Periphyton on artificial substrata from three lakes of different trophic status at Hope Bay “Antarctica”

• Main Authors: Pizarro, Haydee Norma, Vinocur, Alicia Liliana
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: artificial substrate; lake ecosystem; morphometry; periphyton; seabird; trophic status; Antarctica; algae; Bacillariophyceae; Chlamydomonas; Chlamydomonas subcaudata; Esperanza; Eukaryota; Fraxinus; Spheniscidae; Argentina; Boeckella; Boeckella Lake; Hope Bay; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_07224060_v25_n3_p169_Pizarro; https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_07224060_v25_n3_p169_Pizarro

The nutrient characteristics of aquatic environments at Hope Bay “Antarctica” depend on different factors, penguin enrichment being one of the most important. In this study we surveyed three water bodies of different morphometry and trophic status: Esperanza Lake “oligotrophic”, Boeckella Lake “meso-eutrophic”, and Pingui Pond “hypereutrophic”. This research provides a preliminary characterization of the periphyton colonization on artificial substrata “glass slides” of these water bodies from the end of January to mid-March 2000. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the algae, chlorophyll a, dry weight, ash-free dry weight, and physical and chemical variables of the lakes were assessed. The Autotrophic Index and the Lakatos system of classification were also applied. All three lakes differed clearly in all the variables considered. The periphyton from Esperanza Lake was first dominated by Bacillariophyceae and subsequently by the chrysophyce Phaeogloea mucosa. P. mucosa was the dominant species at Boeckella Lake and Chlamydomonas subcaudata was dominant at Pingui Pond. Highest mean maximum density values were reached at Pingui Pond, followed by Boeckella and Esperanza Lakes. Highest biomass figures were registered with increasing trophic status. According to the Lakatos index, the periphyton of Esperanza Lake was the least developed and it was mainly organic and heterotrophic; Boeckella Lake showed intermediate development in periphyton mass, which was autotrophic and mainly inorganic whereas Pingui Pond showed the highest development in periphytic mass, and it was mainly autotrophic. Fil:Pizarro, H. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Vinocur, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.