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Temperature modulated effects of nutrients on phytoplankton changes in a mountain lake

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Phytoplankton responses to human impacts at different scales

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 221))

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Abstract

Piburger See, a dimictic mountain lake in Austria, experienced moderate cultural eutrophication in the 1950s. Lake restoration led to a re-oligotrophication in the 1990s with a decrease in seasonal phytoplankton biovolume until the late 1990s, but a reversed trend from the early 2000s onwards. We hypothesize that recent changes in phytoplankton biomass and functional structure are triggered by changes in lake nitrogen and silica concentrations, and we expect climate-related factors to modulate the trophic status of Piburger See. Phytoplankton data were analyzed by non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) applied on biovolume of morpho-functional groups, combined with correlation analyses of environmental variables. Since the 2000s, short-term changes in phytoplankton of Piburger See were explained by varying concentrations and ratios of nitrogen and silica, while the inter-annual variability in phytoplankton species composition was rather attributed to superimposed rising water temperature and lake thermal stability. Our results underline the co-dominant role of phosphorus and nitrogen as phytoplankton drivers in lakes that experience periods of nitrogen limitation. The combined impact of nutrients and climate on phytoplankton development can thus mimic short-term increases in the trophic level of less productive lakes.

Guest editors: N. Salmaso, L. Naselli-Flores, L. Cerasino, G. Flaim, M. Tolotti & J. Padisák / Phytoplankton responses to human impacts at different scales: 16th workshop of the International Association of Phytoplankton Taxonomy and Ecology (IAP)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, E. Mach Foundation, Via Mach 1, 38010, S. Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy

    Monica Tolotti

  2. Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Hansjörg Thies & Roland Psenner

  3. Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Ulrike Nickus

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  1. Monica Tolotti
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  2. Hansjörg Thies
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  3. Ulrike Nickus
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  4. Roland Psenner
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Correspondence to Monica Tolotti .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Agrario di S. Michele all'Adige, Department of Sustainable Agroecosystem, IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, Via E. Mach 1, 38010, S. Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy

    Nico Salmaso , Leonardo Cerasino  & Giovanna Flaim ,  & 

  2. Department of Environmental Biology and Department of Botanical Sciences, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    Luigi Naselli-Flores

  3. Istituto Agrario di S. Michele all'Adige, Department of Sustainable Agroecosystem, IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, Via E. Mach 1, 13810, S. Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy

    Monica Tolotti

  4. Institute of Environmental Science, Dept. of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Egyetem u. 10, 8200, Veszprém, Hungary

    Judit Padisák

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Tolotti, M., Thies, H., Nickus, U., Psenner, R. (2012). Temperature modulated effects of nutrients on phytoplankton changes in a mountain lake. In: Salmaso, N., Naselli-Flores, L., Cerasino, L., Flaim, G., Tolotti, M., Padisák, J. (eds) Phytoplankton responses to human impacts at different scales. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 221. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5790-5_6

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