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angewandte Limnologie: Verhandlungen

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Biomanipulation of Furnas Lake, Azores: effects of

repeated fish removal

Ana Bio, Ana Couto, Rui Costa, Afonso Prestes, Natividade Vieira, Alexandre
Valente & José Azevedo

To cite this article: Ana Bio, Ana Couto, Rui Costa, Afonso Prestes, Natividade Vieira, Alexandre
Valente & José Azevedo (2009) Biomanipulation of Furnas Lake, Azores: effects of repeated fish
removal, Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie: Verhandlungen,
30:8, 1207-1209, DOI: 10.1080/03680770.2009.11923913

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/03680770.2009.11923913

Published online: 01 Dec 2017.

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Verh. lnternat. Verein. Limnol.
2009, vol. 30, Part 8, p. 1207-1209, Stuttgart, October 2009
© by E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung 2009

Biomanipulation of Furnas Lake, Azores: effects of repeated

fish removal

Ana Bio, Ana Couto, Rui Costa, Afonso Prestes, Natividade Vieira, Alexandre Valente and
José Azevedo

Introduction Study site

Fumas Lake is a small meso- to eutrophic water body located Fumas Lake is located at 37°45'30"N; 25°20'03"W, at 281 m
in an ancient volcanic crater ofSiio Miguellsland Azores. In a.s.l.. lts maximum length, width and depth are 2025 m,
addition to agricultura( nutrient inputs, high densities of her- 1600 m and 15 m, respectively, and the average depth is
bivorous fish (mainly common carp), as well as (irregular) 6.9 m. The lake has a total area of 1.93 km 2 and a basin of
hypolimnetic aeration contribute to maintain high levels of 12.45 km 2 , occupied by forest (533 ha), pasture (460 ha;
turbidity in the lake through resuspension of the nutrients mainly cattle), and agriculture (5.7 ha). Basin land use,
accumulated in the sediment. ScHEFFER et al. ( 1993) sug- excessive fertilization, and soil slope (averaging 20%) con-
gested that turbidity in shallow lakes is not a smooth function tribute to soil erosion and lake deterioration through sedi-
of their nutrient status. Lakes are thought to have 2 distinct ment and nutrient inputs (PORTEIRO 2000). DROTRH/INAG
equilibria: a clear state dominated by macrophytes anda tur- (200 1) estimated potential ditfuse nutrient sources to reach
bid state dominated by algae. A shift from turbid to clear 6.9 T/ha/yr of nitrogen (N) and 0.79 kg/ha/yr of phosphate
water conditions is favoured by ( 1) reduction ofnutrient con- (P); affiuent creeks were estimated to supply 29.8 T/yr of N
centrations, reducing algal growth; (2) increased light avail- and 1.44 T /yr of P to the lake. This exceeds the N and P loads
ability, favouring vegetation, which retains sediments, pro- permissible for such a shallow lake by 10 and 7.5 times and
tects zooplankton and consumes nutrients; and (3) reduction critica( loads for eutrophication 5 and 4 times, respectively
of planktivorous and benthos-feeding fish stock, reducing (HARPER 1992). Records ofwater quality are available since
consumption of zooplankton, which grazes on phytoplank- 1994. In 2004, total phosphorus (TP) averaged 45 11g/L and
ton, and reducing sediment resuspension with release of total nitrogen (TN) 1120 11g/L, an improvement in relation to
nutrients from the sediment pool (JEPPESEN et al. 2007). the 1995 and 1996 averages of 108 and 159 11g TP/L, respec-
To improve water quality in the Fumas lake, a substantial tively. Between 1994 and 2004, Secchi depths varied between
part of the herbivorous and bottom- feeding (thus sediment 30 and 250 cm, with turbidity apparent1y related to hypolim-
resuspending) fish population, mainly common carp, was netic aeration (Fig. 1), introduced in 1995 to increase dis-
removed. Water quality was analysed in terms of turbidity, so1ved oxygen (DO) and decrease eutrophication. The lake's
chlorophyll a, trophic state index values, macrophytes and trophic state was meso- to eutrophic, with Secchi depth-
zooplankton. based Carlson's Trophic State lndex (TSI) va1ues of 47-77
and TP-based TSI values of 42-87 in 1994-2004. Alga)
Key words: Azores, biomanipulation, warm lake, water quality b1ooms occurred regularly, especially after heavy rainfalls.

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' '' ' g. Fig. l. Secchi depth (sea-
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100 2-
ous line) and monthly
hypolimnetic aeration
o ..., ..., ..., ..., 3 (bars) in Fumas Lake; fish
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removal periods are
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0368-0770/09/1207$0.75
© by E. Schweizerbart'sche Vertagsbuchhandlung 2009
1208 Verh. lntemat. Verein. Limnol. 30
o o
"'9 "'9 "'~ "' "'9> "'9 ~e:
~
<"' Jl
::0
8 z
o
o
~ .!!¡
"'~
Q)
u.
aCiadocera I:ICopePQds IJ Rotilers •Other
The island's climate is marine temperate with an average
temperature of 13.6 oc; a dry season anda colder, wet sea-
son; anda yearly average precipitation of 1874 mm. The lake
is monomitic, stratified during April-September. Fish popu-
lation is dominated by common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and
roach (Rutilus rutilus).
Methods
Water quality measurements and plankton samples were
taken 2-4 times per month, at 4 fixed representa ti ve sample
sites. Plankton was sampled using a Schindler trap near the
bottom and at the surface. Samples were preserved in a 5%
formalin solution with 20 giL sucrose and divided into halves
with a Folsom plankton sample splitter in the lab. Zooplank-
ton was identified according to taxonomic groups: cladocera,
copepods, and rotifers. Water temperature, electrical conduc-
tivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TOS) were measured
with a Hanna Combo pH & EC HI 98129. The TSI were
computed from Secchi depth and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) meas-
urements (CARLSON 1977).
Biomanipulation took place April-June 2005, and May-
June 2006, removing 9204 kg of common carp and 4 70 kg of
roa eh in the first session, and 13 84 kg of carp in the second. We
removed 25-90% ofthe previously estimated carp population.
Results
After Biomanipulation, turbidity decreased noticeably;
however, a similar decrease was observed in 2002, and
within 1 yr turbidity approached premanipulation values
(Fig. 1). Analogously, both Secchi depth-based and Chl-
a-based TSI dropped from about 63 in late spring to
47 in summer 2005 after the first biomanipulation. In
December 2005 TSisecchi and TSichl-u had already risen to
Fig. 2. Zooplankton densi-
.... ties per taxonomic group
~ "''!o. "'9> ~e: "'9 ~01 "'~ "'9> "'
.
::¡; < ~ .;¡ ~
<
::0 Q)
(/) 8"' o
z ~
o
9
e:
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and Chl-a concentration
(line) in Fumas Lake.
55 and 67, and by winter 2007 to 65 and 69, respectively.
The EC increased, averaging 151 JlS befare and 184 JlS
after biomanipulation, as did TOS, which averaged
75 ppm befare and 92 ppm after. Cross-correlation analy-
sis between monthly average precipitation and Secchi
depth measurements from June 2005 to February 2007
revealed a significant negative correlation (-0.657)
between precipitation and one-month-later turbidity.
Macrophytes and zooplankton were only studied after
biomanipulation. Spring biomass of Egeria densa (the
dominant species) and Ceratophyllum demersum approx-
imately doubled from 2005 to 2006, while Potamogeton
lucens stayed unchanged. Zooplankton, in contrast, was
less abundant in 2006 than in 2005 (Fig. 2) and not con-
sistently related to observed Chl-a concentrations.
Discussion
Biomanipulation did not yield the desired shift toward
clear-water conditions. The decrease in turbidity did not
last, with pre-biomanipulation values reached within 1 yr
after fish removal. Furthermore trends toward higher
Chl-a were observed. Fish removal may have been insuf-
ficient for a long-term effect on water turbidity given the
lake's nutrient load (unfortunately not measured after
biomanipulation) and temperature (JEPPESEN et al. 2005,
2007). Adult fish removal is also likely to have favoured
the development of juveniles, causing increased zoo-
plankton consumption, decreased phytoplankton graz-
ing, and increased turbidity (SCHEFFER et al. 1993 ). This
could explain the observed reduction in zooplankton in
the second year after biomanipulation. Given the
observed relationship between precipitation and turbidity
 A. Bio et al., Biomanipulation of Fumas Lake, Azores 1209

and exceptionally rainy 2006 spring and winter seasons,
water quality m ay have been reduced through sediment and
nutrient input from the nutrient-rich basin. In January
2007, after extreme rainfalls in December, the lake suf-
fered the worst algal bloom recorded to date. Reinitiating
hypolimnetic aeration may have contributed to water tur-
bidity through sediment resuspension. Local authorities
now plan to improve fertilization control in the lake basin
and create retention basins in aftluent creeks to retain sol-
ids and nutrients and reduce sediment accumulation and
eutrophication in the lake. However, available data series
are short, and variations in water quality, macrophytes, and
zooplankton may be dueto yearly variations. To assess pos-
sible long-term results, continued monitoring offish stock,
macrophytes, zooplankton and water quality (including
nutrient concentrations) is proposed.
An extensive description of this study can be found in
BIO et al. (2008).
References
Bio, A., A. CauTO, R. CosTA, A. PRESTEs, N. VIEIRA, A.
VALENTE & J. AZEVEDO. 2008. Effects offish removal in
the Fumas Lake, Azores. Arquipélago - Life an Marine
Scienes 25: 77-87.
CARLSON, R.E. 1977. A trophic state index for lakes. Limnol.
Oceanogr. 22: 361-369.
[DROTRH/INAG) DIREcc;:i\o REGIONAL DO ÜRDENAMENTO
DO TERRITÓRIO E DOS RECURSOS HÍDRICOS-SECRETARIA
REGIONAL DO AMBIENTE/INSTITUTO DA ÁGUA. 200 l.
Plano Regional da Água da Regiao Autónoma dos A¡;o-
res-Versao para Consulta Pública. Ponta Delgada (in Por-
tuguese).
HARPER, D. 1992. Eutrophication of freshwaters. Chapman
& Hall. London.
JEPPESEN, E., M. S0NDERGAARD, N. MAZZEO, M. MEER-
HOFF, C. BRANCO, V. HuszAR & F. ScAsso. 2005. Lake
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Reddy [ed.], Restoration and management of tropical
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lishing Co.
JEPPESEN, E., M. MEERHOFF, B.A. JACOBSEN, R.S. HAN-
SEN, M. S0NDERGAARD, J.P. JENSEN, T.L. LAURIDSEN, N.
MAZZEO & C.W.C. BRANCO. 2007. Restoration of shal-
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Hydrobiologia 581: 269-285.
PoRTEIRO, J.M. 2000. Lagoas dos A¡;ores: elementos de
suporte ao planeamento integrado. Ph.D. dissertation,
Univ. of Azores (in Portuguese with English abstr.).
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J EPPESEN. 1993. Altemative equilibria in shallow lakes.
Trends Eco!. Evo!. 8: 275-279.

Authors' addresses: Ana Bio 1 (E-mail: anabio@ciimar.up.pt), Ana Couto 2, Rui Costa 2, Afonso Prestes 2, Natividade Vieira u,
Alexandre Valente3.4, José Azevedo 3
1
CIMAR/CIIMAR- Centro lnterdisciplinar de Investiga¡;ao Marinha, Universidade do Porto, Ruados Bragas 289, 4050-125
Porto, Portugal.
2
Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos A¡;ores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal.
3
Departamento de Zoologia e Antropologia, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
4
Unidade de Investiga¡;ao em Eco-Etologia, ISPA, Lisbon, Portugal.