Phytoplankton successions under ice cover in four lakes located in north-eastern Sweden: effects of liming.

Phytoplankton successions under ice cover (January-March) were determined in four oligotrophic lakes (Burtjärn, Aspen, Vialamptjärn and Storkorstjärn) located in North-Eastern Sweden. The total phosphorus concentration in the lakes was less than 10 micrograms/L. Lake Burtjärn (reference lake) had a similar hydrology as Lake Aspen. Storkorstjärn and Vialamptjärn were of similar hydrology and had heavily colored water (> 100 mgpt/L). Aspen as well as vialamptjärn became continuously limed with calcium carbonate annually during the last decades. Biodiversity was considerably higher in the limed lakes (Aspen and Vialamptjärn) than in the untreated lakes (Burtjärn and Storkorstjärn). In Lake Burtjärn the most frequent species were Rhodomonas lacustris, Tabellaria flocculosa and Botryococcus braunii. Cryptophyceae (R. lacustris and Cryptomonas marssonii) and Dinophyceae (especially Gymnodinium lantzschii) were common phytoplankton groups in Lake Aspen. Tabellaria flocculosa was also the most common organism in both humic lakes Storkorstjärn and Vialamptjärn, other phytoplankton groups were in the humic lakes scarce. Liming was found to have profound effects on phytoplankton communities studied.