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Larval chaoborid mandibles in surface sediments of small shallow lakes in Finland: implications for palaeolimnology

  • PALAEOLIMNOLOGY
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the value of phantom midge Chaoborus (Diptera: Chaoboridae) larvae as a palaeoenvironmental proxy in northern Europe. The presence of Chaoborus was examined in 80 small shallow lakes across Finland (60–70°N), based on their subfossil mandibles preserved in lake sediments. Chaoborus flavicans was present in 33 lakes, but was the most abundant midge taxon in only one of the lakes. Chaoborus crystallinus/obscurripes mandibles were present in two lakes. Statistical analyses showed that the distribution of Chaoborus was significantly correlated with lake depth and mean July air temperature. Chaoborus was absent in the northern study lakes, whereas the results indicated that C. flavicans was frequently found in small shallow lakes in southern Finland. Chaoborus flavicans was particularly abundant in fish-free, macrophyte-rich, dystrophic lakes, but absent in oligotrophic clear-water lakes having fish. The results of this study indicate that the subfossil mandibles of Chaoborus can provide valuable information in multiproxy palaeolimnological studies, especially when investigating past changes in water level and temperature in small shallow lakes in northern Europe.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Seija Kultti, Susanna Kihlman, Anu Hakala, and the Kevo Research Station staff for assistance with the fieldwork. Thanks are also due to Mikko Haaramo for helping with the photographs and Kaarina Sarmaja-Korjonen for fruitful discussions. The two anonymous reviewers are thanked for their constructive reviews of our manuscript. This study was funded by the Finnish Graduate School in Geology, Finnish Entomological Society, and Nordenskiöld Foundation for Tomi P. Luoto and by the Ephippium Project (Academy of Finland, Grant No. 1107062) for Liisa Nevalainen.

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  1. Department of Geology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Tomi P. Luoto & Liisa Nevalainen

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  1. Tomi P. Luoto
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  2. Liisa Nevalainen
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Correspondence to Tomi P. Luoto.

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Guest editors: K. Buczkó, J. Korponai, J. Padisák & S. W. Starratt

Palaeolimnological Proxies as Tools of Environmental Reconstruction in Fresh Water

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Luoto, T.P., Nevalainen, L. Larval chaoborid mandibles in surface sediments of small shallow lakes in Finland: implications for palaeolimnology. Hydrobiologia 631, 185–195 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9810-0

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