Lake is not only water: signatures of environmental history and anthropogenic impact in sediments of small Estonian lakes (original) (raw)

Lake sediments are sensitive archives of environmental histories. The information derived from sediment can be helpful for management of aquatic ecosystems affected by anthropogenic impact. However, the analysis of the sediment indicators is often limited by the lack of supportive evidence that would validate the interpretation. This study investigates past changes in three small lakes for which historical monitoring records are available. Short sediment sequences, spanning over 150 years, were investigated using multiple analyses-bulk geochemical composition, fossil pigments and Cladocera remains. The sediment indicators were used to interpret major trends in the degradation of lake ecosystems that occurred during the 20 th century, including changes in lake productivity, algal bloom dynamics, erosion from catchment and pollution. The sediment data were discussed in the context of the historical and lake monitoring evidence. The integration of multiple sources of information confirmed links to the anthropogenic disturbances, primarily on the catchment level i.e. influence of drainage, town development, inflow of mining waters and pollution. The examples show how the sediment indicators provide unique insights about the causes and temporal dynamics of lake ecosystem changes which are relevant for environmental management decisions.

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