RECRUITMENT AND PELAGIC GROWTH OF <i>GLOEOTRICHIA ECHINULATA</i> (CYANOPHYCEAE) IN LAKE ERKEN¹

Abstract

Different parameters in the life cycle of the colony forming cyanobacterium Gloeotrichia echinulata (J.E. Smith) Richter was evaluated in Lake Erken, Sweden. Recruitment of colonies from the sediments and pelagic abundance were measured during 2 years. These data were then used in a model to evaluate and estimate parameters of the life cycle. In our study, recruitment alone only contributed to a small part (&lt;5%) of the maximum G. echinulata abundance that occurred during late summer. However, recruitment from shallow sediments forms the important seed for the pelagic population. Together with measured rates of migration from the sediment, variations in either pelagic colony division rate or pelagic residence time could explain variations in the measured abundance of G. echinulata in situ.