Reduction of the Trophic Status of a Water Body with the Use of Large-Size Zooplankton

Abstract

It is shown that large-size zooplankton can be used as a natural filter in flow-through plants for reducing the trophic status of water bodies and improve water transparency. Experiments in Chistye Prudy pond in the period of blue-green algae blooming show large-size zooplankton to reduce phytoplankton biomass in the pond throughout the period of phytoplankton growth. Daphnia magna specimens (with a biomass of 92 to 3450 mg/l) in lothic ecosystems are found to reduce the biomass of dominating Anabaena spirodes blue-green algae when this biomass attains its maximum.