Publication
Title
Diatom succession during the last few decades in a small pond at the Botanic Garden Meise, Belgium, based on paleolimnological analyses
Author
Abstract
Over the last two decades, the Orangery pond in the Botanic Garden Meise (Belgium) became, due to several causes, more eutrophic and turbid leading eventually to the disappearance of macrophytes. Sediment cores were taken to reconstruct how water quality changed, so to know whether this pond can be restored to its former ecological condition. Diatom stratigraphy revealed clear stratigraphic changes into three distinct zones. The lowest zone is characterized by benthic species such as Amphora lange-bertalotii, Surirella terricola and Cocconeis placentula indicating clear water with the presence of macrophytes. A peak in Aulacoseira aff . muzzanensis, observed at 1 m depth, can be linked with dated photographs recording the disappearance of macrophytes around the year 2000. The second zone suggests an eutrophic period with Cyclostephanos dubius being very abundant. In the most recent zone, Aulacoseira granulata and Aulacoseira subarctica were dominant, indicating turbid, nutrient-rich, pond conditions. Furthermore, species diversity decreased to its lowest values. Regarding the restoration, it is recommended that both waterfowl and excessive fi sh populations must be restricted before, ideally, 1 m of sediment should be removed.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Nova Hedwigia: Zeitschrift für Kryptogamenkunde. - Berlin
Publication
Berlin : 2017
ISSN
0029-5035
DOI
10.1127/1438-9134/2017/303
Volume/pages
146 (2017) , p. 303-313
ISI
000473347500021
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
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Research group
Publication type
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Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
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Creation 22.02.2018
Last edited 26.10.2022
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