Palaeoenvironmental Changes Inferred from Biological Remains in Short Lake Sediment Cores from the Central Alps and Dolomites

In this paper we review research on eutrophication, acidification and climate change based on studies of lake sediments in the Alps. Studies on fossil diatoms, chrysophytes, plant pigments, Cladocera and carbonaceous particles in a number of high altitude lakes in Italy and Switzerland have been used to track environmental changes. We present an original study on fossil Cladocera in sediment cores from 29 lakes that have shown changes in biodiversity from the pre-industrial period (ca. pre AD 1850) to the present. These data show that altitude, ca. 60 years of acidification impacts and fish stocking are the most important factors that affect their distribution and abundance. We review further case studies from two morphometrically and chemically different lakes (Tovel and Paione Superiore). Their lake sediment records span 400 and 150 years, respectively; multi-core, multi-proxy analyses show their pH, trophic and climatic evolution over time.