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The Size Structure of Unicellular Plankton (Size–Taxonomic and Size–Trophic Spectra) in a Hypertrophic Urban Lake

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Abstract

The results of an analysis of the size spectra of unicellular plankton (bacteria, algae, ciliates) in a hypertrophic freshwater urban lake (Bol’shoe Vasilyevskoe Lake, Togliatti, Russia) are presented. Two types of size spectra have been identified in the seasonal cycle. A strong nanoplanktonic maximum formed mainly by phototrophic cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta was found during the period of open water (spring to autumn); the picoplankton maximum/maxima (mainly heterotrophic bacteria) and an increased proportion of microplankton (heterotrophic and mixotrophic ciliates) were noted in the ice period. A peculiarity of the lake studied, in contrast to less productive ones, is the stability of the plankton size structure over the past 25 years.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to all their colleagues who took part in the sampling and discussion of this manuscript, as well as to E.S. Krivina for processing part of the phytoplankton samples of the lake.

Funding

The work was carried out within the framework of a State Assignment, project no. 122032500063-0.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Samara Federal Research Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Ecology of the Volga River Basin, Russian Academy of Sciences, 445003, Togliatti, Russia

    M. V. Umanskaya, S. V. Bykova & N. G. Tarasova

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  1. M. V. Umanskaya
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  2. S. V. Bykova
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  3. N. G. Tarasova
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Correspondence to S. V. Bykova.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. This article does not contain any studies involving animals or human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Umanskaya, M.V., Bykova, S.V. & Tarasova, N.G. The Size Structure of Unicellular Plankton (Size–Taxonomic and Size–Trophic Spectra) in a Hypertrophic Urban Lake. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 50, 203–214 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359022700145

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359022700145

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