Ecological aspects of selected principal phytoplankton taxa in Lake Piaseczno

Lake Piaseczno is a unique basin that was created twenty years ago, as the disused opencast sulfur mine in southern Poland was naturally inundated. Large amounts of sulfur dioxide limited seasonal phytoplankton development while simultaneously reducing the number of species. The chrysophyte Dinobryon divergens was one of the species which did develop intensively during mid summer. Other taxa that were noted often included the dinoflagellates Peridinium and Ceratium and the cyanobacteria Anabaena (early summer). Coccal green algae, diatoms, and euglenophytes were among the other numerous species noted. The hard, saline waters and the high concentration of sulfur hydrogen near the bottom along with the toxic impact of heavy metals create specific conditions that are favorable for some algae species while undesirable to others.