Mass appearance of cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens in Lake Piaseczno, Poland

Abstract

In 1989, Lake Piaseczno, Poland, exhibited a mass appearance of Planktothrix rubescens. During this time the pelagic and littoral areas exhibited significant increases in areal primary production (400 and 41 mg C m-2 h-1, respectively), chlorophyll a (100 and 6.9 mg m-2, respectively) and assimilation number (4 and 5.9 mg C m-2 h-1/mg chla m-2, respectively). After the water bloom subsided, a reduction of dissolved oxygen concentration (down to 1.5 mg L-1) and high water temperature (10.2°C) in the offshore bottom zone was observed. While from 1991 to 1996, the primary production, chlorophyll a concentration and assimilation number values were decreasing, they were significantly higher than the values reported in 1986, prior to the mass cyanobacteria appearance. An indirect correlation with ion levels indicated that the outbreak of the cyanobacteria was linked with inflow of nutrients from the catchment area. The dramatic changes in the range and variability of the phytoplankton density indicate that the recent eutrophication of the lake has had profound effects on the structure and productivity of the aquatic community.