Abstract
A study of diversity and compositional stability of phytoplankton communities during one vegetation period was carried out in small lakes in upper Bavaria. Shannon-Weaver diversity index was calculated on the base of number of individuals and on the base of biomass. On average, the diversity (annual mean) was highest in mesotrophic lakes. A comparison of three morphologically different (esp. exposure to wind, surface area and mean depth) lakes (Pelhamer See, Thalersee and Kautsee) sought to find out how the phytoplankton community structure reacts to events of intermediate disturbance, in terms of diversity- or biomass changes. Principal Component Analysis was used to measure the persistence of the phytoplankton association. The examples given in this paper led to these conclusions: High diversity or increase in diversity occur in compositionally instable communities, in high wind-stress events, with small algae and with high grazing. Low diversity or decrease in diversity occur in compositionally stable periods, when conditions select few species, as large forms dominate and as grazing by zooplankton takes effect. Gradual seasonal changes are observed in structurally stable lakes. In lakes exposed to frequent disturbances, seasonal changes may be dominated by intermediate responses.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clifford, H. T. & W. Stephenson, 1975. An introduction to numerical classification, Academic Press, London, 229 pp.
Connell, J., 1978. Diversity in tropical rain forests and coral reefs. Science 199: 1304–1310.
Elber, F. & U. Schanz, 1989. The causes of change in the diversity and stability of phytoplankton communities in small lakes. Freshwat. Biol. 21: 237–251.
Gaedeke, A. & U. Sommer, 1986. The influence of the frequency of periodic disturbances. Oecologia 71: 98–102.
Gigon, A., 1983. Typology and principles of ecological stability and instability. Mount. Res. Devel. 3: 95–102.
Harris, G. P., 1986. Phytoplankton ecology, 1. Chapman & Hall, London, 384 pp.
Harris, G. P. & B. B. Piccinin, 1980. Physical variability and phytoplankton communities; IV. Temporal changes in the phytoplankton community of a physically variable lake. Arch. Hydrobiol. 89: 447–473.
Kaneta, P. J., M. Levandowsky & W. Esaias, 1985. Multivariate analysis of the phytoplankton community in the New York bight. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 23: 231–239.
Marker A. E., E. A. Nusch, H. Rai & B. Riemann, 1980. The measurement of photosynthetic in freshwaters and standardization of methods: Conclusions and recommendations. Arch. Hydrobiol. Beih. Ergebn. Limnol. 14: 91–106.
Padisák, J., L. G. Tóth & M. Rajczy, 1988. The role of storms in the summer succession of the phytoplankton community in a shallow lake (Lake Balaton, Hungary). J. Plankton Res. 10: 249–265.
Pielou, E. C., 1966. Species diversity and pattern diversity in the study of ecological succession. J. theor. Biol. 10: 370–383.
Reynolds, C. S., 1984. Phytoplankton periodicity; the interaction of form, function and environmental variability. Freshwat. Biol.
Reynolds, C. S., 1987. The response of phytoplankton communities to changing lake environments. Schweiz. Z. Hydrol. 49: 220–235.
Reynolds, C. S., 1988. The concept of ecological succession applied to seasonal periodicity of freshwater phytoplankton. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 23: 683–691.
Reynolds, C. S., 1983. Scales of disturbance and their role in plankton ecology. In J. Padisák, C. S. Reynolds & U. Sommer (eds), Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis in Phytoplankton Ecology. Developments in Hydrobiology Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht: 157–171. Reprinted from Hydrobiologia 249.
Reynolds C. S., S. W. Wiseman & M. J. O. Clarke, 1984. Growth- and loss-rate responses of phytoplankton to intermittent artificial mixing and their potential application to the control of planctonic algal biomass. J. appl. Ecol. 21: 11–35.
Rott, E., 1981. Some results from phytoplankton counting intercalibrations. Schweiz. Z. Hydrol. 43: 34–62.
Shannon, C. E. & W. Weaver, 1949. The mathematical theory of communication. University & Illinois Press, Urbana, 117 pp.
Sommer, U., 1989. The role of competition for resources in phytoplankton succession. In: U. Sommer (ed.), Plankton ecology: succession in plankton communities. Springer, Berlin, 57–106.
Sterner, R. W., 1989. The role of grazers in phytoplankton succession. In: U. Sommer (ed.), Plankton ecology: succession in plankton communities. Springer, Berlin, 107–170.
Utermöhl, H., 1958. Zur Vervollkommnung der quantitativen Phytoplanktonmethodik. Mitt. int. Ver. Limnol. 9: 1–38.
Wildi, O. & L. Orloci, 1990. Numerical exploration of community patterns. SPB Academic Publishing bv, The Hague, 124 pp.
Wrobel, J. P., 1989. Zur Hydrologie des Gebietes nördlich und nordwestlich des Chiemsees. In: O. Siebeck: 20 Jahre Limnol. Station Seeon, Heller, München, 147–149.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Holzmann, R. Seasonal fluctuations in the diversity and compositional stability of phytoplankton communities in small lakes in upper Bavaria. Hydrobiologia 249, 101–109 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008846
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008846