BOREAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH 4: 215–227 ISSN 1239-6095 Helsinki 30 September 1999 © 1999 Effects of nutrient load on species composition and productivity of phytoplankton in Lake Ladoga Anna-Liisa Holopainen1) and Galina I. Letanskaya2) 1) Karelian Institute, Department of Ecology, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, FIN-80101 Joensuu, Finland; 2) Institute of Limnology, Academy of Sciences, Sevastyanov Street 9, 196199 St. Petersburg, Russia. Holopainen, A.-L. & Letanskaya, G. I. 1999. Effects of nutrient load on species composition and productivity of phytoplankton in Lake Ladoga. Boreal Env. Res. 4: 215–227. ISSN 1239-6095 As part of the joint Russian-Finnish evaluation of human impact on Lake Ladoga, we studied the phytoplankton species composition, biomass, chlorophyll a content and primary production in the lake in order to estimate the state of eutrophication. Samples were collected from 9–31 sampling stations in August 1992–95. In the surface water, the phytoplankton biomass varied from 0.3 to 6.6 g m–3 fresh weight, chlorophyll a from 1.7 to 18.6 mg m–3 and the primary productivity of phytoplankton from 33 to 471 mg C m–3 d–1. The biomass was lowest close to the western shore and highest in the Sortavala Bay. Blue-green and green algae were abundant inshore and small crypto- phyceans (Rhodomonas lacustris, Cryptomonas spp.) offshore. In the most nutrient- rich parts of Lake Ladoga (Volkhov, Sortavala and Svir bays) the phytoplankton com- munities were dominated mainly by blue-greens and cryptomonads. Areas close to the Vuoksa and Burnaya rivers were dominated by diatoms (Diatoma tenuis, Asterionella formosa, Tabellaria fenestrata, Aulacoseira italica, A. granulata, Melosira varians, Fragilaria crotonensis, Stephanodiscus binderanus and Synedra actinastroides). In the 1970s and 1980s eutrophication was seen not only as changes in species composi- tion of phytoplankton but also as growing biomass and algal primary productivity. The maximum mean total phosphorus content (26 mg m–3) was attained during the late 1970s when the mean biomass of algae was six times and the maximum values 20 times those in the 1960s. In the 1990s the tendency has been towards decreasing phosphorus content (1992–95 mean 18 mg m–3), but the changes in phytoplankton productivity between years were connected mainly with temperature. On the basis of phytoplankton biomass, chlorophyll a content and primary production, Lake Ladoga can presently be classified as a mesotrophic lake. The most eutrophicated areas are found in the northern archipelago and in areas influenced by large rivers. 216 Holopainen & Letanskaya • BOREAL ENV. RES. Vol. 4 Introduction of 47 m and a maximum depth of 230 m (Sorokin et al. 1996). The residence time of the water is Loading from various industries, agriculture and 12.3 years. The total river discharge to the lake is settlement change the lake ecosystems by increas- about 71 km3 a–1 (68–80 km3 a–1, Kirillova 1987). ing the nutrient content or harmful compounds in The catchment area of Lake Ladoga is 258 800 km2, the lake water. This directly affects the hydrobiol- 75% of which is located in Russia and 25% in ogical development of the lake. Changes can be Finland. The largest rivers draining to Lake Lad- seen in algal biomass and species composition, oga are the Volkhov, the Syas, the Svir and the chlorophyll a content and primary productivity Burnaya (Vuoksa), which together bring the main (Dillon and Rigler 1974, Willén 1992). The phy- load to this lake. The total phosphorus load (from toplankton species composition, in particular, natural, nonpoint and point sources) brought by seems to be very sensitive to waste water loading those rivers is 4 400 t a–1 (Raspletina et al. 1987, (Stoermer 1988, Holopainen et al. 1996, Karjalai- Drabkova et al. 1996, Lozovik et al. 1997). nen et al. 1996). Low water temperatures, a short growing sea- Since the beginning of the 1960s, Lake Ladoga son and ice cover in winter are typical features has eutrophied, and changes can be seen especially affecting the ecosystem of Lake Ladoga. Ice for- in some loaded bays and littoral areas of the lake. mation starts in mid-November but the lake freezes Algal densities, especially those of blue-greens, over completely only during cold winters (Tikho- have increased in these areas in particular. Due to mirov 1982). The ice normally begins to break up wind induced currents, some harmful blooms of in April. From mid-July to mid-August the depth blue-green algae have also been found in the pelag- of epilimnion is about 10 metres; in south the layer ic areas. Values of primary productivity and chlo- is somewhat deeper and in north a little less. rophyll a content indicate clear changes in the lake Considerable spatial variation in water qual- since 1973. ity is characteristic of Lake Ladoga. In 1987–1989 The plankton communities of Lake Ladoga the mean summer concentration of phosphorus in have been studied intensively during this century. the water was 20–21 mg m–3 in the pelagic zone Balakhontsev (1909) was one of the first to study (deeper than 15 m) and 32 mg m–3 in the littoral the structure of the phytoplankton community of zone (Raspletina 1992). During the August 1993 Lake Ladoga in the beginning of the 1900s. Since expedition, the mean total phosphorus concentra- 1975 the phytoplankton of Lake Ladoga and its tion of the surface water varied from 15 to 28 mg productivity have been studied by Petrova (1987), m–3 and the mean total nitrogen concentration from Letanskaya et al. (1987), Petrova et al. (1992), 593 mg m–3 to 670 mg m–3 (Niinioja et al. 1996). –3 Letanskaya and Hindák (1992), Holopainen et al. The highest nitrogen (Ntot max. 810 mg m ) and –3 (1992), Holopainen et al. (1996), Letanskaya and phosphorus (Ptot 61 mg m ) concentrations were Protopova (1996), and Rahkola et al. (1994). The measured in the south-eastern part of the lake. In changes in phytoplankton are reflected on other addition to the high nutrient concentrations, the trophic levels of the ecosystem, indicating seri- water is also turbid (3.5 FTU; Formazine turbid- ous changes in water quality, especially in pol- ity units) in this area. The point-source load of luted areas (Raspletina 1992, Holopainen et al. phosphorus (610 t a–1) brought by the Volkhov 1966). The aim of this research is to evaluate the River is 87% of the total incoming load (Lozovik present state of Lake Ladoga as revealed by phy- et al. 1997). High phosphorus concentrations were toplankton biomass, species composition and pro- also measured close to the town of Sortavala (26 mg ductivity. This study is part of the joint multi- –3 disciplinary Russian-Finnish evaluation of human m at 1 m depth). The lowest nutrient concentra- –3 impact on Lake Ladoga. tions (Ptot 12 mg m ) were always observed in the pelagic areas of western Ladoga. The effects of water currents caused by wind are very important Study area for explaining the patterns in the water quality of Lake Ladoga (Beletsky 1996). In 1993–95 the Lake Ladoga is a large (area 17 891 km2, volume transparency (Secchi depth) of the water was high- 837 km3), open and deep lake with a mean depth est (max. 3.4 m) in the deeper northern pelagic BOREAL ENV. RES. Vol. 4 • Effects of nutrient load on phytoplankton 217 areas and lowest in the loaded shallow areas in 19, 33, 306) at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 15 and 20 metres the bays of Sortavala and Volkhov (< 1.4 m). depth. All phytoplankton samples consisted of five Colour of the water varied from 25 to 90 g Pt m–3 in lifts with a Limnos-type sampler. The combined 1993–95 and the highest values were measured sample of ca.15 litre was mixed in a vial and sub- in southern part of the lake (Niinioja et al. 1997). sampled with a glass bottle. Samples for chloro- The difference between the mean temperature phyll a and primary production were taken from values of the warmest and coldest year was 3.2 °C the same vial. Phytoplankton samples have been (Table 1). fixed with formalin in Russia but during the joint The pulp and paper industry, the chemical in- studies Lugol’s solution was used to ensure bet- dustry and agriculture, together with human set- ter state of preservation. The methods used for tlements and air pollution, are the most important phytoplankton identification, biomass calculation sources of nutrients, phenollignosulfate, heavy and chlorophyll a analysis are given in detail in metals and organic matter (Raspletina et al. 1987). Holopainen et al. (1996). Pulp and paper industry effluents are important Primary production measurements were made in the north, close to Pitkäranta and Läskelä (the with an oxygen method on board a research vessel latter mill closed since 1989), in the south (Syas (24 h incubation of 100 ml light and dark bottles in River) and in the west coast (effluents of Sveto- aquarium in the daylight). The Winkler titration gorsk). The areas close to the Volkhov River are was used in the oxygen determination. The gross exposed to effluents from the chemical industry. production results were expressed as organic car- The load from human settlement dominates in the bon content (Vinberg 1960). Primary production areas adjacent to the town of Sortavala. was calculated per square metre according to Bulion (1994). The determination of trophic state of Lake Ladoga was based on the classification of Likens Material and methods (1975), and Forsberg and Ryding (1980). Chlorophyll fluorescence was measured with In August, in each of the years 1992–1995, phy- a Turner Designs model 10 automatic continu- toplankton samples were collected from Lake Lad- ous-flow fluorometer, which was furnished with oga.