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Multi-proxy Reconstruction of Trophic State, Hypolimnetic Anoxia and Phototrophic Sulphur Bacteria Abundance in a Dimictic Lake in Northern Germany over the past 80 Years

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Abstract

During monthly investigations from 1996 to 2000, a hypolimnetic layer of phototrophic sulphur bacteria (Chromatium spp.) were observed in Lake Dudinghausen, a small dimictic lake in northern Germany. This paleolimnological study was initiated to detect if the occurrence of sulphur bacteria was related to cultural eutrophication or reflected natural conditions. Therefore, diatoms, algal pigments, okenone, geochemical proxies, and 210Pb and 137Cs were used in four sediment cores to investigate historical changes in trophic development, hypolimnetic redox conditions, anoxia and phototrophic sulphur bacteria abundances. Fossil diatoms, pigments, the ratio of chlorophyll derivatives to total carotenoids and the ratio of chlorophyll a to its derivatives suggest two phases of eutrophication coupled with hypolimnetic anoxia over the last ~80 years: a first phase from about 1923–1932 and a second from 1952 to 1982. In the first phase the ratios of Fe–Mn as well as Fe–Ca increased, suggesting seasonal anoxia. However, hypolimnetic anoxia was only weak because low levels of okenone suggest no mass development of sulphur bacteria. In contrast, sulphur bacteria increased during the early stages of the second eutrophication phase, suggesting increased temporal and spatial hypolimnetic anoxia. Surprisingly, the ratios of Fe–Mn as well as Fe–Ca decreased during this time. Possibly Fe, Mn and Ca were equally reduced through the intense anoxia. In the final stage, sulphur bacteria decreased again. As these bacteria need both anoxic conditions and a certain amount of light, the increased nutrient load probably led to low Secchi depth and therefore insufficient light conditions. In more recent years, diatoms and pigments suggest a decrease in nutrient levels. A second mass development of sulphur bacteria occurred, probably due to improved light conditions and continued anoxia in the upper hypolimnion. We conclude that the recent development of phototrophic sulphur bacteria do not represent natural conditions in Lake Dudinghausen. Furthermore, the upper sediments contain a completely new diatom flora that never occurred in older sediments of Lake Dudinghausen. Therefore, nutrient levels may eventually reach natural conditions, however they may not represent biological background reference conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Heike Simon and Regine Paschen for the technical assistance in the lab, Helmut Erlenkeuser for the measurement of the radionuclides 210Pb and 137Cs and Fred Brezsinski for assistance in the field. Thomas Leipe facilitated the analyses of the metals. This research was supported by the Environmental Ministry of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. An anonymous reviewer and Burkhard Scharf provided many constructive comments on an earlier version of this paper.

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  1. Botany, Institute for Bio-Diversity Research, Department of Bio-Science, University Rostock, Wismarsche Str. 8, D-18051, Rostock, Germany

    Mirko Dreßler, Thomas Hübener & Petra Werner

  2. Applied Ecology, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Department of Bio-Science, University Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Straße 3, D-18057, Rostock, Germany

    Solvig Görs

  3. Ecology, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Department of Bio-Science, University Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Straße 3, D-18057, Rostock, Germany

    Uwe Selig

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  1. Mirko Dreßler
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Correspondence to Mirko Dreßler.

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Dreßler, M., Hübener, T., Görs, S. et al. Multi-proxy Reconstruction of Trophic State, Hypolimnetic Anoxia and Phototrophic Sulphur Bacteria Abundance in a Dimictic Lake in Northern Germany over the past 80 Years. J Paleolimnol 37, 205–219 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-006-9013-x

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