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The paleolimnological analysis of sediments from high mountain lake Nižné Terianske pleso in the High Tatras (Slovakia)

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Abstract

Sedimentological climate proxies and a 200-year long climate record, reconstructed using a data-set of European-wide meteorological data, have been compared at the high mountain lake Nižné Terianske pleso in the High Tatras, Slovakia. Diatoms, chrysophyte stomatocysts, chironomids, plant pigments and spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) were analysed as well as sediment lithostratigraphic parameters. Using a radiometric approach the sediment core was dated and a depth of 4.6 cm was found to correspond to 1852 AD. The sediment accumulation rate (0.0034 g·cm−2·yr−1) was one of the lowest identified in the European mountain lake project, MOLAR. Despite this slow accumulation rate a remarkably coherent lithological and stratigraphic record has been recovered. The sediments of this remote mountain site, largely free from the effects of direct human impact, have been found to display a wealth of variability over the last 200 years.

The record of spheroidal carbonaceous particles, indicators of anthropogenic pollution deposition, begins around 4.5–5.0 cm in depth (1833–1857). Temporal patterns are typical of European lake sites with the concentration peaking in the late 1970's. The SCP/210Pb inventory ratio for the site is also in good agreement with the European latitudinal pattern. A strong influence of sample age on the chrysophyte assemblage composition in the upper-most 4–6 cm indicates that the main changes in the cysts have been related to long term environmental changes, probably pH. Analysis of chironomid remains revealed a stable profundal community. Chironomids as a whole showed no correlations to temperature fluctuations in the last 200 years. Relatively abundant remains of Diamesa sp. head capsules and other taxa closely associated with stream conditions in the older layers contrast with the absence of Diamesa sp. in the recent sediments. This change is considered to be evidence for the existence of a stronger, more stable inlet supplied from permanent granular snow fields in the lake basin. The most important changes in diatom assemblages were observed at 3cm. Many species of the genus Achnanthes spp. together with Navicula schmassmannii and Orthoseira roeseana made up the greatest part of the diatom community above 3 cm, being absent or rare lower in the record. A positive correlation between diatoms and mean summer temperature was found.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hydrobiology, Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK-842 06, Bratislava, Slovakia

    F. Šporka & E. Štefková

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Technical University in Zvolen, Kolpašská 9B, SK-969 01, Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia

    P. Bitušík

  3. Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK

    A.R. Thompson & A. Agustí-Panareda

  4. Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK

    P.G. Appleby

  5. Botanical Institute, University of Bergen, Allégaten 41, N-5007, Bergen, Norway

    J.A. Grytnes

  6. Institute of Limnology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Gaisberg 116, 5310, Mondsee, Austria

    C. Kamenik

  7. Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences of, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina B-2, SK-842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia

    I. Krno

  8. Italiano di Idrobiologia, CNR-Istituto, Largo Tonollo, 50, 28922, Verbania-Pallanza, Italy

    A. Lami

  9. Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, London, WC1H 0AP, UK

    N. Rose & N.E. Shilland

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  1. F. Šporka
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  2. E. Štefková
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Šporka, F., Štefková, E., Bitušík, P. et al. The paleolimnological analysis of sediments from high mountain lake Nižné Terianske pleso in the High Tatras (Slovakia). Journal of Paleolimnology 28, 95–109 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020376003123

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