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The structure and function of fen lakes in relation to water table management in The Netherlands

  • Case Study
  • Base-rich Freshwater Systems
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Abstract

Most relatively large (> 250 ha) and shallow (< 2 m), Dutch lakes originate from large-scale peat mining. Originally, their water tables were regulated by natural processes such as evapotransporation, precipitation, drainage and seepage (up and downwards). These lakes used to be oligo to mesotrophic, and the phytoplankton consisted mainly of diatoms and green algae. However, 30 years ago filamentous cyanobacteria were also present.

Owing to the intensification of agriculture in the surroundings of the lakes, their management developed more and more towards a man-made reservoir function. This management resulted in inflow of eutrophic water from the agricultural areas in winter. In summer the lakes were increasingly used as a water supply. This supply is compensated by water imported mainly from the River Rhine.

The impacts of this reservoir function on the limnology of the Dutch fen lakes are discussed with the Tjeukemeer, the Loosdrechtse Plassen and the Reeuwijkse Plassen as examples. All these lakes have become typical eutrophic waters with high turbidity, dominance of filamentous cyanobacteria and bream and complete loss of submerged macrophytes. Finally, methods and results of manipulation procedures to restore these waters are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Limnological Institute, Vijverhof Laboratory, Rijksstraatweg 6, 3631 AC, Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands

    H. de Haan

  2. National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    L. van Liere

  3. Waterboard of Rijnland, P.O. Box 156, 2300 AD, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Sj. P. Klapwijk

  4. Department of Nature Conservation, Agricultural University Wageningen, P.O. Box 8080, 6700 DD, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    E. van Donk

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  1. H. de Haan
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  2. L. van Liere
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  3. Sj. P. Klapwijk
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  4. E. van Donk
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de Haan, H., van Liere, L., Klapwijk, S.P. et al. The structure and function of fen lakes in relation to water table management in The Netherlands. Hydrobiologia 265, 155–177 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007266

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