A routinely applicable palaeolimnological sampling and analysis progra
mme for large lake monitoring was developed as part of the Lake Saimaa
Biomonitoring Project (1990-1993). The scope of palaeolimnological an
alyses is to gain background information of the recent past (ca. 0-200
yr) of the lake ecosystem that is being monitored. We analyzed short
sediment cores from three contrasting basins of the complex lake Saima
a in eastern Finland (nutrient-poor clearwater Lake Puruvesi; oligotro
phic mesohumic Lake Paasivesi, and eutrophied and polluted mesohumic L
ake Haukivesi). Each basin shows a unique developmental history under
the various forms of human influence on the ecosystem. The following r
esearch approaches are evaluated in the study: echosounding, dating (P
b-210, varves, soot stratigraphy), element stratigraphies, biological
remains (diatoms, cladocera, chironomids, sedimentary pigments).