| Abstract [eng] |
Studies of plankton community provide vital information in assessing the ecological status of lakes and their evolution. Phytoplankton is essential, and often the only primary producer of organic matter. Zooplankton takes an important place in the pelagic food chain because of the link between the primary producers and higher trophic levels. The most valuable are Lithuanian mesotrophic lakes. Depending on zooplankton communities, those lakes can be divided in 3 (characteristic) groups: lakes with glacial relict calanoids Limnocalanus macrurus, lakes with another calanoids Eurytemora lacustris and lakes without relict crustaceans. The information obtained after examination of several lakes from different groups, is useful for evaluating the status of Lithuanian mesotrophic lakes. The aim of the present study was to identify defining characteristics of phytoplankton and zooplankton community structure and change in Lithuanian mesotrophic lakes, compare plankton communities and to assess change trends of Lithuanian mesotrophic lakes. In this study complex analyses of phytoplankton and zooplankton structure were performing in mesotrophic lakes. Our data assess the current state of Lithuanian mesotrophic lakes and complement the information about phytoplankton and zooplankton in mesotrophic lakes. The obtained results are important for evaluation of the ecological status of the lakes and providing the environmental control tools to ensure good ecological status of the lakes. For the first time in Lithuania, were made analyses of the activation factors of algae resting stages. For the first time thirty two new species of algae and cyanobacteria were identified and registered in the studied Lithuanian lakes. |
