Lake Typology Research Articles

Patterns in benthic biodiversity link lake trophic status to structure and potential function of three large, deep lakes.

Relative to their scarcity, large, deep lakes support a large proportion of the world’s freshwater species. This biodiversity is threatened by human development and is in need of conservation. Direct comparison of biodiversity is the basis of biological monitoring for conservation but is difficult to conduct between large, insular ecosystems. The objective of our study was to conduct such a comparison of benthic biodiversity between three of the world’s largest lakes: Lake Tahoe, USA; Lake Hövsgöl, Mongolia; and Crater Lake, USA. We examined biodiversity of common benthic organism, the non-biting midges (Chironomidae) and determined lake trophic status using chironomid-based lake typology, tested whether community structure was similar between the three lakes despite geographic distance; and tested whether chironomid diversity would show significant variation within and between lakes. Typology analysis indicated that Lake Hövsgöl was ultra-oligotrophic, Crater Lake was oligotrophic, and Lake Tahoe was borderline oligotrophic/mesotrophic. These results were similar to traditional pelagic measures of lake trophic status for Lake Hövsgöl and Crater Lake but differed for Lake Tahoe, which has been designated as ultra-oligotrophic by traditional pelagic measures such as transparency found in the literature. Analysis of similarity showed that Lake Tahoe and Lake Hövsgöl chironomid communities were more similar to each other than either was to Crater Lake communities. Diversity varied between the three lakes and spatially within each lake. This research shows that chironomid communities from these large lakes were sensitive to trophic conditions. Chironomid communities were similar between the deep environments of Lake Hövsgöl and Lake Tahoe, indicating that chironomid communities from these lakes may be useful in comparing trophic state changes in large lakes. Spatial variation in Lake Tahoe’s diversity is indicative of differential response of chironomid communities to nutrient enrichment which may be an indication of changes in trophic state within and across habitats.

Glacier-related landforms and glacial lakes in Huascarán National Park, Peru

The map of lakes and selected glacier-related landforms in Huascarán National Park was created describing their spatial distribution and selected properties related to their development. This work presents additional information on previous lake inventories that was not available prior to its completion despite the fact that some of the newly collected information is important for glacial lake flood hazard assessment. The ongoing environmental changes documented in the national park are affecting the number, size, spatial distribution and development of the glacial lakes. Many of the lakes are also filled with sediment, as well as subject to outburst floods. The lake typology is based on the character of their dam, whilst moraine ridge types are defined with specific geomorphological features that affect their stability. Over 1250 moraine ridges (longer than 200 m) were mapped and classified along with 2370 lakes each with a specific dam type. This represents the most detailed inventory which can be used for future statistical analysis or hazard assessment.

The long-term effects of bottom-up and top-down forcing on zooplankton: An example from sedimentary bosminid records of Lake Dianchi and Lake Fuxian

近年来云南高原湖泊面临富营养化、渔业活动增强等多重环境压力的叠加影响,对湖泊的有效治理与生态修复急需对多重压力下生态系统的响应模式进行系统了解.现有研究表明在系统生产力和捕食压力的不同配置下,湖泊系统主要组成(如浮游动物)的响应特征可能出现差异且捕食压力可能随营养水平的变化而改变,目前对云南湖泊生态系统的研究主要集中于单一环境压力下的生态响应.本研究以目前分别处于重富营养和中-贫营养水平的滇池和抚仙湖为研究对象,应用湖泊沉积物记录进行多指标分析,探讨受外来鱼类影响下两个大型湖泊浮游动物长期响应模式的异同.通过象鼻溞生物量与个体大小等指标,重建了近百年来滇池与抚仙湖典型浮游动物的变化历史,结果表明随着湖泊生产力水平(如沉积物色素生产量)的增加,2个湖泊中象鼻溞生物量显著增加,同时物种相对组成出现明显变化(如Bosmina longispina被B.longirostris取代),指示湖泊上行效应对浮游动物的控制作用.同时象鼻溞的生物量、壳长与触角长度的变化在1960s与1980s有明显降低的趋势,与同期外来鱼类(如银鱼)引入与渔业产量增加的时间一致.进一步应用多变量回归分析与方差分解方法来定量评价上行与下行效应对象鼻溞生物量变化的驱动强度,结果表明富营养化(沉积物色素)和捕食作用(象鼻溞壳长)对浮游动物长期变化的驱动强度比较相似(分别解释了生物量变化的77.25%和83.59%),然而在滇池下行效应对象鼻溞生物量的独立影响比在贫营养的抚仙湖中更强(分别为15.46%和10.39%),上行效应对象鼻溞生物量的影响在抚仙湖要明显强于滇池(分别为69.74%和19.67%),而在滇池上行与下行效应的相互作用强度明显强于抚仙湖(分别为42.12%和3.46%).结果表明随着湖泊营养水平的升高,浮游动物的生物量在2个湖泊中均显著增加,而外来鱼类(如太湖新银鱼)的引入和经济鱼类数量的增加加剧了对浮游动物的捕食压力,造成了浮游动物的生物量降低和个体减小.但在快速富营养化的滇池,对浮游动物的捕食压力随营养水平的变化出现较强的依赖性,而在总体处于中-贫营养水平的抚仙湖中此相互作用较弱.结果表明在不同营养水平的大型湖泊中,营养水平的变化幅度可以导致鱼类捕食压力的差异性变化,指示了对鱼类捕食压力的评价和浮游动物长期变化的特征分析需要考虑湖泊的营养水平与富营养化过程的差异.总之,富营养化和外来鱼类的引入导致了高原湖泊生态系统的快速响应与结构变化,因此对高原湖泊的生态修复需要考虑湖泊营养水平对生态系统结构与食物链作用的影响.;In recent years, lakes of Yunnan Plateau have increasingly experienced the pressure of multiple environmental stressors like eutrophication and fish invasion, as well as their synergic effects. To date, most studies have focused on the ecological impacts of a single stressor, in spite of the interaction of these multiple stressors. This paper selected Lake Dianchi and Lake Fuxian, which are currently hypo-eutrophic and oligo-mesotrophic respectively, and conducted multi-proxy analyses of lake sediments from both lakes. We aim to quantify the impacts of both eutrophication (bottom-up control) and predation pressure (top-down control) in driving the long-term changes of zooplankton production, and to compare the intensity of their single forcing and interaction between both lakes. Our results showed that both lakes experienced increased primary production (i.e. the production of sedimentary pigments) since the mid-20^th century, which was consistent with the eutrophication history revealed by lake monitoring data. Concurrently, the production of zooplankton (i.e. sedimentary bosminid production) increases significantly with a general trend of the oligotrophic taxon of Bosmina longispina replaced by B. longirostris found in both lakes. However, the bosminid production and body size (i.e. carapace and antennule length), displayed a decrease during the 1960s and 1980s, when exotic fish were introduced and/or established stable populations. With the methods of multiple regression and variance partitioning, our further analyses suggested that top-down control (as indicated by bosminid carapace length) exerted stronger impact on zooplankton production at Lake Dianchi than at Lake Fuxian (15.46% and 10.39%, respectively), while Lake Fuxian displayed a much stronger control of bottom-up (represented by sedimentary pigment concentration) forcing than Dianchi (69.74% and 19.67%, respectively). In addition, we found that the interaction between bottom-up and top-down is much more significant at Lake Dianchi than the Lake Fuxian (42.12 % and 3.46 %, respectively), despite that both forcing exerted a similar degree of control on zooplankton production at Lake Dianchi (77.25%) and Lake Fuxian (83.59%). These results indicate the significant control of lake eutrophication on zooplankton production at both lakes, while the introduction of exotic fish intensify the predation pressure on zooplankton, which also showed strong dependence on the rapid increase of trophic status at the hypo-eutrophic shallow lake of Lake Dianchi. In contrast, the strength of the interaction between bottom-up and top-down control was insignificant at the oligo-mesotrophic deep lake of Fuxian. Over all, our results infered that eutrophication and fish predation have led to the significant changes of ecosystem structure and trophic interaction at both large plateau lakes. Therefore, trophic status, the history of eutrophication and lake typology should be taken into account for sustainable management and ecological restoration of the plateau lakes in Yunnan.

A typology for fish-based assessment of the ecological status of lowland lakes with description of the reference fish communities

We compared the potential of different lake typologies to discriminate fish communities in least disturbed sites. The typologies tested were based on morphometric and geographical descriptors. The best discrimination was achieved by distinguishing three lake types according to depth and mixes regime: polymictic lakes, stratified lakes with less than 30 m of maximum depth and deep, stratified lakes with maximum depths above 30 m. We conclude that the proposed typology is appropriate for a system to assess the ecological status of German lakes with the fish fauna according to the Water Framework Directive and might well be transferable to other European assessment systems. The fish communities in all lake types were similar and dominated by few fish species. Perch and roach were the most abundant ones, followed by ruffe, bream, rudd and pike. The fish communities in least disturbed sites might be used as reference conditions in future fish-based assessment systems.

Phytoplankton-based shallow lake types in the Carpathian basin: steps towards a bottom-up typology

As lake biota are basically determined by hydromorphological characteristics of the lake basin, estab- lishment of a lake typology is the first step in lake quality assessment and management. Based on descriptor vari- ables (size, depth, lake bed material, water-regime and macrophyte coverage), 16 hydromorphological lake-types were established for the Pannonian Ecoregion. Our analyses revealed that descriptor variables have considerable effect both on biomass and composition of phytoplankton. As the phytoplankton biomass of several lake-types can be merged, a simplified typology can be proposed. Since the phytoplankton composition of various lake-types dif- fered significantly in terms of diversity and relative abundance of functional groups, well delineated composition- based types cannot be established for Pannonian lakes. Although the Pannonian Ecoregion is the westernmost part of the Eurasian steppe zone, the proposed typology of the studied area can be extended to lakes of the greater Pannonian region.

The effect of lake morphology on aquatic vegetation development and changes under the influence of eutrophication

Data on aquatic and emergent vegetation, morphology and water quality from 274 Polish lowland lakes surveyed in the years 1996–2009 were used to validate the preliminary typology of Polish lakes based on macrophytes and to indicate the environmental parameters which most significantly determine the vegetation patterns in lakes under various morphological conditions. In highly alkaline lowland lakes representing non-disturbed conditions the key determinants influencing the vegetation patterns were mean depth and the shape of the littoral. Three morphological lake types were distinguished: shallow (<3.5m), deep, and additionally, within the latter, deep ribbon-shaped, with a clearly elongated base and steep bed slopes. The lake types varied in their vegetation patterns developed under non-disturbed conditions. In the shallow lakes, the share of the phytolittoral in the total lake area (%phytol) was the highest (40–100%, 72.3% on average) and the maximum colonisation depth (Cmax) the lowest (3.2m as the maximum) compared to the lakes from both deep types. In the ribbon-shaped deep lakes, %phytol and the plant coverage (%cover) were the lowest, the proportion of submerged vegetation was extraordinarily high (over 90%) and the emergent vegetation was extremely sparsely developed (<6%) compared to the lakes of the two other types.The alterations of aquatic vegetation resulting from the eutrophication process in distinguished morphological lake types were explored. Within the macrophyte variables tested, three groups of indicators were distinguished: (a) metrics performing best in selected lake types, i.e. the type-specific indicators (abundance metrics, %Pota), (b) metrics performing equally well in all the lake types, considered as the universal indicators (e.g. S_Chara, %Subm and %Emerg) and (c) metrics performing poorly in all the lake types, with generally limited applicability (most of the metrics on syntaxonomic richness). In the shallow lakes, %cover and %phytol performed notably better than in deep lakes, whereas Cmax worked best in deep lakes and showed the strongest response in the deep regular-shaped lakes. Moreover, in deep regular-shaped lakes the number of communities of stoneworts and submerged plants (S_Chara and S_Subm), and in deep ribbon-shaped lakes the proportion of area inhabited by vascular plant communities (%Pota) performed exceptionally better than in the other two lake types. The most universal metrics, performing equally well in all the lake types, were the proportions of submerged (%Subm) and emergent (%Emerg) vegetation in the total phytolittoral area.

Tropical high-altitude Andean lakes located above the tree line attenuate UV-A radiation more strongly than typical temperate alpine lakes

Tropical high-altitude Andean lakes are physically harsh ecosystems. Located above the treeline (≥4000 m a.s.l.), they share common features with temperate alpine lakes, which impose extreme conditions on their aquatic organisms: e.g., strong winds, broad diel variations in water temperature, and intense solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR). However, because of their latitude, they differ in two major ecological characteristics: they lack ice cover during the winter and they do not present summer water column stratification. We sampled 26 tropical high-altitude Andean lakes from three regions of the Bolivian Eastern Andes Cordillera during the wet period (austral summer). We performed an ordination to better describe the typology of Andean lakes in relation to the environmental variables, and we assessed the relationships among them, focussing on the UV-A transparency (360 nm) throughout the water column. We found a positive correlation between UV-A transparency calculated as Z(1%) (the depth which reaches 1% of the surface UV-A), the lake maximum depth and Secchi transparency (r = 0.61). Z(1%) of UV-A was smaller in shallow lakes than in deep lakes, indicating that shallow lakes are less transparent to UV-A than deep lakes. We hypothesize that, compared to shallow lakes, deep lakes (maximum depth > 10 m) may have lower dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations (that absorb UV radiation) due to lower temperature and reduced macrophyte cover. Based on our data, tropical high-altitude Andean lakes are less transparent to UV-A (K(d) range = 1.4-11.0 m(-1); Z(1%) depth range = 0.4-3.2 m) than typical temperate alpine lakes (1-6 m(-1), 3-45 m, respectively). Moreover, they differ in vertical profiles of UV-A, chlorophyll-a, and temperature, suggesting that they may have a distinct ecological functioning. Such peculiarities justify treating tropical high-altitude Andean lakes as a separate category of alpine lakes. Tropical high-altitude Andean lakes have been poorly studied. Thus they deserve more in-depth studies in the face of global changes regarding the use of their UV transparency as a sentinel proxy of climate changes, particularly global warming.

Development and application of an ecological classification tool for fish in lakes in Ireland

A classification tool suitable for establishing the ecological status of lakes based on fish population parameters has been developed for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (EU Water Framework Directive Ecoregion 17). A lake typology relevant to fish populations in lakes from Ecoregion 17 was produced as part of the ecological classification tool development. Four lake types were determined based on fish metrics and abiotic variables from 43 “reference” lakes. The specific lake fish typology categorised lakes into low (≤67CaCO3mgL−1) or high (>67CaCO3mgL−1) alkalinity, and shallow (≤17m) or deep (>17m) maximum depth. The fish in lakes classification tool (FIL2) follows a novel multimetric predictive approach, assigning ecological status to a lake using two independent methods. FIL2 qualitatively defines a lake's ecological status based on fish metrics using discriminant classification rules and, using a generalised linear model, quantitatively derives an Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR, 0<EQR<1), along with associated confidence intervals. It is recommended that both methods are used to validate output and cross-check and highlight potential misclassification.

Assessing lake typologies and indicator fish species for Italian natural lakes using past fish richness and assemblages

In order to establish a fish-based typology of Italian lakes and identify possible reference and indicator fish species for each lake type, we analysed historical data on fish assemblages of all Italian natural lakes >0.5 km2 from the period prior to the major decline in water quality in the 1950s. General linear regression models showed the ecoregion and lake altitude being the best predictors of fish species richness. The number of species was significantly higher in the Alpine than in the Mediterranean ecoregion. Among Alpine lakes, the number of fish species increased significantly with lake volume whilst decreased with altitude. In the Mediterranean lakes, none of the selected parameters was significant. Cluster analysis of fish assemblages (presence/absence) divided the lakes of the Alpine and Mediterranean ecoregions into four and two types, respectively. Pike (Esox lucius), rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) and tench (Tinca tinca) were the main indicator species for the small and mostly shallow lakes in both the Alpine (Type 1) and Mediterranean (Type 6) ecoregions, minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) for the alpine high altitude lakes (Type 2) and landlocked shad (Alosa fallax lacustris), European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and burbot (Lota lota) for the large and very deep alpine lakes (Type 4). The European whitefish was the only indicator species for the deep Mediterranean lakes (Type 5). These species and associated fish assemblages may be useful indicators in future assessments of the ecological status of Italian lakes according to the European Directives (2000/60/EC and 2008/105/EC).

Evaluation of approaches for measuring taxonomic completeness of lake profundal macroinvertebrate assemblages

Summary 1. Benthic macroinvertebrates (MI) are commonly used to assess freshwater ecosystems with the reference condition approach. Such assessments necessitate control for natural community variation, either by categorical typologies or by predictive models that have been widely and successfully developed for running water biota but not previously for lake profundal invertebrates. 2. We evaluated four modelling techniques [multivariate regression tree (MRT), limiting environmental differences, nonparametric multiplicative regression (NPMR) and River Invertebrate Prediction And Classification System (RIVPACS) and the operative Finnish lake typology for assessing taxonomic completeness (observed-to-expected number of taxa, O/E) of profundal MI assemblages. We used data from 74 and 33 minimally disturbed reference lake basins for calibration and validation of the approaches, respectively, and 72 test basins subject to various anthropogenic pressures to evaluate sensitivity to detect impact. Either all predicted taxa (threshold probability of capture Pt = 0+) or only those predicted to be captured with ≥0.25 probability were used to calculate O/E. 3. With Pt = 0.25, all four modelling approaches were accurate (mean O/E = 0.966–1.053) but imprecise (SD of O/E = 0.279–0.304) in predicting the fauna actually observed in validation sites. All models were subtly more precise than a null model (mean 1.038, SD 0.343) or the typology (1.046, 0.327). The taxon-specific NPMR model was slightly more precise than the other three models based on site groupings. 4. The O/E values correlated relatively weakly (r = 0.55–0.86) among the approaches, which thus produced contrasting lake-specific assessments, despite their seemingly comparable performances. Indeed, typology, suggesting that MI assemblages were impaired in 56% of test sites, was more sensitive than the other approaches (26–46%) as an indicator of human-induced deterioration. However, this greater ostensible sensitivity seemed to be biased, as lake morphometry, a main driver of natural community variation, remained uncontrolled by the typology. 5. Generally, our exercise illustrates the inconclusiveness of the common validation criteria for the assessment methods. The apparent poor predictability of the profundal fauna, irrespective of the method, may partly stem from large observation error, which could be alleviated by more intensive sampling. However, instead of an O/E-taxa index, some other metric encompassing quantitative aspects might be preferable for assessing these species-poor communities.

The use of diatom records to establish reference conditions for UK lakes subject to eutrophication

A knowledge of pre-disturbance conditions is important for setting realistic restoration targets for lakes. For European waters this is now a requirement of the European Council Water Framework Directive where ecological status must be assessed based on the degree to which present day conditions deviate from reference conditions. Here, we employ palaeolimnological techniques, principally inferences of total phosphorus from diatom assemblages (DI-TP) and classification of diatom composition data from the time slice in sediment cores dated to ~1850 AD, to define chemical and ecological reference conditions, respectively, for a range of UK lake types. The DI-TP results from 169 sites indicate that reference TP values for low alkalinity lakes are typically 3 m mean depth) generally had lower reference TP concentrations than the shallow sites. A small group of shallow marl lakes had concentrations of ~30 μg L−1. Cluster analysis of diatom composition data from 106 lakes where the key pressure of interest was eutrophication identified three clusters, each associated with particular lake types, suggesting that the typology has ecological relevance, although poor cross matching of the diatom groups and the lake typology at type boundaries highlights the value of a site-specific approach to defining reference conditions. Finally the floristic difference between the reference and present day (surface sample) diatom assemblages of each site was estimated using the squared chord distance dissimilarity coefficient. Only 25 of the 106 lakes experienced insignificant change and the findings indicate that eutrophication has impacted all lake types with >50% of sites exhibiting significant floristic change. The study illustrates the role of the sediment record in determining both chemical and ecological reference conditions, and assessing deviation from the latter. Whilst restoration targets may require modification in the future to account for climate induced alterations, the long temporal perspective offered by palaeolimnology ensures that such changes are assessed against a sound baseline.

Sediment accumulation rates in European lakes since AD 1850: trends, reference conditions and exceedence

Sediment accumulation rate (SAR) is an important physical parameter in all lakes and increases have been observed in many over the last c.100 years. This has been ascribed to changes in land-use and land-management causing accelerated catchment soil erosion and an increase in autochthonous organic matter production. The EU Water Framework Directive requires that assessment of biological, hydromorphological and chemical elements of water quality should be based on the degree to which present day conditions deviate from those expected in the absence of significant anthropogenic influence, termed reference conditions. Currently however, the reference condition for sediment accumulation rate for lakes of different types is undefined. To improve our understanding of the controls on SARs we compiled SAR and lake typology data for 207 European lakes derived from 210Pb dated cores to assess how rates have changed through time (in 25 year classes) both overall and for lakes of different types. Seventy-one percent of these sediment cores showed surface SARs higher than “basal” (mainly nineteenth century) rates, 11% showed no change while 18% showed a decline. Lakes were then classified into lake-types using four variables: alkalinity (3 classes), altitude (3 classes), maximum depth (2 classes) and lake area (2 classes). This generated a possible 36 lake classes of which 25 were represented in the dataset. Nine lake-types contained >10 lakes. Little change in SAR occurred prior to 1900 and most increases occurred in more recent periods, in particular 1950–1975 and post-1975. This indicates a general acceleration in SAR in European lakes during the second half of the twentieth century. Reference SARs were estimated for six lake-types with the highest number of sites. European mountain lakes had the lowest reference SAR (0.005 ± 0.003 g cm−2 yr−1) while lowland, high alkalinity sites had the highest (0.03–0.04 g cm−2 yr−1). SARs for other lake-types ranged between 0.012 and 0.024 g cm−2 yr−1. Using the mountain lake-type as an example, the 1850 reference SAR appears to show good agreement with available data for lakes beyond Europe indicating these values may be more broadly applicable. Contemporary SARs in lakes of all classes showed exceedence over their defined reference SAR. This may be partly due to diagenetic processes. Greatest exceedences were found in shallow, low altitude lakes and these are considered to be the ones under the greatest threat from continued elevation of SAR. It is considered that climate change may play a progressively more important role in driving SAR in the future.

A reference typology of low alkalinity lakes in the UK based on pre-acidification diatom assemblages from lake sediment cores

This paper has two aims: (1) to show for the first time how a natural typology can be established using palaeoecological methods; and (2) to show how it can be used in lake restoration studies with respect to the definition of recovery targets for acidified lakes. By defining the characteristic reference assemblages for low alkalinity site types rather than for a specific site it allows success to be measured more broadly, unconstrained by the specific composition of the pre-acidification flora. We analyse statistically the pre-acidification diatom assemblages of sediment cores from 121 low alkalinity lakes in the UK in order to assess whether a reference typology for such lakes can be defined on the basis of their diatom floras. We use samples dating to ~1850 AD to represent pre-acidification conditions. The results show that three main clusters can be identified, two dominated by benthic taxa (Clusters 1 and 3) and one dominated by planktonic taxa (Cluster 2). Cluster 1 is characterised by taxa such as Brachysira vitrea, Cymbella microcephala and Fragilaria spp., Cluster 2 by Cyclotella comensis, C. radiosa, Asterionella formosa, Aulacoseira subarctica and Achnanthes minutissima and Cluster 3 by Eunotia incisa, Frustulia rhomboides var. saxonica, Fragilaria virescens var. exigua, and Cymbella perpusilla. Although environmental data for 1850 AD are not available it is apparent from the contemporary distribution of the taxa in the different clusters that Cluster 2 represents the most alkaline pre-acidification conditions. Some sites in this cluster have been acidified, but some, especially the larger, deeper lakes have been enriched. Cluster 1 includes sites that contain diatoms with relatively high pH optima (pH 6.4–7.4) whereas Cluster 3 sites contain diatoms with the lowest pre-acidification pH conditions in the data-set. Sites in this cluster also have the lowest base cation concentrations at the present day and include the sites in the UK that have been most affected by acid deposition.

Palaeolimnological validation of estimated reference values for a lake profundal macroinvertebrate metric (Benthic Quality Index)

Modern assessment and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems is increasingly based on biota and the “reference condition” approach, in which the observed values (O) of biological variables are compared to those expected in the absence of human disturbance (E). To use this approach, correct estimation and validation of reference conditions are critical. Because appropriate modern or historical data are never available for this approach, palaeolimnological data offer an alternative. We used a calibration data set from 73 profundal sites in semi-pristine Finnish lakes to construct a regression model for estimating expected values for the chironomid Benthic Quality Index (BQI)—a macroinvertebrate metric widely used in bioassessment—from environmental variables that are insensitive to human disturbance. For comparison, reference values were estimated using the European legislative rationale based on a priori lake typology. Performance of the alternative approaches was assessed by internal ‘leave-one-out’ cross-validation using the calibration set and by external cross-validation using independent palaeolimnological data on BQI values representing the historical pristine status of 24 lake basins. Additionally, for 19 of these sites, which vary in their degree of human impact, the ratio of present BQI to that in pristine condition, which shows the degree of actual change, if any, was calculated from palaeolimnological data and compared with the O/E ratios based on the present chironomid data and estimated E. A linear regression model with mean depth and mean/maximum depth ratio as independent variables estimated the reference values of BQI much closer to the observed ones (r2 = 0.58, RMSEP = 0.65 and r2 = 0.71 RMSEP = 0.55; for internal and external cross-validation, respectively) than did the typology approach (r2 = 0.28, RMSEP = 0.86; r2 = 0.10, RMSEP = 0.97). The regression approach also yielded O/E ratios more similar to the actual ones (r2 = 0.79, RMSEP = 0.09) than did the typology approach (r2 = 0.62, RMSEP = 0.23). Our results strongly support the use of lake morphometric variables and modelling instead of categorical lake typology for the establishment of reference conditions for profundal macroinvertebrate communities and demonstrate the utility of palaeolimnological data in the validation of reference values and assessment methods.

Sedimentary pigments in 308 alpine lakes and their relation to environmental gradients

We undertook a comprehensive comparison between the pigment composition of surface sediment samples and contemporary catchment and limnological data deriving from 308 mountain lakes in 11 mountain regions (Lake Districts) covering a wide latitudinal and longitudinal gradient across Europe. This paper examines whether photosynthetic algal and bacterial pigments stored in the lake sediment can be used to identify different lake typologies and population dynamics of primary producers. We focus on a multivariate numerical analysis relating the relative abundance of marker pigments of algae, cyanobacteria and phototrophic sulphur bacteria to a set of physical and chemical factors (both natural and anthropogenic) determining the environmental conditions in mountain lakes. Redundancy Analysis (RDA), including partial RDA, of carotenoid assemblages constrained by environmental variables suggests that the main differences between lake districts are caused by geographic position (e.g. longitude), catchment characteristics (e.g. % carbonate rocks) and chemical variables (e.g. Mg, NO3). Other variables such as temperature and phosphorus play a minor role, probably be cau se of the short length of the gradient covered by these cold and mostly oligotrophic lakes. Pigment composition varies primarily in response to catchment geology and pollution (i.e. acidification from long range transport) gradients. Purple sulphur photosynthetic bacteria (okenone) and cyanobacteria (echinenone, canthaxanthin, scytonemin) are replaced by siliceous algae (fucoxanthin and diatoxanthin), cryptophytes (alloxanthin) and dinoflagellates (diadinoxanthin). With respect to site classification, the pigment ordination shows a clear distinction between the more pristine lakes (in the Pyrenees) and the more polluted sites (in the Tatra Mountains and Central Southern Alps) or those with water higher in solute content (the Julian Alps and Greenland).

Ecological thresholds in European alpine lakes

Summary1. Species assemblages of diatoms, rotifers, chydorids, planktonic crustaceans and chironomids were studied in 235 alpine lakes in the Alps, Pyrenees, Tatras (Western Carpathians), Retezat (Southern Carpathians) and Rila Mountains (Balkans).2. For all taxonomic groups we found a hierarchical structure in the community assemblage using distinct scales of lake clustering (number ofk‐means groups) based on species composition similarity (Hellinger distance). We determined the optimal partition in assemblage types (i.e. number of lake clusters) for each taxonomic group by maximising the sum of the taxon indicative value (IndVal) and performed discriminant analyses, using environmental variables not conditioned by geographical patterns. Relevant environmental variables differed among and within taxonomic groups. Therefore the assemblages respond to a complex environmental mosaic, with the exception of diatom assemblages, which followed an acid–base gradient.3. The significant environmental variables could be grouped into four general factors: lake size, tropho‐dynamic status, acid–base balance and ice‐cover duration (i.e., altitudinal gradient). Lake size was significant for the highest number of assemblage types; however, the most significant factor differed among taxonomic groups: acid–base balance for diatoms, lake size for rotifers, ice‐cover duration for chydorids and planktonic crustaceans and tropho‐dynamic status for chironomids. No single environmental typology accounted for the assemblage structure of all taxonomic groups.4. However, defining ecological thresholds as values within environmental gradients at which the rate of change in assemblages is accelerated relative to points distant from that threshold, we were able to find specific threshold values for each of the four main general environmental factors identified, which were relevant across several taxonomic groups: 3 ha for lake area; 0.6 mg L−1for dissolved organic carbon; 190 days for ice‐cover duration and 200 μeq L−1for acid neutralising capacity. Above and below these values ecosystem organisation change substantially. They have direct applications in establishing lake typologies for environmental quality and biodiversity conservation programmes, and in improving predictions about global change impacts.

Relevance of abiotic criteria used in German lake typology for macroinvertebrate fauna

For lake characterisation, top-down typologies are mostly used throughout Europe, including type criteria such as climate, lake area, catchment geology and conductivity. In Germany, a lake typology was applied comprising ecoregion, calcium concentration, Schindler’s ratio, stratification type and residence time. However, the relevance of these criteria for the macroinvertebrate fauna has not been conclusively demonstrated till now. Benthic invertebrate community data and related environmental parameters of pristine or near-pristine lakes in Germany were analysed by multivariate analysis techniques to elucidate which environmental parameters are reflected by invertebrate composition. Moreover, benthic invertebrate data were transformed to metrics expressing ecological attributes and species richness (summarising functional composition, diversity and sensitivity measures). Multivariate statistics were used to test whether information relevant to ordination was lost and whether variation decreases using metrics which combine data with ecological attributes. Analysis of lake-type criteria revealed that ecoregions and prevailing substrates were characterized by different taxonomic compositions of macroinvertebrates. In addition, a relationship was found between community composition and lake size. Creating a novel bottom-up lake typology based on ecoregions, lake size and prevailing substrate gives better separation of distinct macroinvertebrate communities and a higher level of homogeneity within groups compared to top-down typology or single environmental parameters alone, both on species and metrics data. Despite some data variation due to methodological differences (e.g. different sampling and sorting techniques) and interannual and seasonal variation in the data set, NMDS ordination presented well-separated groups of bottom-up lake types. Lake types were more precisely separated by species data than by metric data in both top-down and bottom-up typology. However, as information loss from species lists to calculated metrics is marginal, type-specific benthic invertebrate assemblages are reflected both on the species level and on the metric level. Species and metric data are both suitable for data ordination, while single environmental parameters affecting macroinvertebrate composition can best be obtained using metrics.

Austrian Index Macrophytes (AIM-Module 1) for lakes: a Water Framework Directive compliant assessment system for lakes using aquatic macrophytes

We describe a new macrophyte-based assessment tool for Austrian lakes elaborated according to the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive. Data from 38 out of 45, WFD-relevant (≥50 ha) lakes in Austria collected with the help of a new mapping procedure form the basis for a macrophyte-based lake typology and the definition of reference conditions. Module 1 of the Austrian Index Macrophytes (AIM) focuses on the assessment of trophic state and general impairment of lakes. Several metrics were developed and applied in combination with existing indices to classify lakes into five ecological status classes. The metric “vegetation density” focuses on the overall abundance of macrophytes. Since the lower limit of the macrophyte vegetation in lakes is mainly regulated by the water transparency, the metric “vegetation limit” is closely related to the trophic state of the lake. In deep lakes, macrophytes normally form different vegetation zones. As a result of alteration of the shoreline, artificial water level fluctuations or wave action and even eutrophication, specific zones can be missing. The metric “characteristic zonation” helps to check, if all type-specific vegetation zones are present. The metric “trophic indication” uses the Macrophyte Index after Melzer (Hydrobiologia, 395/396: 181–190, 1999). This term indicates the lake trophic state but, in contrast to the metric “vegetation limit”, it tends to show not only the trophic state of the water column but also, in particular, the nutrient conditions in the sediment. With the help of the metric “species composition,” the species spectrum and the species abundances of the current transect are compared with the species composition at reference sites. The similarity of the datasets is measured as Bray–Curtis Distance (Beals, Advances in Ecological Research, 14: 1–55, 1984). The established metrics cover different aspects of macrophyte vegetation and allow analysing the prevailing pressure. Since the different metrics have a different temporal response to eutrophication and reoligotrophication, additional information on the current state of the lake in relation to these processes can be derived. The successful application of AIM-Module 1 is presented for two Austrian lakes and discussed in relation to other assessment tools.

The evaluation of biocenotic typology of Polish lakes using macrophyte community structure

Several botanical lake types or lake vegetation types have been recognized in European countries (Bernatowicz 1960, Jensen 1976, Rintanen 1982, Palmer et al. 1992, Rodwell 1995, Duigan et al. 2006), mainly related to the trophic state of waters. The new approach to water typology required by the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD, EU 2000), is aimed at defining the variability of biological communities determined by the natural environmental conditions. All typology systems, based on the abiotic factors listed in Annex II of WFD, should be tested and validated for ecological relevance on the basis of biological data from minimally impacted sites. The use of reference sites is necessary to avoid interference from human impact on natural variety of biological elements. The aim of this study was to verify abiotic typology of Polish lakes in terms of the variability of macrophyte community structure.

Typology, classification and management issues of Greek lakes: implication of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)

The European Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, requires the determination of ecological status in European waterbodies, based primarily on biological indicators, and that minimum good ecological quality is obtained by 2015. We used background morphometric, hydrologic, physico-chemical and biological data, in order to assess the typology of the main Greek lakes. Correlation analysis and multivariate analysis (Principal Component Analysis) were applied for the data statistical elaboration. Lakes were classified according to the characteristics suggested in the Directive and specified in the Annex II. Statistical analysis revealed significant correlations between the lake variables as well as the grouping of the Greek lakes according to their abiotic characteristics. Lake water uses, in most cases competed each other, were identified and management practices were also recorded. We suggest that the future conservation efforts should focus on a new holistic management philosophy taking into consideration the catchment's management.