Estimate of the trophic status of subarctic Imandra Lake

Abstract

The object of study is Imandra Lake – the largest reservoir of the Murmansk region. The lake is being influenced by the long-term and multi-factorial activities of mining and ore processing industries, air pollution and energetics. Moreover, the drain of municipal sewage from the large settlements situated on the lake's watershed makes a serious contribution to water pollution. As a result the lake has accumulated a significant amount of pollutants and nutrients that resulted currently in an increase of the toxic load on the lake system. One of the main ecological problems also is the intensification of the anthropogenic eutrophication processes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the current trophic status of Imandra Lake using the trophic index (TSI) with the average annual values of the parameters: chlorophyll, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total organic carbon and to find the dynamics of these parameters' changes during more than 20-year period. The study of the trophic status of Imandra Lake has been performed for the period 1991–2013 yrs. using the trophic state index developed by Carlson, Kratzer and Bresonik, Dunalska. According to the calculated values of the indexes Bolshaja Imandra Lake corresponds to eutrophic-mesotrophic trophic status, Yokostrovskaya Imandra Lake could be described as mesotrophic. Babinskaja Imandra Lake that subjected to essential nutrient loading is close to the oligotrophic trophic status. However, some parts of Babinskaja Imandra Lake refer to the mesotrophic state due to influence of industrial, household and heated water of the Kola atomic power station. Thus, this part of Imadra Lake could be considered as a meso-oligotrophic status. It has been established that currently nitrogen is a limiting factor for development of algae in Imandra Lake. Based on the mathematical Vollenweider model the critical phosphorus loading values to control such an important nutrient element as phosphorus have been calculated

Keywords

• trophic state index
• total phosphorus
• total nitrogen
• chlorophyll a
• total organic carbon
• eutrophication