Decreased salinity effects in Lake Kinneret (Israel)

Kinneret is the only freshwater lake in Israel. It currently supplies about 30% of national water demands. Most pumped water is for drinking, and water quality is of major concern. During 1970–1987 temporal changes were observed in the lake ecosystem: decrease of salinity, decrease of total N (TN) and increase of total P (TP) mass contents, decline of TN/TP ratio, increase of phytoplankton biomass and increase of algal photosynthetic specific activity. It is suggested that because of decrease in salinity carbonic anhydrase activities in algal cells and nitrifying bacteria were enhanced. The increase of NO₃ flux through nitrification consequently enhanced denitrification and nitrogen losses in lake waters. These increased N losses together with P increase, as reflected by the decline of TN/TP ratio might be a slight shift from the present both P and N deficiencies to a higher level of N limitation in the Kinneret ecosystem. This This may cause changes in phytoplankton community structure possibly without changing primary production levels but deteriorate water quality.