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<p>This study describes the subfossil diatom flora in the surface sediments of the Polish coastal waters in relation to human impact. The material studied consists of the uppermost parts of seven sediment cores collected from the SW Gulf of Gdańsk and eight cores from the Vistula Lagoon. Our results show the present-day ecological state of both basins just before the planned construction of a navigable channel of the Vistula Spit, which will be the next factor affecting their hydrology. In different parts of the Gulf of Gdańsk, cultural eutrophication resulted in a distinct “anthropogenic assemblage” in the surface sediments. Its structure relates directly to the distance from the mouth of the Vistula River. In the surface assemblages of the Vistula Lagoon, the number of salt-tolerant diatoms increased with the salinity of the basin. Locally, a large number of pollution-resistant taxa was also observed.</p>
</abstract>

This study describes the subfossil diatom flora in the surface sediments of the Polish coastal waters in relation to human impact. The material studied consists of the uppermost parts of seven sediment cores collected from the SW Gulf of Gdańsk and eight cores from the Vistula Lagoon. Our results show the present-day ecological state of both basins just before the planned construction of a navigable channel of the Vistula Spit, which will be the next factor affecting their hydrology. In different parts of the Gulf of Gdańsk, cultural eutrophication resulted in a distinct “anthropogenic assemblage” in the surface sediments. Its structure relates directly to the distance from the mouth of the Vistula River. In the surface assemblages of the Vistula Lagoon, the number of salt-tolerant diatoms increased with the salinity of the basin. Locally, a large number of pollution-resistant taxa was also observed.

Diatom record of progressive anthropopressure in the Gulf of Gdańsk and the Vistula Lagoon

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This study describes the subfossil diatom flora in the surface sediments of the Polish coastal waters in relation to human impact. The material studied...

Diatom record of progressive anthropopressure in the Gulf of Gdańsk and the Vistula Lagoon

Article Category: Original research paper

Published Online: Jun 18, 2018

Page range: 167 - 180

Received: Sep 05, 2017

Accepted: Oct 27, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ohs-2018-0016

© 2018 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.