QUANTITATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OLIGOCHAETE COMMUNITIES AND PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATIONS IN LAKES

SUMMARY.  The relative abundance of oligotrophic species in tubificid and lumbriculid communities was related to phosphorus concentration in eight lakes of Western Europe and three large lakes of North America.  Mean annual concentrations of total phosphorus, recorded in the whole lake during the 5 years preceding the sampling of worms, were averaged and this mean was used to indicate the trophic state.  Mean relative abundance (%) of oligotrophic species (OS) was negatively correlated with mean concentrations (mg m−3) of total phosphorus (TP): OS = 80.29 – 8.35 TP0.5r2= 0.81  Location and depth from which worms were sampled also influenced values of OS. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved