Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Picocyanobacteria – Sensitive Bioindicators of Contaminant Stress in an Alpine Lake (Traunsee Austria)

  • Published:
Water, Air and Soil Pollution: Focus

Abstract

The abundance and photosynthetic activity ofpicocyanobacteria in the oligotrophic alpine lake Traunseewere measured at a station located close to the outlet ofindustrial soda waste and at a mid-lake reference stationduring spring, 1999 through to autumn, 2000.Picocyanobacterial numbers measured by flow cytometry inTraunsee (0.7–13.2 × 104 ml-1) were comparable tothose of other oligotrophic lakes, and there was nosignificant difference between the contaminated and thereference sampling location. Picoplankton (<2 μm)photosynthetic rates measured in vitro by the 14C-technique were significantly reduced at the contaminated siterelative to the reference station at low photosyntheticallyavailable radiation (10 μE m-2 s-1), while nodifference between these two stations was found at moderatelyhigh light intensity (100 μE m-2 s-1). Theinvestigation was complemented by laboratory experiments withcultured picocyanobacteria. Three Synechococcus spp.strains were exposed to water taken from either of the twoTraunsee stations and from a control station located inneighbouring Attersee. Cell-specific photosynthetic activitymeasured by 4-h in vitro incubations revealed no significantdifference among the three stations investigated. Growthrates of the same three Synechococcus spp. strains weremeasured by flow cytometry over several days in thelaboratory. One strain, in particular, was sensitive to watertaken from the contaminated site; growth rate of this strainwas significantly reduced, relative to when exposed to watertaken from the reference station. Taken together, our resultsdemonstrate that picocyanobacteria are highly sensitivebioindicators of contaminant stress. The overall impact ofthe emissions from the industrial outlet on thepicocyanobacteria was, however, relatively minor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Assmann, D.: 1998, 'Nahrungsselektion und Nahrungsverwertung chroococcaler Cyanobakterien durch heterotrophe Nanoflagellaten', Ph.D. Thesis, University of Konstanz, 163 pp.

  • Bell, T. and Kalff, J.: 2001, 'The contribution of picophytoplankton in marine and freshwater systems of different trophic status and depth', Limnol. Oceanogr. 46, 1243–1248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callieri, C., Bertoni, R., Amicucci, E., Pinolini, M. L. and Jasser, I.: 1996, 'Growth rates of freshwater picocyanobacteria measured by FDC: problems and potentials for the estimation of picoplankton organic carbon synthesis', Arch. Hydrobiol. Spec. Issues Advanc. Limnol. 48, 93–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callieri, C. and Stockner, J.: 2000, 'Picocyanobacteria success in oligotrophic lakes: fact or fiction?', J. Limnol. 59, 72–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, L. and Carpenter, E. J.: 1986, 'Diel patterns of cell division in marine Synechococcus spp. (Cyanobacteria): use of the frequency of dividing cells technique to measure growth rate', Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 32, 139–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collier, J.L.: 2000, 'Flow cytometry and the single cell in phycology', J. Phycol. 36, 628–644.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, A.: 1991, 'Cyanobacterial picoplankton from Lake Constance: I. Isolation by fluorescence characteristics', J. Plankton Research Res. 13, 1307–1312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, A., Becker, S., Hennes, K. and Postius, C.: 2000, 'Is there a succession in the autotrophic picoplankton of temperate zone lakes?', in C. R. Bell, M. Brylinski and P. Johnson-Green (eds), Microbial biosystems: new frontiers, Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology. Atlantic Canada Society for Microbial Ecology, Halifax, Nova Scotia, pp. 623–629.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, A., Marschall, P. and Postius, C.: 1995, 'Genetic diversity among Synechococcus sp. (cyanobacteria) isolated from the pelagial of Lake Constance', FEMS 17, 197–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, A., Sandmann, G., Postius, C., Brass, S., Kenter, U. and Böger, P.: 1992, 'Cyanobacterial picoplankton from Lake Constance. II. Classification of isolates by cell morphology and pigment composition', Botanica Acta 105, 161–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahnenstiel, G. L., Carrick, H.J., Rogers, C.E. and Sicko-Goad, L.: 1991, 'Red fluorescing phototrophic picoplankton in the Laurentian Great Lakes: what are they and what are they doing?', Rev. Ges. Hydrobiol. 76, 603–616.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahnenstiel, G. L., Sicko-Goad, L., Scavia, D. and Stoermer, E. F.: 1986, 'Importance of picoplankton in Lake Superior', Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 43, 235–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, N. S.: 1985, 'Accumulation of metals by marine picoplankton', Mar. Biol. 87, 137–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaedke, U. and Weisse, T.: 1998, 'Seasonal and interannual variability of picocyanobacteria in Lake Constance (1987–1997)', Arch. Hydrobiol. Spec. Issues Advanc. Limnol. 53, 143–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glanz, S. A.: 1997, Primer of Biostatistics, (4th ed.), McGraw-Hill, New York, 473 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glibert, P. M. and Ray, R. T.: 1990, 'Different patterns of growth and nitrogen uptake in two clones of marine Synechococcus sp.', Mar. Biol. 107, 273–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Healey, F. P.: 1985, 'Interacting effects of light and nutrient limitation on the growth rate of Synechococcus linearis (cyanophyceae)', J. Phycol. 21, 134–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iturriaga, R. and Marra, J.: 1988, 'Temporal and spatial variability of chroococcoid cyanobacteria Synechococcus spp. specific growth rates and their contribution to primary production in the Sargasso Sea', Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 44, 175–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jagsch, A., Gassner, H. and Dokulil, M. T.: 2002, 'Long-term changes in environmental variables of Traunsee, an oligotrophic Austrian lake impacted by the salt industry, and two reference sites, Hallstättersee and Attersee', Water, Air and Soil Pollut.: Focus 2(4), 9–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kana, T. M. and Glibert, P. M.: 1987a, 'Effect of irradiances up to 2000 µE m-2s-1 onmarine Synechococcus WH7803 - I. Growth, pigmentation, and cell composition', Deep-Sea Res. 34, 479–495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kana, T. M. and Glibert, P. M.: 1987b, 'Effect of irradiances up to 2000 µEm-2s-1 on marine Synechococcus WH7803 - II. Photosynthetic responses and mechanisms', Deep-Sea Res. 497–516.

  • Klammer, S., Posch, T., Sonntag, B., Griebler, C., Mindl, B. and Psenner, R.: 2002, 'Dynamics in bacterial abundance, biomass, activity, and community composition in the oligotrophic Traunsee and the Traun River (Austria)', Water, Air and Soil Pollut.: Focus 2(4), 137–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, W. K. W.: 1994, 'Primary production of prochlorophytes, cyanobacteria, and eucaryotic ultraphytoplankton: Measurements from flow cytometric sorting', Limnol. Oceanogr. 39, 169–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller, H.: 1996, 'Selective feeding of a freshwater chrysomonad, Paraphysomonas sp., on chroococcoid cyanobacteria and nanoflagellates', Arch. Hydrobiol. Spec. Issues Advanc. Limnol. 48, 63–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller, J., Wallner, J. and Kroemer, E.: 2002, 'Industrial tailings in Traunsee (Austria) revisited - the status of 1999', Water, Air and Soil Pollut.: Focus 2(4), 21–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munawar, M. and Munawar, I.F.: 2000, 'Phytoplankton Dynamics in the North Americal Great Lakes', Ecovision World Monograph Series, Backhuys, Leiden, The Netherlands, 253 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munawar, M., Munawar, I. F., Norwood, W. P. and Mayfield, C. I.: 1987a, 'Significance of auto-trophic picoplankton in the Great Lakes and their use as early indicators of contaminant stress', Arch. Hydrobiol. Spec. Issues Advanc. Limnol. 25, 141–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munawar, M., Munawar, I. F., Ross, P. E. and Mayfield, C.: 1987b, 'Differential sensitivity of natural phytoplankton size assemblages to metal mixture toxicity', Arch. Hydrobiol. Spec. Issues Advanc. Limnol. 25, 123–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munawar, M., Munawar, I. F. and Weisse, T.: 1995, 'Utility and applicability of autotrophic picoplankton as bioindicators of ecosystem health', in M. Munawar, O. Hanninen, N. Roy, N. Munawar, L. Karenlampi and D. Bown (eds), Bioindicators of Environmental Health, SPB Academic Publishing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 13–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munawar, M. and Weisse, T.: 1989, 'Is the “microbial loop” an early warning indicator of anthropogenic stress?', Environmental Bioassay Techniques and their Application, Hydrobiologia 188/189, 163–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Postius, C. and Ernst, A.: 1999, 'Mechanisms of dominance: coexistence of picocyanobacterial genotypes in a freshwater ecosystem', Arch. Microbiol. 172, 69–75.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Postius, C., Ernst, A., Kenter, U. and Böger, P.: 1996, 'Persistence and genetic diversity among strains of phycoerythrin-rich cyanobacteria from the picoplankton of Lake Constance', J. Plankton Res. 18, 1159–1166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Postius, C., Kenter, U., Wacker, A., Ernst, A. and Böger, P.: 1998, 'Light causes selection among two phycoerythrin-rich Synechococcus isolates from Lake Constance', FEMS Microb. Ecol. 25, 171–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rippka, R., Deruelles, J., Waterburn, J. B., Herdman, M. and Stanier, R. Y.: 1979, 'Generic assignments, strains histories, and properties of pure cultures of cyanobacteria', J. Genet. Microbiol. 111, 1–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, B. R., Tezuda, N. and Watanabe, M. M.: 2001, 'Phylogenetic analyses of Synechococcus strains (cyanobacteria) using sequences of 16S rDNA and part of the phycocyanin operon reveal multiple evolutionary lines and reflect phycobilin content', Int. J. Syst. Evol. Micr. 51, 861–871.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schindler, D. W., Schmidt, R. V. and Reid, R. A.: 1972, 'Acidification and bubbling as an alternative to filtration in determining phytoplankton production by the 14C method', J.Fish.Res.Bd. Canada 29, 1627–1631.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, R., Dokulil, M. T., Psenner, R. and Wanzenböck, J.: 2002, 'Ecological integrity: Concept, assessment, evaluation - The Traunsee case', Water, Air and Soil Pollut.: Focus 2(4), 249–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweizer, A.: 1993, 'Die Ökologie des autotrophen Picoplanktons im Bodensee', Ph.D. Thesis, University of Konstanz, 169 pp.

  • Severn, S. R. T., Munawar, M. and Mayfield, C. I.: 1989, 'Measurements of sediment toxicity of auto-trophic and heterotrophic picoplankton by epifluorescence microscopy', Hydrobiologia 176/177, 525–530.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sommaruga, R. and Robarts, R.: 1997, 'The significance of autotrophic and heterotrophic picoplankton in hypertrophic ecosystems', FEMS Microbiology Ecology 24, 187–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonntag, B., Posch, T., Klammer, S., Griebler, C. and Psenner, R.: 2002, 'Protozooplankton in the deep oligotrophic Traunsee (Austria) influenced by discharges of soda and salt industries', Water, Air and Soil Pollut.: Focus 2(4), 211–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steemann-Nielsen, E.: 1952, 'The use of radioactive carbon (14C) for measuring organic production in the sea', J. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer. 18, 117–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockner, J., Callieri, C. and Cronberg, G.: 2000, 'Picoplankton and other non-bloom forming cyanobacteria in lakes', in B.A. Whitton and M. Potts (eds.), The ecology of cyanobacteria, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 195–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockner, J. G.: 1988, 'Phototrophic picoplankton: An overview from marine and freshwater ecosystems', Limnol. Oceanogr. 33, 765–775.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockner, J. G. and Antia, N. J.: 1986, 'Algal picoplankton from marine and freshwater ecosytems: a multidisciplinary perspective', Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 43, 2472–2503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockner, J. G. and Shortreed, K. S.: 1989, 'Algal picoplankton production and contribution to food-webs in oligotrophic British Columbia lakes', Hydrobiologia 173, 151–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockner, J. G. and Shortreed, K. S.: 1994, 'Autotrophic picoplankton community dynamics in a pre-alpine lake in British-Columbia, Canada', Hydrobiologia 274, 133–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teubner, K. and Dokulil, M. T.: 2002, '14C-Photosynthesis of phytoplankton in an oligotrophic Alpine lake (Traunsee, Austria) and its response to turbidity caused by industrial tailings', Water, Air and Soil Pollut.: Focus 2(4), 181–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teubner, K., Sarobe, A., Vadrucci, M. R. and Dokulil, M. T.: 2001, '14C photosynthesis and pigment pattern of phytoplankton as size related adaptation strategies in alpine lakes', Aquat. Sci. 63, 310–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veldhuis, M. J. W. and Kraay, G. W.: 2000, 'Application of flow cytometry in marine phytoplankton research: current applications and future perspectives', Sci. Mar. 64, 121–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vives-Rego, J., Lebaron, P. and Nebe-von Caron, G.: 2000, 'Current and future applications of flow cytometry in aquatic microbiology', FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 24, 429–448.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vollenweider, R. A.: 1969, 'A manual on methods for measuring primary production in aquatic environments', IBP Handbook 12, Blackwell Sci., Oxford, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vörös, L., Callieri, C., V.-Balogh, K. and Bertoni, R.: 1998, 'Freshwater picocyanobacteria along a trophic gradient and light quality range', Hydrobiologia 369/370, 117–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vörös, L., Gulyas, P. and Nemeth, J.: 1991, 'Occurrence, dynamics and production of picoplankton in Hungarian shallow lakes', Int. Rev ges. Hydrobiol. 76, 617–629.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waterbury, J. B., Watson, S. W., Valois, F. W. and Franks, D. G.: 1986, 'Biological and ecological characterization of the marine unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus', Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 214, 71–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisse, T.: 1988, 'Dynamics of autotrophic picoplankton in Lake Constance', J. Plankton Res. 10, 1179–1188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisse, T.: 1991, 'The microbial loop and its sensitivity to eutrophication and contaminant enrichment: a cross-system overview', Eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, Int. Rev. Ges. Hydrobiol. 76, 327–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisse, T.: 1993, 'Dynamics of autotrophic picoplankton in marine and freshwater ecosystems', Adv. Microb. Ecol. 13, 327–370.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisse, T. and Kenter, U.: 1991, 'Ecological characteristics of autotrophic picoplankton in a prealpine lake', Int. Rev. Ges. Hydrobiol. 76, 493–504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisse, T. and Schweizer, A.: 1991, 'Seasonal and interannual variation of autotrophic picoplankton in a large prealpine lake (Lake Constance)', Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 24, 821–825.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisse, T. and Stockner, J. G.: 1993, 'Eutrophication: the role of microbial food webs', Mem. Ist. Ital. Idrobiol. 52, 133–150.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Limnology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-5310, Mondsee, Austria

    Thomas Weisse

  2. Institute of Zoology and Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Birgit Mindl

Authors
  1. Thomas Weisse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Birgit Mindl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas Weisse.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Weisse, T., Mindl, B. Picocyanobacteria – Sensitive Bioindicators of Contaminant Stress in an Alpine Lake (Traunsee Austria). Water, Air, & Soil Pollution: Focus 2, 191–210 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020312210740

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020312210740

Search

Navigation