Access pipes for sampling through thick ice

Access pipes are described which permit water sampling beneath thick ice. The pipes prevent water overflow conditions which are sometimes encountered when sampling arctic lakes. Simple modifications to our design permit broader application to a number of winter sampling conditions.     

Some factors controlling the major ion chemistry of small lakes: Examples from the prairie parkland of Canada

The management of recreational lakes in the prairie region of Canada requires that their physical, chemical and biological setting be clearly defined. This study relates the major ion chemistry of two lakes to significant ion contributions from groundwater, surface runoff and snow. The major ion concentrations in addition are related to several important limnological processes.Lake Wabamun is a 84.6 km² lake with a basin set in Cretaceous bedrock. Groundwater studies in the watershed indicate that rather large quantities of groundwater enter the lake from fractured coal and bedrock units. Hastings Lake has a considerably smaller surface area and is formed in a shallow depression in glacial drift. Generally, smaller quantities of groundwater enter this lake because the glacial drift has a low permeability.Evaluation of the data indicates that relative quantity and quality of groundwater inflow is probably the most important factor controlling the major ion chemistry of the lakes. Other factors are mineral precipitation, freezing out and the timing of major water inflows.     

Limnological survey of the warm monomictic lake Trichonis (central western Greece); I. The physical and chemical environment

The physical and chemical status of Trichonis – the largestanddeepest natural lake in Greece – is examined over two annualcycles (1985–86 and 1988–89). A correlation between lakenutrientpatterns and phytoplankton biomass is attempted. Limnologicalfeatures are compared with data from other warm and temperatelakes.With regard to its thermal regime, Trichonis is classified asawarm monomictic lake. The lake's stratification pattern andannualheat budget resemble those of other temperate lakes. Trichonisisa carbonate type, low conductivity lake (class II, lowsalinitywarm lake). Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were ratherlow.The inorganic nitrogen content fluctuated widely over the twoannual cycles examined. On the contrary, phosphorusconcentrationsshowed no significant changes. The limiting factor during1985–86was P, while N was limiting during stratification in 1988–89.Aweak correlation was found between the plankton communityfeatures(species abundance, biomass, chlorophyll-a) and lightpenetration. At present the eutrophication process fromoligotrophytowards mesotrophy has not been essentiallyaccelerated.     

The limnological basis for planning water quality management

The planning of water quality management needs to be organized in a rational manner, based on sound limnological and ecological principles. Criteria for management need to be clearly defined. Management plans must be formulated in the contex of activities and interests in the whole catchment area, not just those within the boundaries of water bodies. A procedure is outlined for approaching water quality management decisions.     

Boundary-layers around bladed aquatic macrophytes

This paper describes a model of the diffusive boundary-layer around anaquatic macrophyte blade. Nutrient uptake at the base of the modelledboundary-layer was examined using previously published laboratory data. Theanalysis showed that, over the outer velocity range 0.01–0.16ms^–1, nutrient uptake varied between that predicted byflat-plate boundary-layer theory and that expected with no mean advection. Aratio of theoretical and actual nutrient uptake rates was defined as a meansof categorising the transition between the two transport models. Themodelling was extended to show how fluctuating boundary conditions mayenhance nutrient uptake by the macrophyte; the scenario examined heresuggested that at otherwise low outer velocities, periodic stripping of theboundary-layer by passing waves increased nutrient uptake by a factor of 10.     

Observations on the plankton of some Costa Rican lakes

We sampled 30 lakes in Costa Rica in the wet season (July–August) of 1991 for phytoplankton (with integrated and whole water samples), and 17 for zooplankton (with net tows). Taxa of plankton and community richness were poorly related to geography, morphology, chemistry, and other biota. Neither the zooplankton nor the phytoplankton appeared to influence the composition of the other, and neither were apparently influenced by the presence of fish.Phytoplankton richness reflected primarily sampling method, but also tended to decrease with elevation and with Secchi disk depth, and tended to increase with pH and alkalinity. Chlorophytes were the most abundant division in 14 lakes; these lakes tended to be unstratified, turbid, and located at higher elevation. Diatoms were common in 4 of the 7 lakes with elevated silica (over 30 ppm). Each lake showed at least a 3 : 1 dominance by copepods, cladocera, or insect larvae. Copepods dominated 7 of the 17 lakes, most of which were shallow, turbid, and had low alkalinity. Cladocera dominated 7 lakes that were typically deeper and located at low-to mid-elevations. Insect larvae dominated two small, turbid lakes.     

Morphological variation in Kellicottia longispina

The lengths of the body, the posterior spine and the three longest anterior spines were measured for 25 specimens of Kellicottia longispina from each of the eight lakes distributed from Imikpuk at Point Barrow, Alaska (latitude 71° 15) to Lake Washington (latitude 47° 38). Collections were available for more than two dates from six of the lakes. Temperature ranged from 1.2° to 18 °C. Mean lengths and ratios were examined in relation to latitude and temperature. Each population differed from the others in some aspect of absolute size, variability, or shape as expressed by the ratios of the dimensions. The population from Point Barrow is similar but not identical to Olofsson's var. heterospina.     

Chinese and Mongolian saline lakes: a limnological overview

More than half of China's lakes are saline (viz. have salinities > 3 g L⁻¹). Most salt lakes are in northwestern China (Tibet, Qinghai, Sinkiang, Inner Mongolia). Most Mongolian salt lakes are in the west of that country. Tectonic movements have been of the greatest importance in lake origins, but aeolian activity and deflation have also played a role. Many salt lakes in Qinghai-Tibet lie at altitudes > 4 000 m.a.s.l.; Aiding Hu (Sinkiang) lies at −154 m.a.s.l. Again, many lakes are large in area and deep. Small, shallow lakes are also common. Dimictic thermal patterns prevail in deep lakes, polymictic patterns in shallow ones. The highest salinity recorded is 555 g L⁻¹. The salinity of Qinghai Lake, the largest Chinese salt lake, is 14 g L⁻¹, but mean lake salinity on the northern Tibetan plateau is about an order of magnitude greater. Lop Nor has a salinity of ∼ 5 g L⁻¹. Dominant ions are Na and Cl; Mg, Ca, SO₄ and HCO₃ + CO₃ are important in certain lakes. Most major ions originate by weathering and leaching from rocks. pH values are generally high (often > 9.0). There are no bird or fish species confined to salt lakes, though many are associated with lakes of low or moderate salinity. Artemia occurs widely inland and in coastal salt pans, but is the only major macroinvertebrate of highly saline lakes. In lakes of only low to moderate salinity, invertebrate communities comprise widespread halotolerant freshwater forms and halophiles, some regionally endemic. Submerged and emergent macrophytes occur in lakes of low salinity, but phytoplankton species are more halotolerant. Ctenocladus circinatus, a green alga, is known from a Tibetan salt lake with a salinity of 200 g L⁻¹. There is a dearth of basic limnological information on Chinese and Mongolian salt lakes. More work in particular is needed on a variety of geographically widespread lakes to (a) document seasonal physico-chemical events, and (b) compile comprehensive biological inventories of taxa present. Chinese salt lakes are significant sites for palaeoclimatic research, for conservation purposes, and for the resolution of several important biological questions (especially of an ecological and biogeographical sort). They also have important economic values. Unfortunately, the natural existence of many appears to be threatened by decreased inflows, largely the result of human impact on catchments.     

Calculation of the flow into a lake from underground springs using sedimentation rates

The scope of this work is to quantify the upflows through the underground sources in the bottom of Lake Banyoles (NE-Iberia). The method applied uses the mean settling rate and the fraction of solids per unit of volume of the suspensions at the underground sources, and also the horizontal areas covered by these suspensions. The results obtained reveal that about 90% of the total underground inflow enters the lake through one of the sources. This result agrees with the total underground inflow calculated from the difference of the surface in and outflow of the lake. The behaviour of the suspensions at the underground sources was in a accordance with the theory used to developed the measuring method. Finally, the degree of turbulence in the upper part of the suspension and the importance of the transmissivity of the limestone layer next to the lake are discussed and are found to be negligible.     

The filling phase of Mazvikadei Reservoir,Zimbabwe

Limnological measurements during the first year of filling of the newly formed Mazvikadei Reservoir in Zimbabwe showed variations in dissolved oxygen as well as soluble forms of phosphorus and nitrogen. The ratios of calcium to other major cations were: Ca:Mg = 0.38, Ca:Na = 0.50 and Ca:K = 2.0. The low Ca:Mg ratio may suppress development of mollusc populations, thus keeping the reservoir snail free. Conductivity was 160 μScm^-1. Daytime pH was 6.95–7.8. The water was dark-brown in colour, 90% of incident light was attenuated in the top 0.75 m in May, and in the top 3.5 m in August. Positive net photosynthesis was only recorded above a depth of 0.1 m, at 0.5 m and 1.0 m depths, it was negative. Zooplankton consisted of nine rotifer, four cladoceran, two cyclopoid and one calanoid species.