Physico-chemical limnology of eleven, mostly saline permanent lakes in western Victoria, Australia

Abstract

Major physico-chemical features of eleven, mostly saline permanent lakes situated on volcanic terrain in western Victoria, Australia, are described. All are large (1.1 to 251 km² in area), and most are shallow (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGabeOEayaara% aaaa!3702!\[{\text{\bar z}}\]= <6 m). Mean salinities were 0.3 to 56.6 g 1⁻¹, and seasonal differences were slight. Major ion dominances were Na > Mg > Ca ≷ K : Cl > HCO₃ + CO₃ > SO₄. Generally, pH was 8.0 to 9.0. Nitrogen not phosphorus appeared to be a limiting plant nutrient. The shallow lakes were often highly turbid and had low secchi disc transparencies (sometimes < 5 cm).