Vertical distribution of phototrophs in the pelagic zone of three small Lobelia lakes

The community structure and biomass of pelagic phototrophs, with a particular focus on the picoplanktonic fraction, were studied in three small, soft-water lakes in the Pomerania Lake District (north Poland). The smallest phototrophs were usually dominated by picocyanophytes, both single-celled and colonial. Picochlorophytes were less frequent, and they formed dense populations only in one lake. The nano- and microplankton included many groups of organisms, but the main groups were comprised of dinoflagellates, chrysophytes and chroococcoid and/or filamentous cyanophytes and large raphidophytes. Community structure changed significantly with depth and in all lakes remarkable differences were observed between the epilimnion and both the meta- and hypolimnion. The hypolimnion was characterized by the presence of photosynthetic green sulfur bacteria or their symbiotic consortia.