TITLE:
Seasonal Succession of the Plankton and Microbenthos in a Hypertrophic Shallow Water Reservoir at Modra (W Slovakia)
AUTHORS:
Marta Illyová, František Hindák, Alica Hindáková, Eva Tirjaková, Ján Machava
KEYWORDS:
Cyanobacterial Water Blooms; Eutrophication; Ciliates; Zooplankton; Shallow Ponds
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.4 No.11A,
November
20,
2013
ABSTRACT: The seasonal development
of the phytoplankton, phytobenthos, zooplankton, and microbenthos in a high eutrophised intravilan water
reservoir was studied. Finally, 25 genera with 44 species of
Cyanobacteria/Cyanophytes and 67 genera with 102 species as well as
infraspecific taxa of different groups of microscopic algae were identified.
The phytoplankton in most parts of the water basin was strongly dominated by
green colonial alga Golenkiniopsis longispina. From October until
December a cyanophyte species Aphanocapsa delicatissima with typical
cell dimensions of picoplankton/ was found in large amounts/predominated. As
early as spring, a plankton bloom in all its components was observed. At that
time, also a high concentration of total phosphorus was recorded, which in the
second half of April dropped rapidly. The concentration of chlorophyll-a increased
from 162.7 μg/L in March to 2322 μg/L in September. Massive occurrence of
benthic protozoa in the plankton, as a consequence of anoxia, has been
observed. Further, the detritivore and omnivore ciliate species Coleps
hirtus dominated in the microbenthos. Altogether 74 of ciliate taxa were
detected. Their abundance and biomass reached peak in April, but these steadily
decreased from May until the end of the year. Extreme values of zooplankton
density (54,016
ind/L) were recorded in spring followed by a sudden fall in summer and autumn.
The contribution of rotifers (Brachionus spp., Filinia longiseta)
in the total zooplankton density and biomass was 98%. Relatively a low species
richness of crustaceans (4 Cladocera and 3 Copepoda) was observed.