Abstract
The effects of planktivorous and benthivorous fish on benthic fauna, zooplankton, phytoplankton and water chemistry were studied experimentally in two eutrophic Swedish lakes using cylindrical enclosures. In enclosures in both lakes, dense fish populations resulted in low numbers of benthic fauna and planktonic cladocerans, high concentration of chlorophyll, blooms of blue-green, algae, high pH and low transparency. In the soft-water Lake Trummen, total phosporus increased in the enclosure with fish, but in the hard-water Lake Bysjön total phosphorus decreased simultaneously with precipitation of calcium carbonate. Enclosures without fish had a higher abundance of benthic fauna and large planktonic cladocerans, lower phytoplankton biomass, lower pH and higher transparency.
The changes in enclosures with fish can be described as eutrophication, and those in enclosures without fish as oligotrophication. The possibility of regulation of fish populations as a lake restoration method is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersson, G., Berggren, H. & Hamrin, S. 1975. Lake Trummen restoration project. III. Zooplankton, macrobenthos and fish. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 19: 1097–1106.
Bengtsson, L., Fleischer, S., Lindmark, G. & Ripl, W. 1975. Lake Trummen restoration project. I. Water and sediment chemistry. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 19: 1080–1087.
Brooks, J. L. & Dodson, S. I. 1965. Predation, body size, and composition of plankton. Science 150: 28–35.
Coveney, M. F., Cronberg, G., Enell, M., Larsson, K. & Olofsson, L. 1977. Phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria-standing crop and production relationships in eutrophic lake. Oikos 29: 5–21.
Cronberg, G., Gelin, C. & Larsson, K. 1975. Lake Trummen restoration project. II. Bacteria, phytoplankton and phytoplankton productivity. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 19: 1088–1096.
Hayne, D. W. & Ball, R. C. 1956. Benthic productivity as influenced by fish predation. Limnol. Oceanogr. 1: 163–175.
Hrbácek, J. 1962. Species composition and the amount of zooplankton in relation to the fish stock. Rozpravy Ceskoslovenske Akademie Ved 72: 1–116.
Hrbácek, J., Dvorakova, M., Korinek, V. & Procházkóva, L. 1961. Demonstration of the effect of the fish stock on the species composition of zooplankton and the intensity of metabolism of the whole plankton association. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 14: 192–195.
Hurlbert, S. H., Zedler, J. & Fairbanks, D. 1972. Ecosystem alternation by mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) predation. Science 175: 639–641.
Lamarra, V. A. 1975. Digestive activities of carp as a major contributor to the nutrient loading of lakes. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 19: 2461–2468.
Shapiro, J., Lamarra, V. & Lynch, M. 1975. Biomanipulation — an ecosystem approach to lake restoration. Contribution No. 143 from Limnological Research Center, University of Minnesota. Mimeographed. 32 p.
Steel, J. A. 1975. The management of Thames Valley storage reservoirs. Proc. Sympos. on the Effects of Sorage of Water Quality Reading 1975 p. 371–419. Water Research Centre. Medmenham. England (Offset).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Andersson, G., Berggren, H., Cronberg, G. et al. Effects of planktivorous and benthivorous fish on organisms and water chemistry in eutrophic lakes. Hydrobiologia 59, 9–15 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017602
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017602