Evaluation of the trophic state of Lake Pamvotis Greece, a shallow urban lake

Abstract

The trophic state of the shallow Lake Pamvotis was evaluated in order to search for potential restoration strategies. During the last decades Lake Pamvotis has been influenced by many of man-made impacts, such as sewage discharge and water level fluctuation. Physicochemical and biological parameters were monitored during the period 1998–1999. Important relationships were found between physicochemical and biological parameters as elucidated by redundancy analysis. Moreover, habitat conditions and the distribution of the aquatic macrophytes were also considered. Lake Pamvotis is a eutrophic ecosystem exhibiting also, a serious decline of submerged vegetation. Restoration management strategy requires reduction of the external and internal organic load, control of non-point pollution sources, control of hydrological regime, and establishment of bio-manipulation techniques.