UDC

551.312:556.55

Authors

Anna L. Kosova*, Dmitriy B. Denisov*
*Institute of the Industrial Ecology Problems of the North of the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Murmansk Region, Apatity, Russian Federation)

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the diatom complexes investigation of modern bottom sediments of the small lake Shchuchye (Khibiny Mountain Group, Kola Peninsula). We found 218 species of diatoms belonging to 44 genera. The predominant taxa are Aulacoseira valida (Grun.) Kramm (up to 25 %), A. subarctica (O. Müll.) Haworth (up to 24 %), Staurosira venter (Ehrenberg) H. Kobayasi (up to 17 %), S. construens Ehrenberg (up to 16 %), Pseudostaurosira brevistriata (Grunow) D.M. Williams & Round (up to 15 %), Aulacoseira alpigena (Grunow) Krammer (up to 13 %), Brachysira brebissonii R. Ross (up to 10 %). Ecological and geographical analysis of diatom complexes in the studied lake revealed the predominance of cosmopolitan organisms among taxa with a known geographical distribution, and benthic forms according to the type of habitat. With respect to pH, the first place was occupied by the inhabitants of slightly alkaline waters (alkaliphiles and alkalibionts), in relation to the salinity of water – the indifferent species. We revealed the changes in the diatom complexes structure, reflecting the processes occurring in the catchment area. We marked a significant increase in the proportion of plankton forms in the 3-4 cm horizon (their share reached 51.2 % in the contemporary layer), which indicated an increase in the lake water level. The authors noted a simplification of the structure of diatom complexes, accompanied by a sharp decrease in the Shannon-Weaver index. The dominant complex was represented by alkalibiontic (Aulacoseira subarctica and A. valida) and alcaliphilic (Staurosira construens) taxa. The acidophilic benthic species of Brachisira brebissonii completely disappeared; representatives of the genus Eunotia were encountered singly. Nonlinear dynamics of pH was, on the one hand, an indirect evidence of climatic changes towards warming and the trend to increase the trophic status of the lake, and on the other – the evidence of anthropogenic influence.

Keywords

diatom analysis, surface bottom sediments, paleoecological reconstruction, subarctic water body

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