M. Klinge et al., EUTROPHICATION AND ECOLOGICAL REHABILITATION OF DUTCH LAKES - PRESENTATION OF A NEW CONCEPTUAL-FRAMEWORK, Water science and technology, 31(8), 1995, pp. 207-218
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Water Resources","Environmental Sciences","Engineering, Civil
Lake restoration is a major issue in water management in The Netherlan
ds. In this context biomanipulation is considered an important tool fo
llowing the reduction of the nutrient load. Here we present a new conc
eptual framework and try to quantify the productivity level below whic
h predator control of the fish population, which is considered a prere
quisite for successful biomanipulation, occurs. The conceptual framewo
rk focuses on a balance between preyfish production and piscivorous fi
sh consumption. When the piscivorous fish consumption (top-down contro
l) is too low to control the preyfish community (bottom-up forces), th
e abundance of small planktivorous fishes will increase, leading to th
e cascading effects of a heavy predation on zooplankton and an excessi
ve development of algae resulting in an increase of turbidity. With th
e framework the total-P concentrations characterising lake productivit
y at such turning points can be calculated. The framework is used to e
xplain the eutrophication process of Dutch lakes, which is described a
s a series of stages between which shifts in community structure inclu
ding the dominant piscivorous fish species occurred. Furthermore, base
d on the framework some predictions and methods for ecological rehabil
itation will be presented.