First results on the water chemistry, algae and trophic status of an Andean acidic lake system of volcanic origin in Patagonia (Lake Caviahue)

The acidic caldera lake Caviahue (Patagonia, Argentina) and its main tributaries were studied on two dates during September 1998. The main results are: The acidity of the Lake Caviahue (pH: 2.56, acidity: >5 mmol H⁺ l^–1) is controlled by the extremely acidic Upper Rio Agrio (pH: 1.78, acidity: >20 mmol H⁺ l^–1). The high sulphate contents of both the river and the lake can be attributed to sulphuric acid generated by the uptake of sulphurous gases in the crater lake of Copahue Volcano at approximately 2800 m a.s.l. The high concentrations of both Fe and trace metals (e.g. Cr, Ni, Zn) in Lake Caviahue originate from sulphur–acid interactions with the predominantly volcanic geology of the catchment area. The P-rich andesitic geology influences both the Upper and Lower Rio Agrio and Lake Caviahue. Both were found to have high phosphorus concentrations (300–500 g P l^–1) indicative of a high potential for eutrophication. The plankton community consisted of bacterioplankton, phytoplankton and rotifers. The phytoplankton was dominated by one green alga, Keratococcus raphidioides (>90% of total abundance) followed by a green sphaerical and Chlamydomonas sp. The total phytoplankton density was about 15000 cells ml^–1 in the upper 10 m of the water column. Rotifers were represented by one bdelloid species and their abundance was highly variable (360–4040 ind l^–1) in the water columm. In the Upper and Lower Rio Agrio, the epilithic community was dominated by one chloroccocal species and two species of Ulothricales. According to trophic categories based on phytoplankton density and TP concentration, Lake Caviahue can be classified as mesotrophic/eutrophic. However, chlorophyll a concentrations observed were not in agreement with this state.     

Bird abundance and species richness on Florida lakes: influence of trophic status,lake morphology,and aquatic macrophytes

Data from 46 Florida lakes were used to examine relationships between bird abundance (numbers and biomass) and species richness, and lake trophic status, lake morphology and aquatic macrophyte abundance. Average annual bird numbers ranged from 7 to 800 birds km^–2 and bird biomass ranged from 1 to 465 kg km^–2. Total species richness ranged from 1 to 30 species per lake. Annual average bird numbers and biomass were positively correlated to lake trophic status as assessed by total phosphorus (r = 0.61), total nitrogen (r = 0.60) and chlorophyll a (r = 0.56) concentrations. Species richness was positively correlated to lake area (r = 0.86) and trophic status (r = 0.64 for total phosphorus concentrations). The percentage of the total annual phosphorus load contributed to 14 Florida lakes by bird populations was low averaging 2.4%. Bird populations using Florida lakes, therefore, do not significantly impact the trophic status of the lakes under natural situations, but lake trophic status is a major factor influencing bird abundance and species richness on lakes. Bird abundance and species richness were not significantly correlated to other lake morphology or aquatic macrophyte parameters after the effects of lake area and trophic status were accounted for using stepwise multiple regression. The lack of significant relations between annual average bird abundance and species richness and macrophyte abundance seems to be related to changes in bird species composition. Bird abundance and species richness remain relatively stable as macrophyte abundance increases, but birds that use open-water habitats (e.g., double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus) are replaced by species that use macrophyte communities (e.g., ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris).     

Reconstructing the historical trophic status of northwestern Pennsylvania lakes using GIS

From each of 46 watersheds in glaciated northwestern Pennsylvania we estimated phosphorus export (kg P/ha/yr) from weekly or twice-weekly measured stream phosphorus concentrations and measured stream discharges, and determined land covers using GIS. Simple and step-down multiple regression analyses yielded models that explained 24% of the variation in P export using land cover within whole watersheds, and 64% of the variation using land cover within 200 m riparian buffers. We used these models to predict P loading to seven lakes and found that predicted lake [P] was consistent with measured lake [P]. To estimate pre-settlement lake [P] we reapplied the P export models with the assumption that human-impacted land covers were originally forests. Predicted (hindcast) pre-settlement lake [P] indicated that six of the seven lakes were edaphically mesotrophic (10 < [P] < 20 μg/l). Lake remediation targets set on the assumption that area lakes were historically oligotrophic ([P] < 10 μg/l) will be unattainable.     

On the functions of the pore cells in the connective tissue of terrestrial pulmonate molluscs

Summary The fine structure of the pore cells in connective tissue in the kidney of Achatina achatina and the skin of the slug Arion hortensis is described and evidence is presented which shows that these cells, in the latter species, are involved in the synthesis of the respiratory blood pigment, haemocyanin. The involvement of these cells in phagocytosis of colloidal particles was demonstrated following introduction of ferritin and colloidal gold into the blood. The extracellular coat which surrounds the cells is permeable to ferritin, but is impermeable to colloidal gold. Following penetration of the extracellular coat the ferritin enters the sub-surface cisternae and is taken into the cells where it crystallises within membrane-bound vesicles.     

Current status and future tendency of lake eutrophication in China

Current trophic status and trend of Chinese freshwater lakes were investigated in this study. The results showed that all lakes studied were commonly undergoing the eutrophication process, water quality decreased and lake's ecosystem is being declined. Most of the urban lakes are facing serious eutrophication. Many medium-sized lakes are in metrophic or eutrophic status, some local water are even approaching the hypertrophic level. The famous five freshwater lakes in China have entered into eutrophication in the condition of higher nutrient load. Lake Taihu, Hongze and Caohu are already in eutrophic state. Eutrophic lakes are mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River and Yungui plateau. Lake eutrophication developed rapidly. Among the 34 lakes studied in 1970's, most of lakes were in the mesotrophic status,mesotrophic water area accounted for 91.8%. With the nine year of 1978-1987 the area percentage of oligotrophic lakes decreased from 3.2% to 0.53%, and that of eutrophic lakes increased from 5.0% to 55.01%. Recent data showed 57.5% lakes were in eutrophic and hypertrophic status of the 40 surveyed lakes.Eutrophic trend of Lake Taihu, Chaohu and Xuanwu in the region of the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River was predicated using the ecological stress model. The results showed that in 2008 Lake Taihu, Chaohu and Xuanwu might be of eutrophication, eutrophication and hypertrophication, respectively if no control measurement is taken. Provided the pollution water treatment rate is 60% in 2030, approximately 30 billion ton pollution water would still be discharged directly in the lakes. Therefore, in 2030 the urban lakes in China might be eutrophication or hypertrophication, and most of the medium-sized lakes at the urban-rural fringe might be in eutrophication or hypertrophication. The famous five biggest freshwater lakes in China might be eutrophication if control countermeasures are taken as now.Lake eutrophication has become a serious environmental problem in China. Based on the domestic and foreign experiences of the eutrophic control technologies, both nutrient pollution control and lake ecological restoration should be carried out and this may be the guidance for the eutrophic control of lakes in China.     

Current status and future tendency of lake eutrophication in China

Current trophic status and trend of Chinese freshwater lakes were investigated in this study. The results showed that all lakes studied were commonly undergoing the eutrophica-tion process, water quality decreased and lake's ecosystem is being declined. Most of the urban lakes are facing serious eutrophication. Many medium-sized lakes are in metrophic or eutrophic status, some local water are even approaching the hypertrophic level. The famous five freshwater lakes in China have entered into eutrophication in the condition of higher nutrient load. Lake Taihu, Hongze and Caohu are already in eutrophic state. Eutrophic lakes are mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River and Yungui plateau. Lake eutrophication developed rapidly. Among the 34 lakes studied in 1970's, most of lakes were in the mesotrophic status, mesotrophic water area accounted for 91.8%. With the nine year of 1978-1987 the area percentage of oligotrophic lakes decreased from 3.2% to 0.53%, and that of eutrophic lakes increased from 5.0% to 55.01%. Recent data showed 57.5% lakes were in eutrophic and hyper trophic status of the 40 surveyed lakes. Eutrophic trend of Lake Taihu, Chaohu and Xuanwu in the region of the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River was predicated using the ecological stress model. The results showed that in 2008 Lake Taihu, Chaohu and Xuanwu might be of eutrophication, eutrophication and hypertrophication, respectively if no control measurement is taken. Provided the pollution water treatment rate is 60% in 2030, approximately 30 billion ton pollution water would still be discharged directly in the lakes. Therefore, in 2030 the urban lakes in China might be eutrophication or hypertrophication, and most of the medium-sized lakes at the urban-rural fringe might be in eutrophication or hypertrophication. The famous five biggest freshwater lakes in China might be eutrophication if control countermeasures are taken as now. Lake eutrophication has become a serious environmental problem in China. Based on the domestic and foreign experiences of the eutrophic control technologies, both nutrient pollution control and lake ecological restoration should be carried out and this may be the guidance for the eutrophic control of lakes in China.     

The role of cladocerans reflecting the trophic status of two large and shallow Estonian lakes

The role of pelagic cladoceran communities is discussed on the basis of a comparative study conducted in two Estonian lakes, the moderately eutrophic Lake Peipsi (N_tot 700, P_tot 40 μg l^?1 as average of ice-free period of 1997–2003) and in a strongly eutrophic Lake Võrtsjärv (N_tot 1600, P_tot 54 μg l^?1). The cladoceran community was found to reflect the differences in the trophic state of these lakes. In L. Peipsi, characteristic species of oligo-mesotrophic and eutrophic waters co-dominated (making up 20% or more of total zooplankton abundance or biomass), whereas in L. Võrtsjärv only species of eutrophic waters occurred. In L. Peipsi, the dominant cladocerans were Bosmina berolinensis and Daphnia galeata, while Chydorus sphaericus was the most abundant cladoceran in L. Võrtsjärv. The cladocerans of L. Peipsi (mean individual wet weight 25 μg) were significantly (threefold) larger than those of L. Võrtsjärv (8 μg). The mean wet biomass of cladocerans was higher and total cladoceran abundance was lower in L. Peipsi compared to L. Võrtsjärv (biomass varied from 0.133 to 1.570 g m^?3; mean value 0.800 g m^?3 in L. Peipsi and from 0.201 to 0.706 g m^?3, mean 0.400 g m^?3 in L. Võrtsjärv; the corresponding data for abundances were: 8,000–43,000 ind. m^?3, mean 30,000 ind. m^?3 for L. Peipsi, 50,000–100,000, mean 52,000 ind. m^?3 for L. Võrtsjärv). Based upon differences in body size, cladocerans were more effective transporters of energy in L. Peipsi than in L. Võrtsjärv. Cladocerans proved to be informative indicators of the trophic status and of the efficiency of the food web in studied lakes.     

The zooplankton-phytoplankton interface in lakes of contrasting trophic status: an experimental comparison

We report here the results of an experimental study designed to compare algal responses to short-term manipulations of zooplankton in three California lakes which encompass a broad range of productivity (ultra-oligotrophic Lake Tahoe, mesotrophic Castle Lake, and strongly eutrophic Clear Lake). To assess the potential strength of grazing in each lake, we evaluated algal responses to a 16-fold range of zooplankton biomass. To better compare algal responses among lakes, we determined algal responses to grazing by a common grazer (Daphnia sp.) over a range ofDaphnia densities from 1 to 16 animals per liter. Effects of both ambient grazers andDaphnia were strong in Castle Lake. However, neither ambient zooplankton norDaphnia had much impact on phytoplankton in Clear Lake. In Lake Tahoe, no grazing impacts could be demonstrated for the ambient zooplankton butDaphnia grazing had dramatic effects. These results indicate weak coupling between phytoplankton and zooplankton in Clear Lake and Lake Tahoe, two lakes which lie near opposite extremes of lake trophic status for most lakes. These observations, along with work reported by other researchers, suggest that linkages between zooplankton and phytoplankton may be weak in lakes with either extremely low or high productivity. Biomanipulation approaches to recover hypereutrophic lakes which aim only to alter zooplankton size structure may be less effective if algal communities are dominated by large, inedible phytoplankton taxa.     

广东省大中型供水水库营养现状及浮游生物的响应

于2000年调查了广东省18座大中型供水水库的水质现状并探讨了浮游生物对营养水平的响应。总氮、总磷、透明度和叶绿素a分别为0．15～7.15mg／L、0．003～0．387mg／L、0．4～6．3m和0．6～32．3ug／L。总氮、总磷、透明度均与叶绿素a呈较高的相关性。根据这4个因子的综合加权营养状态指数为23．7～55．1,季节差异不大,大多数水库处于中营养状态。金藻在中-富及富营养型水库中没有分布,而蓝藻、绿藻、硅藻和甲藻在调查水库中均有比较广的营养生态位,但它们的密度及相对优势度在各营养型水库中有一定的差异。高营养水平水库有较高的细胞密度和叶绿素a含量。营养水平较低的水库浮游植物以硅藻-甲藻、硅藻-绿藻或金藻-硅藻为主;营养水平较高的水库以蓝藻-硅藻或蓝藻-绿藻为主,并有较高的裸藻密度。浮游动物基本上以桡足类为优势种群,但在中-富营养和富营养型水库中,哲水蚤种类比低营养型水库中少。枝角类优势种类在各营养型水库差别不大。轮虫对水体营养水平的响应相对比较显著。低营养水平水库的轮虫以广营养型、中营养型或寡中营养型种类为主,种类数目比较少;富营养和中-富营养型水库的轮虫以喜在中营养到富营养条件下生长的种类为主,且轮虫种类数目比较多。     

The direct cost of traumatic secretion transfer in hermaphroditic land snails: individuals stabbed with a love dart decrease lifetime fecundity

Several taxa of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails exhibit a conspicuous mating behaviour, the so-called shooting of love darts. During mating, such land snail species transfer a specific secretion by stabbing a mating partner''s body with the love dart. It has been shown that sperm donors benefit from this traumatic secretion transfer, because the secretions manipulate the physiology of a sperm recipient and increase the donors'' fertilization success. However, it is unclear whether reception of dart shooting is costly to the recipients. Therefore, the effect of sexual conflict and antagonistic arms races on the evolution of traumatic secretion transfer in land snails is still controversial. To examine this effect, we compared lifetime fecundity and longevity between the individuals that received and did not receive dart shooting from mating partners in Bradybaena pellucida. Our experiments showed that the dart-receiving snails suffered reduction in lifetime fecundity and longevity. These results suggest that the costly mating behaviour, dart shooting, generates conflict between sperm donors and recipients and that sexually antagonistic arms races have contributed to the diversification of the morphological and behavioural traits relevant to dart shooting. Our findings also support theories suggesting a violent escalation of sexual conflict in hermaphroditic animals.     

Timing of predation by rainbow trout controls Daphnia demography and the trophic status of a Minnesota lake

1. Stocking of lakes with rainbow trout is a common practice that presents a potential conflict for lake managers who must balance the interests of anglers with those concerned that zooplanktivory by trout may trigger a trophic cascade and result in decreased water clarity. 2. This study examined how the timing of trout stocking (autumn versus spring) in a Minnesota (U.S.A.) lake affected (i) the population dynamics of their zooplankton food supply (Daphnia pulicaria), (ii) phytoplankton biomass and water clarity and (iii) trout survival. Sizes of both Daphnia and trout populations were estimated acoustically with high‐frequency (192 kHz) sonar. 3. Daphnia were nearly eliminated from the lake during winters after trout were stocked in autumn. In both of these years (1996 and 1997), the Daphnia population was small in the spring, and grew during the summer and into the autumn as the trout population diminished. 4. The lake was then stocked in spring for 2 years (1998 and 1999). This fisheries manipulation alleviated predation over the winter, but increased predation on D. pulicaria during the spring, summer and autumn. However, the high mortality caused by the spring‐stocked trout was offset by even higher rates of reproduction by the relatively large populations of fecund Daphnia that survived the winter in 1998 and 1999. 5. Grazing by these dense populations of Daphnia produced clear‐water phases during May and June that were inhibited in autumn stocking years. In addition, the large Daphnia populations present during the spring and early summer of 1998 and 1999 provided abundant forage for trout. 6. This fisheries manipulation achieved seemingly mutually exclusive management objectives: a robust planktivorous sport fishery, and clear water for other forms of recreation.     

Leaf litter breakdown budgets in streams of various trophic status: effects of dissolved inorganic nutrients on microorganisms and invertebrates

1. We investigated the effect of trophic status on the organic matter budget in freshwater ecosystems. During leaf litter breakdown, the relative contribution of the functional groups and the quantity/quality of organic matter available to higher trophic levels are expected to be modified by the anthropogenic release of nutrients. 2. Carbon budgets were established during the breakdown of alder leaves enclosed in coarse mesh bags and submerged in six streams: two oligotrophic, one mesotrophic, two eutrophic and one hypertrophic streams. Nitrate concentrations were 4.5–6.7 mg L⁻¹ and the trophic status of each stream was defined by the soluble reactive phosphorus concentration ranging from 3.4 (oligotrophic) to 89 μg L⁻¹ (hypertrophic). An ammonium gradient paralleled the phosphate gradient with mean concentrations ranging from 1.4 to 560 μg L⁻¹ NH₄‐N. The corresponding unionised ammonia concentrations ranged from 0.08 to 19 μg L⁻¹ NH₃‐N over the six streams. 3. The dominant shredder taxa were different in the oligo‐, meso‐ and eutrophic streams. No shredders were observed in the hypertrophic stream. These changes may be accounted for by the gradual increase in the concentration of ammonia over the six streams. The shredder biomass dramatically decreased in eu‐ and hypertrophic streams compared with oligo‐ and mesotrophic. 4. Fungal biomass increased threefold from the most oligotrophic to the less eutrophic stream and decreased in the most eutrophic and the hypertrophic. Bacterial biomass increased twofold from the most oligotrophic to the hypertrophic stream. Along the trophic gradient, the microbial CO₂ production followed that of microbial biomass whereas the microbial fine particulate organic matter and net dissolved organic carbon (DOC) did not consistently vary. These results indicate that the microorganisms utilised the substrate and the DOC differently in streams of various trophic statuses. 5. In streams receiving various anthropogenic inputs, the relative contribution of the functional groups to leaf mass loss varied extensively as a result of stimulation and the deleterious effects of dissolved inorganic compounds. The quality/quantity of the organic matter produced by microorganisms slightly varied, as they use DOC from stream water instead of the substrate they decompose in streams of higher trophic status.     

Preliminary evidence for the hormonal control of urea concentration in the marine pulmonate,Onchidium verruculatum

Changes in blood, hepatopancreas and kidney urea concentrations in O. verruculatum have been assessed in response to endocrinological provocations. Two hr after pleurovisceral (PV) ganglion removal blood and nephridial urea levels were found to be significantly lowered and elevated respectively, whereas the hepatopancreas urea value remained unaltered, over the sham control. Unboiled and boiled macerates of PV (2 gn/animal) ganglion were effective in significantly inhibiting urea levels in blood and kidney of normal intact individuals. The possibility of a neurohormone from the PV, influencing tissue urea levels is discussed.     

Trophic status of Tilitso,a high altitude Himalayan lake

The trophic status and water quality of Lake Tilitso (4920 m above sea level) in a high altitude region in central Nepal were surveyed in September, 1984. The lake is rather large with a maximum depth of 95 m and a surface area of 10.2 km². The lake water was turbid due to glacier silt and the euphotic layer was only 5 m deep. The nutrient concentration was very low with total phosphorus concentration 1–6 μg l⁻¹, and DTN concentration 0.10–0.22 mg l⁻¹. The phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll-a concentration were also low. Primary production was estimated to be about 12 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹. The concentrations of particulate matter and most cations and bacterial number were higher in the epilimnion than in the hypolimnion. The trophic status of this lake was estimated as ultraoligotrophic.     

淡水湖泊生态系统中砷的赋存与转化行为研究进展

砷(As)是一种无处不在的元素,目前已有很多关于湖泊水体、沉积物、浮游生物、底栖动物、鱼类及水生植物中As的含量分布与赋存形态的研究报道.As在全球淡水湖泊中分布不均,区域差异性较大;湖泊沉积物中As含量水平对底栖动物的自然生境影响很大,甚至造成底栖物种生物区系的改变;水生植物普遍具有富集As的能力,一般表现为沉水植物＞浮水植物＞挺水植物;水生动物中As含量一般为底栖动物＞浮游动物＞鱼类.相对于海洋生态系统,目前对湖泊生态系统环境与生物质中砷的赋存形态及其转化的认识还很不足,今后应加强人类活动影响下我国重要湖泊As的迁移、富集与转化行为的研究.     

Changes in phosphorus content of two aquatic macrophytes according to water velocity,trophic status and time period in hardwater streams

We examined the influence of water velocity, trophic status, and time period on the phosphorus content of two aquatic macrophytes. We sampled Berula erecta (Huds.) and Callitriche obtusangula (Le Gall.) from 17 oligosaprobic hardwater streams in the Alsatian Rhine floodplain of northeastern France. Sampling was conducted on a monthly basis during a 9-month period from August 1996 to April 1997. For B. erecta, phosphorus content of shoots and roots were correlated to water phosphorus content but not to sediment phosphorus content. The range of phosphorus shoot content of C. obtusangula was similar to that of B. erecta. Phosphorus shoot content of C. obtusangula was not correlated with water and sediment phosphorus content. In one stream where both species were present on the same sampling dates, shoot phosphorus content decreased when water velocity was high, particularly for C. obtusangula. Additionally, a significant effect of time period was observed for both species when the water velocities were low. The effect of water velocity was only significant from spring (April) to autumn (October) when plant phosphorus content was highest. Handling editor: S. Magela Thomaz     

Experimental study of trophic cascade effect of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrixon) in a subtropical lake, Lake Donghu: on plankton community and underlying mechanisms of changes of crustacean community

An enclosure experiment was carried out to test trophic cascade effect of filter-feeding fish on the ecosystem: growth of crustacean zooplankton, and possible mechanism of changes of crustacean community structure. Four fish biomass levels were set as follows: 0, 116, 176 and 316 g m^-2, and lake water (containing ca. 190 g m^-2 of filter-feeding fishes) was comparatively monitored. Nutrient levels were high in all treatments during the experiment. Lowest algal biomass were measured in fishless treatment. Algal biomass decreased during days 21–56 as a function of fish biomass in treatments of low (LF), medium (MF) and high (HF) fish biomass. Crustaceans biomass decreased with increasing fish biomass. Small-bodied cladocerans, Moina micrura, Diaphanosoma brachyurum and Scapholeberis kingii survived when fish biomass was high whilst, large-bodied cladocerans Daphnia spp. and the cyclopoids Theromcyclops taihokuensis, T. brevifuratus, Mescyclops notius and Cyclops vicinus were abundant only in NF enclosures. Evasive calanoid Sinodiaptomus sarsi was significantly enhanced in LF, but decreased significantly with further increase of fish biomass. Demographic data indicated that M. micrura was well developed in all treatments. Our study indicates that algal biomass might be controlled by silver carp biomass in eutrophic environment. Changes of crustacean community are probably affected by the age of the first generation of species. Species with short generation time were dominant and species with long generation time survived less with high fish biomass. Evasive calanoids hardly developed in treatments with high fish biomass because of the (bottle neck) effect of nauplii. Species abundance were positively related to fish predation avoidance. Other than direct predation, zooplankton might also be suppressed by filter-feeding fish via competition.     

Addressing the trophic status in urban ponds: An evaluation of current trophic state indexes

Ponds are generally understudied. Quality problems in urban freshwaters can arise from eutrophication, and trophic status classification gives information related to their ecological situation. Ponds may strongly differ from larger lakes for which most current trophic status classification methods have been developed. This paper seeks to compare and contrast the suitability of six trophic status indexes (TSI) and OECD trophic classifications system currently used to evaluate the eutrophication level of urban ponds in the Subtropical region. The trophic status was evaluated based on total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total nitrogen (TN) and phytoplankton chlorophyll a (Chl a) in 12 ponds placed in different cities from the Pampean region (Argentina), in the warm and cold seasons. Our results demonstrate that there was no relationship between pond size (0.08–2.45 ha) and trophic status. TSIs estimated with Chl a showed significant differences between seasons and the range oligotrophic-hypertrophic of trophism was encountered. Conversely, TSIs estimated with nutrient concentrations (TP, SRP, TN) did not. The pond's classification in trophic levels fell in the eutrophic-hypertrophic extreme, and only considering TN/TP broadened the trophic range. No relationship was encountered between Chl a and P; however, Chl a and TN/TP were positively correlated during the warm season. Lower trophic levels regarding TSI (Chl a) were generally associated with a dense floating-macrophyte cover. We suggest that the TSI considered should correspond to the latitudinal region in which the ponds are located. Our results indicate that it appears restrictive to consider only P contents in ponds to assess eutrophication. Under the proposed framework, the key issues for the study of pond trophic classification will be to include not only P but N concentrations and TN/TP. Also, phytoplankton Chl a concentration jointly with floating macrophytes biomass/coverage should be considered as diagnosis parameters.     

The effects of dredging and fish stocking on the trophic status of shallow,peaty ditches

Size selective predation on molluscs was apparent for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and round whitefish (Prosopium cylindraceum), but not for arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), in the Toolik Lake region of arctic Alaska during the summer of 1986. Lake trout consumed significantly larger molluscs of all taxa than did round whitefish, and selected larger molluscs than were available on either rocky or soft-sediment habitats. Round whitefish were not size-selective on the snail Lymnaea, but were size-selective on the snail Valvata and on clams from the soft sediments. Round whitefish consumed fewer and smaller Lymnaea compared to lake trout. Because lake trout ate more Lymnaea and also tended to select larger, reproductive-sized individuals, this fish could potentially have a more detrimental impact on the Lymnaea population. Finally, differences in Lymnaea densities and size distributions between lakes with and without lake trout suggest that these fish may be responsible for the pattern of distribution, size, and density observed for Lymnaea in Toolik Lake and other area lakes.