Ecological relations and temporal changes in the pelagial of the high mountain lakes in the Rila Mountains (Bulgaria)

Abstract

The high mountain lakes in the Rila Mountains (Bulgaria) were studied in the years 2000 and 2001 considering the following groups of variables: geography, geology, morphology, hydrology, water chemistry of the pelagial, biomass and size structure of bacterio- phyto- and zooplankton, and occurrence of three fish species. Multivariate analysis (RDA) revealed that the nutrient concentrations in the lakes were significantly influenced by the soil percentage coverage of the catchment area. The explained variation in plankton components (bacterio-, phyto- and zooplankton) and plankton size structure was determined by biological as well as morphometrical and geographical variables. Changes in the Mg2+ and NO3-N concentrations were traced over the period 1993-2001; the Ca2+ concentration, pH, nutrients, bacterio-, phyto- and zooplankton were monitored in the period 1995-2001. A nutrient decrease accompanied by an increase in size of zooplankton organisms in the period 1995-2001 led to a considerable increase of water transparency in the lakes.