Phytoplankton structure and microcystine concentration in the highly eutrophic Nero Lake

Author： Babanazarova O. Kurmayer R. Sidelev S. Aleksandrina E. Sakharova E.

ISSN： 0097-8078

Source： Water Resources, Vol.38, Iss.2, 2011-03, pp. : 229-236

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Abstract

The results of observations of some abiotic (water transparency, light intensity, depth, biogenic element concentrations) and algological (chlorophyll concentration, phytoplankton abundance and biomass, the concentration of microcystines—toxins of blue-green algae) characteristics of Lake Nero are given for study periods of 1999-2004 and 2005-2007. Variations of these characteristics in the latter period are shown to be significant. The lake phytoplankton is found to pass in a «catastrophic” manner to monodomination of planktotrichaetic complex of blue-green algae. High-performance liquid chromatography was used for the first time to determine the concentration of microcystines MC-LR and MC-RR in Lake Nero seston. The presence of these types of microcystines in samples was confirmed by mass-spectrometry. A statistically significant correlation was found to exist between the total concentrations of microcystines and the biomass of species of Microcystis genus, suggesting the possible toxicity of representatives of this type of algae in Lake Nero.