Relating environmental pressures to littoral biological water quality indicators in Western Balkan lakes: Can we fill the largest gaps?

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150160
• Publication Date: 2021-09-10T02:57:33Z
• Authors: Jan E. Vermaat; Vera Biberdžić; Vjola Braho; Biljana Budzakosk...; Magdalena Cara; Zamira Dana; Pavle Đurašković; Tor Erik Eriksen; Dag Hjermann; Alma Imeri; Katarina Jovanović; Jelena Krizmanić; Lirika Kupe; Tatjana Loshkoska; Joanna Lynn Kemp; Aleksandra Marković; Suzana Patceva; Jelena Rakočević; Katarina Stojanović; Marina Talevska; Sonja Trajanovska; Sasho Trajanovski; Elizabeta Veljano...; Danijela Vidaković; Konstantin Zdraveski; Ivana Živić; Susanne C. Schneider
• Keywords: Water Framework Directive

Along six transects in each of lakes across the Western Balkans, we collected data for three groups littoral biological water quality indicators: epilithic diatoms, macrophytes, and benthic invertebrates. We assessed relationships between them environmental pressures: nutrient load (eutrophication), hydro-morphological alteration shoreline, level variation, separating effect individual continuous explanatory variables. Lake total phosphorus concentration (TP) showed substantial variation but was not related to any tested indicators, nor pressures. suggest that this may be due feedback processes such as P removal lake zone. Instead, found a gradient surrounding land-use towards increasing urbanization, land-use-based estimate run-off, served better descriptor eutrophication. Overall, eutrophication fluctuation were most important explaining whereas shoreline less important. Diatom indicators responsive all pressures, macrophyte biomass species number responded only fluctuation. The Trophic Index Lakes (TDIL) negatively urbanization wave exposure. This indicates it is suitable indicator pressures although confounding exposure possible. Invertebrate abundance strongly eutrophication, based on taxonomic composition (Average Score Per Taxon) did not. Our results our metrics can applied Balkan lakes, despite high endemic present some these lakes. argue local management should focus abating causes fluctuation, whilst preserving sufficient lengths undeveloped ensure good long run.