Phytoplankton strategies and diversity under different nutrient levels and planktivorous fish densities in a shallow Mediterranean lake

Two mesocosm experiments were carried out to investigate thedynamic ef fects of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) andplanktivorous fish additions on phytoplankton strategies anddiversity. The phylogenetic and functional approaches were usedto understand phytoplankton ecology in shallow Mediterraneanlakes. The experimental approach is new for the study of algalfunctional groups. Nutrient loading and fish stocks enhancedbiomass of small algae but decreased phytoplankton diversityand species richness. Faster species replacement and fluctuationsin diversity occurred above loadings of 1 µM P and 21µM N. Mesotrophic conditions favoured a diverse pool ofspecies, including nostocales and unicellular flagellate algae(functional groups S_n, S₁, L₀, Y, Reynolds et al., 2002). C-strategistchlorophytes (small algae from functional group X₁) dominatedmid-successional assemblages with good light and accessiblenutrients. High nutrient concentrations, dim light, presenceof organic matter and of larger zooplankton favoured to functionalgroups S₁ of oligophotic filamentous cyanobacteria and J ofmixotrophic Scenedemus species. Intermediate nutrient levelswith total phosphorus (TP) 10 µM, water quiescence, transparencyand smaller zooplankton prompted dominance of chroococcal cyanobacteria(functional groups X₁ and K). Resulting patterns agree and reinforcethe validity of plankton functional groups associated with warm,shallow enriched systems, although some changes in the groupsare suggested in relation to the structuring role of nutrientsand grazing on the functional scheme for phytoplankton.