LONG-TERM CHANGES IN THE LARGE LAKE ECOSYSTEMS UNDER POLLUTION: THE CASE OF THE NORTH-EAST EUROPEAN LAKES

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of aquatic ecosystem long-term changes in the Russian large lakes: Ladoga, Onega, and Imandra, is given. The lakes in the past were oligotrophic and similar in their origin, water chemistry and fauna. The ecosystems transformed under the impact of pollution with toxic substances and nutrients. There are three stages of ecosystem quality: background parameters and degradation and recovery trends after the decrease of the toxic stress. On the stage of degradation, species abundance and community biodiversity were decreased. Eurybiontic species abundance and biomass were increased due to lack of competitive connections in toxic conditions and biogenic inflow. Small forms of organisms (r-strategists), providing more rapid biomass turnover in ecosystem, dominated in the formed plankton communities. On the stage of decrease of the toxic pollution, the lakes recolonization with northern species occurs, which is confirmed by replacement of dominating complexes, increasing index of plankton community biodiversity, and the rise of the mass of individual organisms of the communities. Accumulated nutrients in ecosystems are efficiently utilized at the upper trophic level. The ecosystem state after decrease of the toxic impact indicates formation of its mature and more stable modification, which differs from a natural one.

Keywords

• long-term pollution, aquatic ecosystem, reference condition, disturbance, recovery