Impact on lake development of changed agricultural watershed exploitation during the last three centuries

Abstract

The history of the development of Lake Hejrede Sø (Denmark) and the related history of the watershed management were studied based on analyses of macrofossil content, chemical composition and Clostridium perfringens content in sediment cores. Depth-age relations of ecological changes were established through Pb²¹⁰ analyses, and a systematic search for written sources describing the watershed history was carried out.

Lake Hejrede Sø used to be a humic, acid but relatively clearwater lake with an extensive submersed vegetation. Owing to deforestation and reclamation of bogs and meadows, the accumulation of nutrients in these ecotones vanished. Subsequently, in early 1800 the lake developed into a clearwater alkaline lake, and later became more eutrophic which resulted in the decline of the submersed vegetation. At the time the annual sediment phosphorus accumulation increased more than twofold, and influx of mineral matter increased drastically. In mid-1900, submersed vegetation had disappeared. The Clostridium perfringens analysis and the historical evidence show that no sewage was discharged to the lake until mid-1900, which implies that changed agricultural watershed exploitation and ecotone reclamation during the 19th century was the cause of the increased nutrient influx, and the deterioration of the lake.

Written historical sources confirm the palaeolimnological interpretations and describe the agricultural practices responsible for the development.