Abstract
Lake Ladoga (the largest lake in Europe) was characterized by good water quality some decades ago. Now as a result of human impact, the saprobity and toxicity of water have changed, phytoplankton biomass has increased, and populations of many sensitive species have declined. Morphological deformities of invertebrates are observed in heavily polluted areas and toxic effects are commonly encountered in fishes. The ecological crisis of Lake Ladoga is caused by human activities in its drainage area. This area is characterized by a relatively high degree of industrialization and economic development. The adverse environmental effects appear to be spatially irregular, occurring mostly in isolated bays and near-shore areas, especially when thermal bars are present, but there is also evidence of general increase of nutrient concentrations in the entire lake. Urgent measures should be taken for restoration of Lake Ladoga ecosystem.
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Drabkova, V.G., Rutnyantsev, V.A., Sergeeva, L.V. et al. Ecological problems of Lake Ladoga: causes and solutions. Hydrobiologia 322, 1–7 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031798
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031798