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Ecological and taxonomic observations on the flagellate algae characterising four years of enclosure experiments in Lake Tovel (Southern Alps)

  • Conference paper
Phytoplankton and Equilibrium Concept: The Ecology of Steady-State Assemblages

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 172))

Abstract

Lake Tovel (Italian Alps, Brenta Dolomites, 1178 m a.s.l.), with a dimictic mixolimnion, is a meromictic and oligotrophic mountain lake, once notorious for the summer reddening of its waters due to dinoflagellate blooms that ceased suddenly in 1964. Since 1997 the Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali has been carrying out in situ experiments in order to understand the factors regulating the blooms. Experiments were carried out in different types of enclosures to test the reaction of phytoplankton to phosphorus enrichment and light reduction, with special reference to Glenodinium sanguineum Marchesoni, the dinoflagellate responsible for the reddening. The aim of the present contribution is to study the ecology of other flagellate algae typical of Lake Tovel, by analysing the data from the enclosure experiments. Particular attention is given to competition for resources, the comparison with G. sanguineum and some interesting taxonomic observations. The four flagellate taxa selected for this investigation were Gymnodinium uberrimum (Allman) Kofoid & Swezy, Dinobryon cf. sociale var. americana (Brunnthaler) Bachmann, Campylomonas sp. and Tetraselmis sp. Number of individuals and biovolume calculated for each taxon during the experiments were statistically related to NO3-N and TP concentrations, water temperature, pH and oxygen saturation. A prompt and positive response to P-enrichment was found in all experiments for both G. sanguineum and G. uberrimum. However, the first taxon showed a pronounced development only when nutrients were coupled with high light intensities, while the latter appeared to be a better competitor in low light intensities and low water temperature. The behaviour of Tetraselmis sp. was similar to that of G. sanguineum, while the development pattern of Campylomonas sp. was similar to that of G. uberrimum. D. sociale did not show a clear relationship either to nutrient enrichment or weather conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Limnology and Phycology Section, Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, Via Calepina 14, I-38100, Trento, Italy

    Massimiliano Tardio, Monica Tolotti & Marco Cantonati

  2. Institute of Zoology & Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Monica Tolotti

  3. Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK

    Gianfranco Novarino

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  1. Massimiliano Tardio
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  2. Monica Tolotti
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  3. Gianfranco Novarino
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  4. Marco Cantonati
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi, 38, I-90123, Palermo, Italy

    Luigi Naselli-Flores

  2. Department of Limnology, University of Veszprém, 10. Egyetem ut, H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary

    Judit Padisák

  3. Institute for Limnology, Mondseestrasse 9, A-5310, Mondsee, Austria

    Martin T. Dokulil

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Tardio, M., Tolotti, M., Novarino, G., Cantonati, M. (2003). Ecological and taxonomic observations on the flagellate algae characterising four years of enclosure experiments in Lake Tovel (Southern Alps). In: Naselli-Flores, L., Padisák, J., Dokulil, M.T. (eds) Phytoplankton and Equilibrium Concept: The Ecology of Steady-State Assemblages. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 172. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2666-5_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2666-5_22

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

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