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Remote sensing of phytoplankton-macrophyte coexistence in shallow hypereutrophic fluvial lakes

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Abstract

We investigated with remote sensing (APEX images) the coexistence of phytoplankton and macrophytes in three interconnected shallow and hypereutrophic fluvial lakes (Mantua Lakes, Northern Italy). High concentrations of chlorophyll-a, up to 60 mg m−3, were determined in the open water between well-developed stands of floating-leaved, submerged, and emergent macrophytes. Our data suggest a general inhibition of phytoplankton by macrophytes, evidenced by decreasing chlorophyll-a concentrations in proximity of macrophyte stands. Chlorophyll-a concentrations halved in the proximity of emergent stands (~6 mg m−3 within 21 m from the stand border) when compared to the outer zones (~13 mg m−3). Contrasting trends were observed for submerged stands, where concentrations decreased inwards from ~8 to ~3 mg m−3. Floating leaved stands had a neutral effect, chlorophyll-a being nearly constant in both inner and outer zones. Overall, remotely-sensed data allow evaluation of quantitative and spatially defined interactions of macrophytes and phytoplankton at the whole ecosystem scale.

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Acknowledgments

This study was part of the European Facility for Airborne Research (EUFAR) project. Many thanks go to the VITO team for enabling this activity to be performed, and particularly to K. Meuleman for his precious support. This study was co-funded by two projects: CYAN-IS-WAS (a science and technological cooperation between Italy and the Kingdom of Sweden, Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca); and CLAM-PHYM (Contract ASI I/015/11/0). R. Bolpagni was supported by a fellowship from Emilia-Romagna Region (measure 323—PSR 2007/2013 Emilia Romagna Region; project “Updating of the knowledge of plant species present in the Natura 2000 sites of Emilia Romagna Region” CUP E34l11000030006—CIG. N.2560368283), and M. Pinardi was supported by a fellowship from the Mincio Regional Park (project: “Definition of the Minimal Vital Flow of the Mincio River”). We gratefully acknowledge ARPA Lombardy for providing physico-chemical and weather data. We thank F. Coburn for revising the English of the manuscript. We are very grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Life Sciences Department, University of Parma, V.le Usberti 11/A, 43124, Parma, Italy

    Rossano Bolpagni, Mariano Bresciani, Alex Laini, Monica Pinardi, Pierluigi Viaroli & Marco Bartoli

  2. Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, National Research Council, Via Bassini 15, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Mariano Bresciani, Erica Matta & Claudia Giardino

  3. Department of Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Eva M. Ampe

  4. VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium

    Eva M. Ampe

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  1. Rossano Bolpagni
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Correspondence to Rossano Bolpagni.

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Guest editors: M. T. Ferreira, M. O'Hare, K. Szoszkiewicz & S. Hellsten / Plants in Hydrosystems: From Functional Ecology to Weed Research

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Bolpagni, R., Bresciani, M., Laini, A. et al. Remote sensing of phytoplankton-macrophyte coexistence in shallow hypereutrophic fluvial lakes. Hydrobiologia 737, 67–76 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-013-1800-6

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