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Biodiversity in eutrophicated shallow lakes: determination of tipping points and tools for monitoring

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Abstract

Nutrient-rich freshwater ecosystems are generally considered as having low ecological quality and low associated biodiversity. In such systems we analysed the effects of water quality on biodiversity of several species groups, to determine tipping points and tools for monitoring. We investigated the water quality of 99 eutrophic and hypertrophic shallow lakes with extensive fish culture during a 3-year study, through the measures of physico-chemical parameters, phytoplankton biomass and structure. In a second step, we related the water quality with richness of aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates and dragonflies. With concentrations of chlorophyll-a above 30 or 70 μg l−1, shallow lakes are normally classified, respectively, in a poor or bad ecological state. However, our results show that chlorophyll-a concentrations up to 78 μg l−1 could be found together with relatively high species or family richness of aquatic plants, invertebrates and dragonflies. We identified most tipping points with 50–60 μg l−1 of chlorophyll-a, values above which a significant decrease of species diversity was found. For monitoring of these shallow lakes we propose to use chlorophyll-a concentrations in combination with water transparency during spring. These parameters are easily applicable and cheap and they yield a good forecast of the biodiversity for the species groups studied.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the French Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development through the DIVA2 “Biodiversity and Agriculture” programme, the French Water Agency (Agence de l’Eau Rhône-Mediterranée-Corse) and the Rhône-Alpes Region. We are grateful to Sylvie Prestoz, Pauline Chevassu, David Pobel, Mathieu Guerin, Thomas Lhuillery, David Leclerc, Nicola Indermuhle et Michaël Delahaye for their field and laboratory assistance during this study. A special thanks to Vincent Payet for his help for statistical analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory Ecology of Fluvial Hydrosystems, UMR 5023 LEHNA, CNRS University of Lyon, ENTPE, ISARA, Lyon, France

    J. Robin & G. Bornette

  2. Department of Agroecology and Environment, Research Group Ecosystems and Aquatic Resources, ISARA Lyon, 23 rue Jean Baldassini, 69364, Lyon Cedex 07, France

    J. Robin & A. Wezel

  3. UMR INRA 042 CARRTEL, University of Savoie, 217, Bât. Belledonne, 73376, Le Bourget-du-Lac Cedex, France

    F. Arthaud

  4. Hepia Geneva Technology, Architecture and Landscape, Department of Nature Management, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, 1254, Jussy-Geneva, Switzerland

    S. Angélibert, V. Rosset & B. Oertli

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  1. J. Robin
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  2. A. Wezel
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Correspondence to J. Robin.

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Guest editors: R. Céréghino, D. Boix, H.-M. Cauchie, K. Martens & B. Oertli / Understanding the role of ponds in a changing world

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Robin, J., Wezel, A., Bornette, G. et al. Biodiversity in eutrophicated shallow lakes: determination of tipping points and tools for monitoring. Hydrobiologia 723, 63–75 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-013-1678-3

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