Relationship between the Water Quality Elements of Water Bodies and the Hydrometric Parameters: Case Study in Lithuania

Laima Česonienė,Daiva Šileikienė,Midona Dapkienė

doi:10.3390/w12020500

Abstract

The larger and deeper lakes and ponds are, the better the conditions for spontaneous water purification, slower hydrobiological processes and slower accumulation of sediment. The goal of this research was to assess the ecological status of selected Lithuanian lentic water bodies and the impact of morphometric indicators on water quality. Multiple studies were conducted on 29 lakes and 10 ponds located throughout Lithuania in 2014–2018. The study proved that higher maxima and average depths of lakes correlate with lower Ptotal, Ntotal yield and macrophyte taxonomic composition values, indicating higher ecological status class. Higher chlorophyll a EQR, ichthyofauna taxonomic composition indicator for Lithuanian fish index LFI and Lithuanian lakes’ macroinvertebrate index indicates a higher ecological class. Larger lake areas contain smaller amounts of Ptotal and Ntotal, indicating better ecological status class; higher ichthyophane taxonomic composition in LFI, zoobenthos taxonomic composition indicator for Lithuanian lakes’ macroinvertebrates index (LLMI) and taxonomic composition of macrophytes MRI indicate better ecological status class. Larger lake areas contain lower chlorophyll a EQR values. Rapid water exchange improves the condition of the lake in addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and chlorophyll a EQR values. The faster the water exchange in the lake is, the lower the Ptotal and Ntotal values; faster water exchange in the lake also means higher chlorophyll a EQR values. However, slower water exchange indicates better ecological status of the macrophytic taxonomic composition of the MRI, the ichthyofauna taxonomic composition and the Lithuanian lakes’ macroinvertebrates index indicator of zoobenthos.

Highlights

Human agricultural activities and their development have an inevitable negative impact on the environment
The aim of this study is to assess the ecological status of selected Lithuanian lentic water bodies and the impact of morphometric indicators on water quality
Dissemination charts show rapid water exchange improvements in the conditions of the lake underChanges nitrogen, phosphorus and chlorophyll a slower water exchange the lake in water quality indicators are much in largeFaster water bodies

Summary

Introduction

Human agricultural activities and their development have an inevitable negative impact on the environment. One of the largest ecological issues today is the intensive anthropogenic activity in throughout the catchment, resulting in eutrophication [1]. Both diffuse pollution and concentrated pollution have a negative impact on surface water bodies. Two important directives have been adopted in the EU to mitigate the impact of pollutant emissions on the environment: The Nitrates Directive (1991/696/EC) [3] and the Water Framework. The aim of the implementation of these directives is to protect all water bodies from anthropogenic interference [5]

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion