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Epiphytic, littoral diatoms as bioindicators of shallow lake trophic status: Trophic Diatom Index for Lakes (TDIL) developed in Hungary

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Abstract

Littoral diatoms are important contributors of the primary production in shallow aquatic ecosystems and they can be used as indicators of the trophic status. The aim of the study was to develop an index to assess trophic status of Hungarian lakes as suggested by the Water Framework Directive. In spring of 2005 and 2006, epiphytic diatom samples were collected from 83 shallow lakes. Weighted average method was used to develop and test the TP model. In the developed TP model correlation between the observed and diatom inferred TP was high (r 2 = 0.96, n = 67). The optimum and tolerance TP parametrics of 127 species were determined and trophic indicator and sensibility values were defined for the Trophic Diatom Index for Lakes (TDIL). The TDIL was applicable to assess the ecological status of Hungarian shallow lakes. According to the TDIL the ecological status of 4 lakes were in excellent, 25 in good, 21 in medium, 21 in tolerable and 12 in bad status.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ms. Ildikó Királykuti for her help careful technical assistance in chemical analyses and Ms. Kata Kovács for her help in field samplings. This project was supported by the Ministry of Environment and Water (ECOSURV) and by the National Foundation for Research and Technology (NKFP 3B/022/2004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Egyetem u. 10, 158, Veszprém, 8200, Hungary

    Csilla Stenger-Kovács, Éva Hajnal & Judit Padisák

  2. Botanical Department of Hungarian Natural History Museum, 222, Budapest, 1476, Hungary

    Krisztina Buczkó

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  1. Csilla Stenger-Kovács
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  2. Krisztina Buczkó
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Correspondence to Csilla Stenger-Kovács.

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Stenger-Kovács, C., Buczkó, K., Hajnal, É. et al. Epiphytic, littoral diatoms as bioindicators of shallow lake trophic status: Trophic Diatom Index for Lakes (TDIL) developed in Hungary. Hydrobiologia 589, 141–154 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-0729-z

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