ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Changes in the Trophic Status of Three Mountain
Lakes – Natural or Anthropogenic Process?
Elwira Sienkiewicz, Michał Gąsiorowski
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Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw Research Center,
Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2014;23(3):875-892
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ABSTRACT
Three sediment cores have been studied from the Morskie Oko (MOK), Przedni Staw Polski (PSP), and
Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy (CSG) lakes to examine the recent environmental history of the alpine lakes located
in the Polish part of the Tatra Mountains (Carpathians). Changes in the total phosphorus concentration in
the water over the past centuries were reconstructed based on diatom data (DI-TP), assuming that diatoms are
good indicators of productivity in lakes. The results of the analysis showed significant alterations in the trophic
status of the studied lakes over the past 50 years. Clear changes from oligotrophy to mesotrophy occurred
in the lakes located close to year-round mountain huts on the shores of MOK and PSP. In contrast, DI-TP
decreased in CSG, and the only symptom of higher productivity in the lake was an increase in total organic
carbon.