engleski

Contribution of desmids to phytoplankton assemblies in two Croatian karstic lakes

Ponikve Lake and Njivice Lake, two alkaline karstic lakes in western Croatia, were limnologically investigated with special attention to the contribution of desmids to phytoplankton composition. Desmid assemblies in Ponikve Lake (23 species) and Njivice Lake (12 species) were distinctly different in floristic composition, having only three species in common. Cosmarium moniliforme and Staurastrum tetracerum were dominant desmid taxa in Lake Ponikve, and Cosmarium cf tenue and Staurastrum tetracerum forma trigona in Njivice Lake, all of which peaking in late summer to early autumn. In Ponikve Lake, desmids contributed up to 20 % of total phytoplankton biomass. The lower desmid species diversity and biomass values in Njivice Lake compared to those in Ponikve Lake may be explained by industrial aluminium contamination in Njivice Lake since the 1980's.

phytoplankton; desmids; Mediterranean karstic lakes; aluminium

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