Gonyostomum semen (Ehr.) Diesing bloom formation in nine lakes of Polesie region (Central–Eastern Poland)

¹ Department of Hydrobiology, University of Life Sciences, Dobrzańskiego 37, Lublin 20-062, Poland
² Department of Botany and Hydrobiology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1H, Lublin 20-708, Poland
³ Department of General Ecology, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 15, Lublin 20-950, Poland

^* Corresponding author: wojciech.peczula@up.lublin.pl

Received: 28 May 2013
Accepted: 19 July 2013

Abstract

Using data from nine lakes, sampled between 2002 and 2010, as well as literature we have analysed blooms of Gonyostomum semen (Ehr.) Diesing in a new spreading area (Polesie region, Central–Eastern Poland). We tried to determine habitat suitability for high biomass of the species, including both physicochemical and morphometric features. High biomass of Gonyostomum (>1.4 mg.L⁻¹) was found in three groups of coloured water bodies: (a) very small (<0.002 km²) peat pits with low pH values and mineral content; (b) larger ponds with neutral pH values and intermediate conductivity; (c) natural lakes with intermediate parameters in terms of area, pH and mineral content. There were no statistical differences regarding the values of the species biomass among the groups of lakes. Gonyostomum biomass was closely positively correlated with water colour, whereas it was weakly negatively correlated with lake area and depth. The results show that G. semen in a new spreading area bloomed in a broad spectrum of freshwater habitats.