its role in the life of Lake Stechlin. In Casper, S.J. (ed), 1985. Lake Stechlin: a temperate oligotrophic lake. Dr. W. Junk Publ., Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster: 419–432.
Krieger, 1927. Die Gattung Centronella Voigt. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Ges. 45: 281–290.
Krienitz, L. and W. Scheffler, 1994. The Selenastraceae of the oligotrophic Lake Stechlin (Brandenburg, Germany). Biologia, Bratislava, 49: 463–471.
Kuchler, L., 1981. Phytoplanktonuntersuchungen im Stechlinseege- biet in den Jahren 1973–1975. Limnologica, Berlin 13: 83–99.
Kuchler, L., 1982. Phytoplanktonuntersuchungen im Stechlin und im Nordbecken des Nehmitzsees. Limnologica, Berlin 14: 231241.
Mothes, G., Koschel, R. and Proft, G., 1985. The chemical environment. In Casper, S.J. (ed), 1985. Lake Stechlin: a temperate oligotrophic lake. Dr. W. Junk Publ., Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster, 87–128.
Munawar, M. and I. F. Munawar, 1986. The seasonality of phytoplankton in the North American Great Lakes, a comparative synthesis. Hydrobiologia 138: 85–116.
Ólafsson, J., 1992. Chemical characteristics and trace elements of Thingvallavatn. OIKOS 64: 151–161.
Padisâk, J., R. Koschel, L. Krienitz and J. Nedoma, 1997. Deep layer autotrophic picophytoplankton maximum in the oligotrophic Stechlinsee, Germany: origin, activity, development and erosion. European J. Phycol. 32: 403–416.
Persson, G., H. Olsson, T. Wiederholm and E. Willén, 1989. Lake
Vättern, Sweden: A 20-year perspective. Ambio 18: 208–218. Ramberg, L., 1987. Phytoplankton succession in the Sanyati basin, Lake Kariba. Hydrobiologia 153: 193–202.
Reinertsen, H., 1982. The effect of nutrient addition on the phytoplankton community of an oligotrophic lake. Holarctic Ecol. 5: 225–252.
Rigler, 1974. Char Lake Project. PF-2. Final Report. Can. Comm. Int. Biol. Progr., Toronto, 96 pp.
Scheffler, W., 1994. Cyclotella pseudocomensis nov. spec. (Bacillar- iophyceae) aus norddeutschen Seen. Diatom Res. 9: 355–369.
Scheffler, W. and J. Padisâk, 1997a. Cyclotella tripartita ( Bacillariophyceae), a dominant species in the oligotrophic Stechlinsee (Germany ). Nova Hedw. 65: 221–232.
Scheffler, W. and J. Padisâk, 1997b. Cyclotella tripartita, eine für Deutschland neue Diatomee des Planktons. DGL Jahrestagung, Wissenschaftliche Kurzreferaten, Schwedt/Oder, Germany, 1620 September, 1996.
Sieburth, J. M., V. Smetacek and J. Lenz. 1978. Pelagic ecosystem structure: heterotrophic compartments of the plankton and their relationship to plankton size fractionation. Limnol. Oceanogr. 23: 1256–1263.
Sommer, U., 1991. Phytoplankton: directional succession and forced cycles. In Remmert, H. (ed), The Mosaic-Cycle Concept of Ecosystems, Springer Verlag, Berlin: 132–146.
Sndergaard, M., 1991. Phototropic picoplankton in temperate lakes: seasonal abundance and importance along trophic gradient. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. 76: 502–522.
Stockner, J. C., 1991. Autotrophic picoplankton in freshwater environments: the view from the summit. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. 76: 483–492.
Vega, J. C., C. de Hoyos and J. J. Aldasoro, 1992. The Sanabria lake. The largest natural freshwater lake in Spain. Limnetica 8: 49–57.
Wiedner, C. and B. Nixdorf, 1997. Success of chrysophytes, cryptophytes and dinoflagellates over blue-greens (cyanobacteria) during an extreme winter (1995/96) in eutrophic shallow lakes. Hydrobiologia 369 /370: 229–235.
Willén, E., 1976. Phytoplankton in L. Hjälmaren. Acta Univ. Upsal. 378: 1–18.
Willén, T., 1980. Phytoplankton from Swedish lakes, 3. Lake Hundsjön and other kettle lakes of central Sweden. Arch. Hydrobiol. 89: 135–159.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Padisák, J., Krienitz, L., Scheffler, W., Koschel, R., Kristiansen, J., Grigorszky, I. (1998). Phytoplankton succession in the oligotrophic Lake Stechlin (Germany) in 1994 and 1995. In: Alvarez-Cobelas, M., Reynolds, C.S., Sánchez-Castillo, P., Kristiansen, J. (eds) Phytoplankton and Trophic Gradients. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 129. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2668-9_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2668-9_16
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5067-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-2668-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive