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Nitrile hydrolyzing moderate halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp. IIIMB2797 was isolated from Sambhar Lake, India. Maximum cell biomass and nitrilase production were observed at 60 g L−1 NaCl in the production media which confirms its moderate halophilic nature. Nitrilase of Halomonas sp. IIIMB2797 proved to be inducible in nature as maximum activity was observed when valeronitrile was added in the production media. Whole cells of Halomonas sp. IIIMB2797 exhibited broad substrate affinity towards aromatic and aliphatic nitriles. Optimum pH and temperature for nitrilase activity was observed at 7.0 and 45 °C, respectively. Effect of salinity on nitrilase activity was also studied and maximum activity was observed in presence of 50 g L−1NaCl in 0.1 M phosphate buffer of pH 7.0. The interesting feature of the study is that whole cells of Halomonas sp. IIIMB2797 exhibited higher nitrilase activities in presence of organic solvents which may be useful in biotransformation of nitriles to corresponding carboxylic acids for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interior snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) population declines and deteriorating conditions throughout the Southern Great Plains (SGP) of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma may be linked to environmental contaminants. Concentrations of V, As, Cd, Pb, and Se were quantified in breeding snowy plover blood, feathers (5th primary; P5), and potential prey (tiger beetles [Cicindela circumpicta and C. togata]). Se was (a) most commonly detected relative to other quantified elements and (b) frequently quantified at levels exceeding background or toxicity thresholds. Of samples greater than instrumentation detection limits, 98% of snowy plover blood and 22% of feather samples were greater than Se toxicity thresholds of 1 ppm ww for blood and 5 ppm dw for feathers (blood quantifiable range: 0.83-15.12 ppm; feathers quantifiable range: 1.90-27.47 ppm). Almost all tiger beetle Se concentrations were below reported invertebrate thresholds of 30 ppm dw (quantifiable range: 0.54-45.84 ppm). Snowy plover blood Se concentrations were related to sex, individual body condition, and local tiger beetle Se concentrations, while plover P5 Se concentrations were related to state, sex, and presence of body molt. Tiger beetle Se concentrations were related to individual study sites in Texas. These results provide some of the first evidence of Se exposure risk for interior snowy plovers nesting in saline lake and alkali flat environments of the SGP. Future efforts should focus upon specific Se uptake pathways during breeding and nonbreeding seasons, as snowy plovers breeding in the SGP appear to be exposed to Se throughout their annual cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Asia is one of the world largest regions, which has been relatively poorly studied from the microbiological point of view. The lakes of this region have a broad range of ecological conditions, from lowmineral to hypersaline ones. Long-term observations revealed that microbial communities of these lakes reflect the climatic and ecological changes in this region. Genomic research showed that some microbial species were found only in Central Asian lakes, but not in other regions of the world. The combination of these factors makes Central Asian lakes a promising subject for microbiological investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonal dynamics of the vertical structure of small saline Lake Uchum, located in the steppe arid zone of the south of Siberia (Krasnoyarsk krai), has been studied in detail for the first time. This lake is a meromictic water body. We have revealed a heterogeneous vertical distribution of plankton organisms and a dense population of purple sulfuric bacteria in the redox zone. The taxonomic composition and seasonal dynamics of phyto- and zooplankton are described. Presumably, the meromixis of Lake Uchum is due to the inflow of fresh water to the surface of the saline water body during the rise of its level in the early 20th century, similarly to lakes Shira and Shunet located nearby. The processes of salt displacement into the solution during the formation of ice, as well as the precipitation of salts in the winter, also contribute to the maintenance of permanent stratification. The information on the current state of the lake can be useful for reconstructing the climate by bottom sediments, as well as for creating a model of water quality and investigating the therapeutic properties of lake mud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake Urmia, in northwest Iran, is the second most saline lake in the world. During the past two decades, the level of water has markedly decreased. In this paper, climate of the lake region is investigated by using data from four meteorological stations near the lake. The data include climatic parameters such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, sunshine hours, number of rain days, and evaporation. Climate around the lake is examined by way of climate classification in the periods before and after the reduction in water level. Rainfall in the lake catchment is also evaluated using both gauge and satellite data. The results show a significant decreasing trend in mean annual precipitation and wind speed and an increasing trend in annual average temperature and sunshine hours at the four stations. Precipitation and wind speed have decreased by 37 mm and 2.7 m/s, respectively, and the mean annual temperature and sunshine hours have increased by 1.4 °C and 41.6 days, respectively, over these six decades. Only the climate of the Tabriz region is seen to have significantly changed, going from semiarid to arid. Gauge records and satellite data show a large-scale decreasing trend in rainfall since 1995. The correlation between rainfall and year-to-year changes in lake level is 0.69 over the period 1965 to 2010. The relationship is particularly strong from the early 1990s to 2005. This suggests that precipitation has played an important role in the documented decline of the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur (S) plays a significant role in saline environments, and sulfate (SO 4 2 − ) is an important component of the biogeochemical S-cycle since it acts as the main electron acceptor in anoxic sediments. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the fate of S, its origin, and processes affecting sulfate outcome in the hypersaline Pétrola Lake in the Castilla-La Mancha region (High Segura Basin, SE Spain). The lake is the terminal discharge zone of an endorheic basin with considerable anthropogenic pressures. Anthropogenic activities (mainly agricultural inputs and wastewater discharge), together with bedrock leaching of sulfate and sulfide-rich sediments, increase dissolved SO 4 2 − in surface and groundwater up to 123,000 mg/L. The source and fate of sulfate in this environment was investigated coupling hydrochemistry, including hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) microprofiles, isotopic analyses (δ 34 S, δ 18 O SO4 , δ 2 H H2O , δ 18 O H2O , and tritium), mineralogical determinations, and molecular biology tools (16S rDNA amplification and sequencing). The origin of dissolved SO 4 2 − in water is related to pyrite oxidation from Lower Cretaceous sediments, and secondary gypsum dissolution. Under the lake, dissolved SO 4 2 − decreases with depth, controlled by three main processes: (1) seasonal evaporation cycles, (2) hydrodynamic instability caused by the different density-driven groundwater flow, and (3) sulfate-reduction processes, i.e. dissimilatory bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR). These processes control the continuous recycling of sulfur in the system. Lake water and groundwater are in hydraulic connection, and a density-driven flow (DDF) is able to transport reactive organic matter and dissolved SO 4 2 − towards the underlying aquifer. Hydrochemical evolution in depth, H 2 S production (up to 0.024 nmol/cm 3 ·s) and the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria suggest the existence of BSR processes. However, isotope techniques are insufficient to elucidate BSR processes since their isotopic effect is masked by low isotope fractionation and high SO 4 2 − concentrations. The pattern here described may be found in other saline basins worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the investigation of the durability of a low-calcium fly ash based geopolymer concrete (GPC) mix in a saline lake environment. Core specimens from the GPC and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete structures underwent durability assessment including in-situ carbonation, chloride and sulphate ingress, microstructural characterization and porosity analysis. It was found that the particular GPC mix design studied was more vulnerable to carbonation and the deterioration effects due to chloride and sulphate ingress in GPC were higher than OPC concrete after 6 years of exposure. According to FT-IR and XRD analysis, there was no evidence of carbonation reaction products remaining in GPC. This indicates that the carbonation products dissolved when in contact with water, which caused high porosity of the concrete surface thereby facilitating more diffusion into the concrete. This study revealed that the development of a durable geopolymer concrete mix design for aggressive environments requires appropriate consideration of binder chemistry and preliminarily durability property testing to avoid premature deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saline Lake Shira (Southern Siberia, Russia) was meromictic through the observation period 2002–2015. During the under-ice periods of 2015 and 2016, complete mixing of the water column was recorded for the first time, and hydrogen sulphide temporarily disappeared from the water column of the lake; i.e. in those years the lake turned to holomixis. In the summer of 2015, a sharp increase in chlorophyll a , organic carbon, zooplankton, and phytoflagellates was observed in the lake, which was probably due to the release of nutrients from the monimolimnion. Purple sulfur bacteria completely disappeared from the lake after the first mixing in 2015, and did not reappear despite the restoration of meromixis in 2017. Thus, it was demonstrated that purple sulfur bacteria are sensitive to the weakening of the stratification of Lake Shira. Based on the data of the seasonal monitoring of temperature and salinity profiles over the period 2002–2017, it was presumed that the main cause of deep mixing in 2015 was the weakening of the salinity gradient due to strong wind impact and early ice retreat in the spring of 2014. In addition, it was shown that in previous years a significant contribution to the maintenance of meromixis was made by an additional influx of fresh water, which caused a rise in the lake level in the period 2002–2007. Thus, we identified a relationship between the stratification regime of the lake and the change in its level, which provides valuable information both for the forecast of water quality and for reconstruction of the Holocene climate humidity in this region of Southern Siberia from the sediment cores of Lake Shira. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain GSS12, a Gram-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated, ovoid- to rod-shaped (0.5-0.7 × 0.9-3.0 µm) bacterium, was isolated from Yuncheng Saline Lake, China. Growth occurred with 0.5-16.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 4.5 %), at pH 5.0-10.0 (optimum pH 6.0-6.5) and at 10-50 °C (optimum 37 °C). The major fatty acids (>5.0 %) found in GSS12 were summed feature 8 (72.2 %), C (9.0 %) and C ω7 c 11-methyl (6.4 %). The DNA G+C content was 62.7 mol%. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain GSS12 forms a stable clade with species of the genus Roseovarius, being related to R. pacificus 81-2 and R. litoreus GSW-M15 with 97.9 and 96.7 % of sequence similarity, respectively. The DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain GSS12 and R. pacificus 81-2 and R. halotolerans HJ50 were low (36 and 29 %, respectively). The phenotypic, physiological, biochemical and genetic characteristics support the assignment of strain GSS12 to the genus Roseovarius and represent a novel species. The name Roseovarius lacus sp. nov. is proposed, with strain GSS12 (=KCTC 52185 =MCCC 1K02302) as the type strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the expansion of sugarcane monoculture over the period 1957-2010 and its implications for land degradation and land management measures in the semi-arid northern Main Ethiopian Rift Valley. It used multi-scale and multi-temporal imageries aided by qualitative surveying to investigate the dynamics of land use and cover changes. The study applied both a pixel-based supervised classification and feature extraction methods at subclass levels and merged them into major compatible and comparable land use and cover groups. The results indicated a substantial transformation in the landscape over 53 years (1957-2010), which is attributed to expansion of sugarcane plantation, saline lake water, and smallholder farmland and settlements. The land use and cover changes culminated in reduction of native vegetation cover and biodiversity loss, encroachment of non-native species, and occurrence of soil salinity. Major causes that justify the changes include (1) macro-economic changes and policy shifts towards agricultural development, (2) change in underground hydrology, (3) population growth, and (4) sedentarization of the traditional pastoral community. Proper measures should aim at addressing the trade-off between economic development and environmental sustainability. Moreover, management opportunities should base on the understanding of socioeconomic and biophysical settings and balance the sustenance of the local people and ecological function of the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In North America, most species of the Candonidae family belong to the genus Candona. These species are frequently found in freshwater ecosystems and in sediment sequences, which makes them valuable tools for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Knowledge of Mexican Candona species is limited, however, and scant information exists regarding their taxonomy and ecology. Here we describe Candona alchichica, a new ostracod species we suggest being endemic to Lake Alchichica, central Mexico. The species belongs to the acuminata group of species, based on the presence of 5+1 setae on the second segment of the mandibular palp. It is closely related to C. patzcuaro, C. tahoensis and C. ohioensis, but differs from those species in that the females have an elongated genital field, wide at the base and narrow at the end. Males have elongated hook-like prehensile palps and a particular arrangement of lobes in the hemipenis, i.e., the a-lobe is inclined with a digitiform basal projection, the b-lobe is distally rounded and the h-lobe is square-shaped and exceeding the length of the b-lobe. Candona alchichica n. sp. and C. patzcuaro display very similar shells in length and morphology, which can cause confusion if identification is carried out in the absence of soft parts, a common situation when dealing with carapace and valve remains in sediment cores. Detailed morphometric analyses, however, revealed a clear difference between the valves of the two taxa. Candona alchichica n. sp. has taller valves (P<0.05), with concave dorsal margin, and with the anterior margin considerably narrower than posterior margin, all characteristics different from C. patzcuaro. Most important, in spite of their similar shape, the two species exhibit contrasting ecological preferences. Candona alchichica n. sp. inhabits clear, cold, saline, oligotrophic waters, whereas C. patzcuaro dwells in turbid, warm, fresh, eutrophic waters. In addition, we include a revision of the morphological characteristics and taxonomic position of C. patzcuaro, based on type material and specimens collected from the type locality (i.e., Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán). This study highlights the importance of undertaking detailed morphometric analyses of the recent ostracod fauna to provide reliable taxonomic identifications and ecological characterizations of species, which are critical for accurate paleoclimatic and paleoecological reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow alkaline saline lakes are often found in the Brazilian Pantanal and although their extreme conditions are adverse to many phytoplankton organisms, they may support growth of dense cyanobacterial blooms. Here, we tested the hypothesis of reduced cyanobacterial diversity in these stressful environments, investigating changes between rainy and dry periods and analyzed which methodology would be best suited to assess this community. The cyanobacteria were studied in three lakes at three time periods, using morphological (microscopy) and molecular approaches (DGGE and ARDRA analyses of 16S rRNA gene segments). All methods showed that cyanobacteria dominance was higher during dry periods, probably as a consequence of intensified selective pressure by the increased solute concentration. Anabaenopsis elenikinii was the major bloom-forming cyanobacterium, followed by Arthrospira platensis. Interestingly, these two species never coexisted, but differentiated stages of one were observed during dominance of the other, suggesting that they may be excluding competitors. These life-stage differences, only detected through microscopic examination, show the importance of this approach. However, the detection of small-unseen picocyanobacteria and mainly the possibility to access population genotype diversity reinforce the relevance of molecular techniques. Therefore, this polyphasic methodology was particularly suitable to assess cyanobacteria communities in these extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denitrifying and anammox bacteria are involved in the nitrogen cycling in marine sediments but the environmental factors that regulate the relative importance of these processes are not well constrained. Here, we evaluated the abundance, diversity, and potential activity of denitrifying, anammox, and sulfide-dependent denitrifying bacteria in the sediments of the seasonally hypoxic saline Lake Grevelingen, known to harbor an active microbial community involved in sulfur oxidation pathways. Depth distributions of 16S rRNA gene, nirS gene of denitrifying and anammox bacteria, aprA gene of sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria, and ladderane lipids of anammox bacteria were studied in sediments impacted by seasonally hypoxic bottom waters. Samples were collected down to 5 cm depth (1 cm resolution) at three different locations before (March) and during summer hypoxia (August). The abundance of denitrifying bacteria did not vary despite of differences in oxygen and sulfide availability in the sediments, whereas anammox bacteria were more abundant in the summer hypoxia but in those sediments with lower sulfide concentrations. The potential activity of denitrifying and anammox bacteria as well as of sulfur-oxidizing, including sulfide-dependent denitrifiers and sulfate-reducing bacteria, was potentially inhibited by the competition for nitrate and nitrite with cable and/or Beggiatoa-like bacteria in March and by the accumulation of sulfide in the summer hypoxia. The simultaneous presence and activity of organoheterotrophic denitrifying bacteria, sulfide-dependent denitrifiers, and anammox bacteria suggests a tight network of bacteria coupling carbon-, nitrogen-, and sulfur cycling in Lake Grevelingen sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has unique salt lake resources, and they are distributed in the east of Eurasian salt lake subzone of the Northern Hemisphere Salt Lake Zone, mainly concentrated in the regions with modern mean annual precipitation lower than 500 mm. This paper preliminarily reviews the progress made in salt lake research in China for the past 60 years. In the research of Paleoclimate and paleoenvironment from salt lake sediments, a series of salts have been proposed to be indicators of paleoclimate, and have been well accepted by scholars. The chloride-sulfate depositional regions of the west Qaidam and the east Tarim have been revealed to be the drought center of China since the Quaternary, and more than 6 spreading stages of arid climate (salt forming) have been identified. Five pan-lake periods with highstands have been proved to exist during the late Quaternary on the Tibetan Plateau. In mineral resource prospecting and theories of the forming of salt deposits: the atlas (1:2500000) of hydrochemical zoning of salt lakes on the Tibetan Plateau has been compiled for the first time, revealing the zonal distribution and transition from carbonate type to chloride type from south to north and presenting corresponding mineral assemblages for different type of salt lakes; several large continental salt deposits have been discovered and the theory of continental potash deposition has been developed, including the salt deposition in deep basins surrounded by high mountains, the mineral deposition from multistage evolution through chains of moderate or shallow lakes with multilevels, the origin of potassium rich brines in gravel layers, and the forming of potassium deposits through the inheriting from ancient salt deposits, thus establishing the framework of 'Continental Potash Deposition Theory'; several new types of Mg-borate deposits have been discovered, including the ulexite and pinnoite bed in Da Qaidam Lake, Qinghai, the pinnoite and kurnakovite bed in Chagcam Caka, Tibet, the kurnakovite bed in Lake Nyer, and the corresponding model of borate deposition from the cooling and dissolution of boron rich brines was proposed based on principles of geology, physics and chemistry. The anti-floatation-cold crystallization method developed independently has improved the capacity of KCl production to 3 million tons per year for the Qarham, serving the famous brand of potash fertilizer products. One 1.2 million ton K-sulfate production Une, the biggest in the world, has been built in Lop Nor, and K-sulfate of about 1.6 million tons was produced in 2015. Supported by the new technology, Le. brine preparation in winter-cooling-solarization-isolation-lithium deposition from salt gradient solar pond' the highest lithium production base at Zabuye Lake (4421 m), Tibet, has been established, which is the first lithium production base in China that reaches the year production of 5000 tons of lithium carbonate. The concept of Salt lake agriculture (Salt land agriculture) has been established based on the mass growth of Dunaliella and other bacillus-algae and the occurrence of various halophytes in saltmarsh and salt saline-alkali lands, finding a new way to increase arable lands and develop related green industry in salt rich environments. Finally this paper presents some new thoughts for the further research and development on salt science, and the further progress in salt science and technology will facilitate the maturing of the interdisciplinary science 'Salinology'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although extremely important to migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, and highly threatened globally, most saline lakes are poorly monitored. Lake Abert in the western Great Basin, USA, is an example of this neglect. Designated a critical habitat under the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, the lake is at near record historic low levels and ultra-high salinities that have resulted in ecosystem collapse. Determination of the direct human effects and broader climate controls on Lake Abert illustrates the broader problem of saline lake desiccation and suggests future solutions for restoration of key habitat values. A 65-year time series of lake area was constructed from Landsat images and transformed to lake volume and salinity. “Natural” (without upstream withdrawals) conditions were calculated from climate and stream flow data, and compared to measured volume and salinity. Under natural conditions the lake would have higher volume and lower salinities because annual water withdrawals account for one-third of mean lake volume. Without withdrawals, the lake would have maintained annual mean salinities mostly within the optimal range of brine shrimp and alkali fly growth. Even during the last two years of major drought, the lake would have maintained salinities well below measured values. Change in climate alone would not produce the recent low lake volumes and high salinities that have destroyed the brine shrimp and alkali fly populations and depleted shorebird use at Lake Abert. Large scale withdrawal of water for direct human use has drastically increased the imbalance between natural runoff and evaporation during periods of drought in saline lakes worldwide but could be offset by establishing an “environmental water budget” to lay a foundation for the conservation of saline lake habitats under continued threats from development and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isabel Lake is a moderate saline soda crater lake located in Isabel Island in the eastern tropical Pacific coast of Mexico. Lake is mainly formed by rainfall and is strongly affected by evaporation and high input of nutrients derived from excretions of a large bird community inhabiting the island. So far, only the island macrobiota has been studied. The knowledge of the prokaryotic biota inhabiting the upper layers of this meromictic lake can give clues for the maintenance of this ecosystem. We assessed the diversity and composition of prokaryotic community in sediments and water of the lake by DGGE profiling, 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing, and cultivation techniques. The bacterial community is largely dominated by halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms. Alpha diversity estimations reveal higher value in sediments than in water ( P > 0.005). The lake water is dominated by γ-Proteobacteria belonging to four main families where Halomonadaceae presents the highest abundance. Aerobic, phototrophic, and halotolerant prokaryotes such as Cyanobacteria GPIIa, Halomonas, Alcanivorax, Idiomarina, and Cyclobacterium genera are commonly found. However, in sediment samples, Formosa, Muricauda, and Salegentibacter genera corresponding to Flavobacteriaceae family accounted for 15-20 % of the diversity. Heterotrophs like those involved in sulfur cycle, Desulfotignum, Desulfuromonas, Desulfofustis, and Desulfopila, appear to play an important role in sediments. Finally, a collection of aerobic halophilic bacterial isolates was created from these samples; members of the genus Halomonas were predominantly isolated from lake water. This study contributes to state the bacterial diversity present in this particular soda saline crater lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake Urmia (Urumiehin Persian) in north-western Iran is one of the largest permanent hyper-saline lakes in the world and the largest lake in the Middle East. It has numerous ecological, economic and social implications in terms of biodiversity, climate, species, habitat, tourism and recreation. However, during the past decade, the lake has shrunk significantly and its depth has fallen by almost 6 m. Contrary to other studies that have focused on the geomorphology of the lake, this study analyses the socio-environmental impact and provides a sustainable adaptive governance management model for its revival. This study reveals that unless various stakeholders and affected parties are actively involved in an implementable adaptive governance model, the fate of the lake will remain uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersaline meromictic lakes are extreme environments in which water stratification is associated with powerful physicochemical gradients and high salt concentrations. Furthermore, their physical stability coupled with vertical water column partitioning makes them important research model systems in microbial niche differentiation and biogeochemical cycling. Here, we compare the prokaryotic assemblages from Ursu and Fara Fund hypersaline meromictic lakes (Transylvanian Basin, Romania) in relation to their limnological factors and infer their role in elemental cycling by matching taxa to known taxon-specific biogeochemical functions. To assess the composition and structure of prokaryotic communities and the environmental factors that structure them, deep-coverage small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA (rDNA) amplicon sequencing, community domain-specific quantitative PCR and physicochemical analyses were performed on samples collected along depth profiles. The analyses showed that the lakes harbored multiple and diverse prokaryotic communities whose distribution mirrored the water stratification patterns. Ursu Lake was found to be dominated by Bacteria and to have a greater prokaryotic diversity than Fara Fund Lake that harbored an increased cell density and was populated mostly by Archaea within oxic strata. In spite of their contrasting diversity, the microbial populations indigenous to each lake pointed to similar physiological functions within carbon degradation and sulfate reduction. Furthermore, the taxonomy results coupled with methane detection and its stable C isotope composition indicated the presence of a yet-undescribed methanogenic group in the lakes' hypersaline monimolimnion. In addition, ultrasmall uncultivated archaeal lineages were detected in the chemocline of Fara Fund Lake, where the recently proposed Nanohaloarchaeota phylum was found to thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennially stratified salt lakes situated in the Transylvanian Basin (Central Romania) were surveyed for the diversity of culturable halophilic archaea (Fam. Halobacteriaceae). The physical and chemical characteristics of the waters indicated that all the investigated lakes were meromictic and neutral hypersaline. Samples collected from upper, intermediate, and deeper water layers and sediments were used for the isolation of halophilic strains followed by 16S rRNA gene-based identification and phenotypic characterization. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that all 191 isolates reported in this study and 43 strains previously isolated were affiliated with the family Halobacteriaceae and classified to 18 genera. Haloferax was the most frequently isolated genus (~47 %), followed by Halobacterium spp. (~12 %), and Halorubrum spp. (~11 %). Highest culturable diversity was detected in Brâncoveanu Lake, the oldest and saltiest of all studied lakes, while the opposite was observed in the most stable and least human-impacted Fără Fund Lake. One strain from Ursu Lake might possibly constitute a novel Halorubrum species as shown by phylogenetic analysis. Several haloarchaeal taxa recently described in Asian (i.e., Iran, China) saline systems were also identified as inhabiting the Transylvanian salt lakes thus expanding our knowledege on the geographic distribution of Halobacteriaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study of the resting stages and ecological role of crustaceans in Crimean hypersaline lakes in Ukraine. It states that lake sediment samples were obtained from the dried parts of the lakes. It mentions different crustaceans observed in the lakes including copepoda (Arctodiaptomus salinus), Anostraca (Artemia parthenogenetica), and ostracods (Eucypris mareotica).

This paper presents data on the major and trace element composition of saline lakes of western Mongolia. The main geochemical types of lakes distinguished in the study are soda-, chloride-, and sulfaterich lakes. Lake water equilibria with major carbonate, sulfate, chloride, and other rock-forming minerals were calculated. The results show that the major factors controlling the formation of each lake type include evaporation and water-rock interaction processes, and the latter factor plays a critical role in freshwater and soda lakes and only a minor role in chloride lakes. Special attention was given to the soda lakes and the factors controlling lake water chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calanoid copepod Acartia italica is the only metazoan plankton species surviving and reaching high abundance in the middle Adriatic saline coastal Lake Rogoznica. Seasonal variations in the abundance of nauplii, copepodites, adults and their faecal pellets were assessed in the period January 2000 to December 2004. Development and behaviour of A. italica were regulated by thermohaline conditions, biology (phytoplankton, bacteria, ciliates), and chemistry (organic matter, dissolved oxygen, reduced sulphur species) of the lake. The diatom Chaetoceros curvisetus could provide important food for A. italica adult specimens; however, great diatom abundances could reduce copepod reproductive ability. This study show that top-down control which characterized the lake ecosystem before the disastrous anoxia event in 1997 were re-established again [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the Earth's most extreme aqueous chemistries are found at acid saline lakes and associated shallow groundwaters. Modern lakes and groundwaters in Western Australia have pHs as low as 1.5, total dissolved solids as high as 32%, unusually high concentrations of Al, Si, Fe, As, and Sb, and many other chemical characteristics atypical of natural waters. Analogous Permian red bed and evaporite lake deposits in the US midcontinent also had extreme water compositions, including negative pH. Fluid inclusions in chemical sediments from modern and Permian acid saline lakes record specific physical, chemical, and biological conditions. Primary inclusions in this bedded halite and gypsum are trapped shallow lake water, air bubbles, crystals of other minerals, and microorganisms and organic compounds. Isolated fluid inclusions in early diagenetic phases of halite are remnants of shallow groundwaters and can be analyzed to determine chemical compositions of past groundwaters. A variety of traditional methods, including petrography, freezing-melting microthermometry and laser Raman spectroscopy, and innovative variations, such as homogenization of artificially nucleated vapor bubbles and UV-vis petrography, produce data detailing environmental conditions. Other traditionally used methods, such as laser ablation ICP-MS, are not effective due to the inclusions' high and complex salinity, extremely low pH and/or low pressure. Making synthetic solutions that match the complexity of natural acid saline inclusions is another challenge. Fluid inclusions in acid-precipitated halite have proven to be excellent repositories for past surface chemical, physical, and biological conditions. Although the methods used and data obtained from acid-precipitated halite and gypsum are not exactly the same as for neutral-alkaline evaporites, acid inclusions provide high-resolution environmental data for modern and ancient extreme environments. These extreme fluids may also have similarities to other past extreme environments, to ore mineralizing fluids, and to past liquids on Mars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatoms have been regularly used as bioindicators to assess water quality of surface waters. However, diatom-based indices developed for a specific geographic region may not be appropriate elsewhere. We sampled benthic diatom assemblages in the upper Han River, a subtropical river in China, to evaluate applicability of 14 diatom-based indices used worldwide for water quality assessment. A total of 194 taxa from 31 genera were identified in the dry season and 139 taxa from 23 genera in the wet season. During the dry season, significant relationships were found for all but one of the diatom-based indices (Index Diatom Artois-Picardie) with one or more physical and chemical variables including nutrients and ion concentrations in river waters. The Biological Diatom Index (IBD) and diatom-based eutrophication/pollution index (EPI-D) were strongly related to trophic status and ionic content, while Watanabe's Index was related to organic pollution and conductivity. Yet, the diatom indices showed weak relationships with physical and chemical variables during the wet season. It suggests that diatom-based indices developed in Europe can be applied with confidence as bioindicators of water quality in subtropical rivers of China, at least during base-flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous colonies of the invasive colonial ascidian Didemnum vexillum Kott, 2002 have been found in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy) in 2012, overgrowing fouling organisms on maritime structures such as docks, pilings, and pontoons. This is the first record for the Mediterranean Sea. A survey conducted in July 2012 revealed that D. vexillum is present in the euhaline and tidally well flushed zones of the lagoon, whereas it was absent at the examined estuarine tracts and at the zones surrounding the saltmarshes. Suitable climatic, physiographic and saline features together with a high volume of international maritime traffic make the Lagoon of Venice a perfect hub for the successful introduction of temperate non-native species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to determine the effects of local hydrography on the distribution, abundance and feeding of chaetognaths in the Lazarev Sea, an area strongly controlled by physical processes which has been held responsible for initiating the Weddell Polynya. Zooplankton samples were taken at 39 stations on four transects located between 6°W and 3°E and from 60°S to 70°S between surface and 350 m. The dominant species, Eukrohnia hamata, accounted for 86.5% of all chaetognaths, followed by Sagitta gazellae (8.1%) and Sagitta marri (5.4%). These three species showed distinct vertical and horizontal distribution patterns. While E. hamata and S. marri had maximum abundances below 250 m depth, S. gazellae showed a narrow distribution band in the upper 150 m depth. The distribution pattern was strongly modified at the Greenwich meridian with an upward transport of a high abundance of deep dwelling organisms ( S. marri and E. hamata) and a displacement of S. gazellae to the surface, likely coupled with the rise of the warm, saline halo around the Maud Rise. Small copepods were the main prey of all three chaetognath species. Feeding rates (FR) varied among species and depth. Sagitta marri showed the highest FR with 0.38 prey d, followed by S. gazellae and E. hamata (0.22 and 0.07 prey d). Feeding rates were usually highest in the 25-80-m stratum. Size distribution and maturity of E. hamata revealed a dominance of small and immature organisms along all depths and stations, suggesting that this area might be acting as an important source of recently spawned organisms to the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogenetic and functional structure of the microbial community residing in a Ca-rich anoxic sediment of a sub-saline shallow lake (Laguna de Carrizo, initially operated as a gypsum (CaSO × 2 HO) mine) was estimated by analyzing the diversity of 16S rRNA amplicons and a 3.1 Mb of consensus metagenome sequence. The lake has about half the salinity of seawater and possesses an unusual relative concentration of ions, with Ca and SO being dominant. The 16S rRNA sequences revealed a diverse community with about 22% of the bacterial rRNAs being less than 94.5% similar to any rRNA currently deposited in GenBank. In addition to this, about 79% of the archaeal rRNA genes were mostly related to uncultured Euryarchaeota of the CCA47 group, which are often associated with marine and oxygen-depleted sites. Sequence analysis of assembled genes revealed that 23% of the open reading frames of the metagenome library had no hits in the database. Among annotated genes, functions related to (thio) sulfate and (thio) sulfonate-reduction and iron-oxidation, sulfur-oxidation, denitrification, synthrophism, and phototrophic sulfur metabolism were found as predominant. Phylogenetic and biochemical analyses indicate that the inherent physical-chemical characteristics of this habitat coupled with adaptation to anthropogenic activities have resulted in a highly efficient community for the assimilation of polysulfides, sulfoxides, and organosulfonates together with nitro-, nitrile-, and cyanide-substituted compounds. We discuss that the relevant microbial composition and metabolic capacities at Laguna de Carrizo, likely developed as an adaptation to thrive in the presence of moderate salinity conditions and potential toxic bio-molecules, in contrast with the properties of previously known anoxic sediments of shallow lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food limitation is one of the most important extrinsic factors influencing population dynamics in aquatic ecosystems, but the spatial patterns of resource limitation and their influence on zooplankton species have not been investigated. We tested the hypothesis that the occurrence and intensity of food limitation may vary both spatially and temporally, and that the irregular population dynamics of the rotifers Brachionus group plicatilis and Hexarthra jenkinae in a saline, warm-monomictic, oligotrophic lake (Alchichica, Central Mexico) can be attributed to resource limitation. We estimated plankton abundance and composition and performed 19 laboratory experiments to assess the intensity of food limitation (Δr) at three selected depths in the water column. Most of the phytoplankton biomass consisted of algae inedible to rotifers, and good-quality food (phytoplankton ≤20 µm + small heterotrophic flagellates) was frequently below the threshold food concentration for Brachionus species. The vertical distribution and abundance of rotifers were correlated with the availability of food resources. Food limitation was observed during mixing and late stratification; however, the intensity of limitation was rather similar throughout the water column owing to the overall scarcity of resources in the lake. Hexarthra seldom appeared. We conclude that the irregular pattern of rotifer abundance we observed is a consequence of the interplay between the harsh conditions of scarce food availability, resulting in intense resource competition and opportunities for rapid exploitation of opportunities when food outbursts occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great Salt Lake, Utah, is a large, terminal, hypersaline lake consisting of a northern more saline arm and a southern arm that is less saline. The southern arm supports a seasonally abundant fauna of low diversity consisting of brine shrimp ( Artemia franciscana), 7 species of brine flies, and multiple species of algae. Although fish cannot survive in the main body of the lake, the lake is highly productive, and brine shrimp and brine fly populations support large numbers of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as resident waterfowl, shorebirds, and gulls. Selenium and other trace elements, metals, and nutrients are contaminants of concern for the lake because of their concentrations in municipal and industrial outfalls and runoff from local agriculture and the large urban area of Salt Lake City. As a consequence, the State of Utah recently recommended water quality standards for Se for the southern arm of Great Salt Lake based on exposure and risk to birds. The tissue-based recommendations (as measured in bird eggs) were based on the understanding that Se toxicity is predominately expressed through dietary exposure, and that the breeding shorebirds, waterfowl, and gulls of the lake are the receptors of most concern. The bird egg-based recommended standards for Se require a model to link bird egg Se concentrations to their dietary concentrations and water column values. This study analyzes available brine shrimp tissue Se data from a variety of sources, along with waterborne and water particulate (potential brine shrimp diet) Se concentrations, in an attempt to develop a model to predict brine shrimp Se concentrations from the Se concentrations in surrounding water. The model can serve as a tool for linking the tissue-based water quality standards of a key dietary item to waterborne concentrations. The results were compared to other laboratory and field-based models to predict brine shrimp tissue Se concentrations from ambient water and their diet. No significant relationships were found between brine shrimp and their dietary Se, as measured by seston concentrations. The final linear and piecewise regression models showed significant positive relationships between waterborne and brine shrimp tissue Se concentrations but with a very weak predictive ability for waterborne concentrations <10 µg/L. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2011;7:478-482. © 2011 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The partition coefficients (KD) guiding the uptake of Mg and Sr in the low-Mg calcite valves of ostracodes in Australian saline lakes have been reviewed in line with new information on the bicarbonate content and the αMg/αCa of the ambient waters. Strongly alkaline and very high αMg/αCa (>>20) waters cause the partition coefficients of ostracodes to differ significantly from those found in other lakes with lower αMg/αCa values. Water salinity does not affect the uptake of Mg or Sr in ostracode valves, whereas the αHCO3 - of the water strongly correlates to KD[Sr], with high αHCO3 - resulting in a significant KD[Sr] decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In high-salinity and water-scarce environments, such as in hot and dry deserts, species develop adaptive strategies that are necessary for living in such harsh conditions. Continental ephemeral salt lakes (sabkhas) with periodic flooding from subsurface groundwater followed by high salt concentrations, such as the ones of the northern Africa Chotts, rank among the geological settings wherein the combined effect of salt concentration and fluctuation of water availability make the environment unstable and can thereafter lead to extreme changes. The present study investigates the continental sabkha environments of southern Tunisia, in which ecological niches (i.e. water and salt precipitates, including halite, gypsum, and dolomite) host microbial life. Halophilic microorganisms can be trapped in the extensive saline crusts of halite and gypsum, which can be regarded as the first step of their delivery to the fossil record. The study of halophiles can provide clues for the understanding of life strategies in extreme terrestrial environments, such as sabkhas, which are potential good terrestrial analogs for evaporite-bearing Martian deposits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Natural hypersaline waters are widely distributed around the globe, as both continental surface waters and sea floor lakes, the latter being maintained by the large density difference between the hypersaline and overlying marine water. Owing to the extreme salt concentrations, close to or at saturation (approximately 35%, w/v), such waters might be expected to be devoid of life but, in fact, maintain dense populations of microbes. The majority of these microorganisms are halophilic prokaryotes belonging to the Domain Archaea, ‘haloarchaea’. Viruses infecting haloarchaea are a vital part of hypersaline ecosystems, in many circumstances outnumbering cells by 10–100-fold. However, few of these ‘haloviruses’ have been isolated and even fewer have been characterised in molecular detail. In this review, we explore the methods used by haloviruses to replicate within their hosts and consider the implications of haloviral–haloarchaeal interactions for salt lake ecology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The heterotrophic dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida was detected in Ace Lake in the Vestfold Hills, eastern Antarctica by using real-time PCR based on 18S rDNA sequences. Antarctic water samples collected in 2004 were tested by species-specific real-time PCR assays for the identification of P. piscicida and P. shumwayae. Positive results were shown with P. piscicida-specific real-time PCR, and PCR products were examined by sequence analysis for confirmation. A phylogenetic tree made from partial 18S rDNA sequences showed that the Antarctic clone clustered with P. piscicida. This result suggests that P. piscicida is present in the extreme conditions of an Antarctic saline lake which has not contained fish for thousands of years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1984 when Bill Williams highlighted the regionalization of salt lakes in Australia, little was known about lakes in the remote inland. It was thought the invertebrate fauna of such lakes was depauperate due to their being poor evolutionary loci associated with extreme episodicity. However, work in the last two decades, has shown the fauna of many inland lakes is relatively rich. Part of the reason for restricted faunas in the larger lakes is habitat homeogeneity. Nevertheless there is little diversification at the species level, indicating restrictions on speciation. There are also limits on diversity imposed by the harsh environment, as indicated by the lack of forms unable to survive severe desiccation, e.g. higher crustaceans. Lakes in central and the eastern inland are dominated by characteristic lower crustaceans such as Parartemia minuta, Daphniopsis queenslandensis, Moina baylyi, Trigonocypris globulosa and a new mytilocyprid ostracod, as well as some forms widespread in Australia and in salt lakes on other continents. This invertebrate fauna is just as distinct as those of other salt lake districts in southern Australia, further reinforcing the concept of regionalization in Australia. The fish fauna of central and eastern salt lakes is also largely specific, but the waterbirds are not as they have responded to the episodicity by nomadism and habitat flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Western Australia, populations of Artemia parthenogenetica in coastal salt lakes at Rottnest Island and Lake Hayward, and in salterns at Port Hedland and Shark Bay, are widely accepted to have been introduced by humans. Further, within the past 10 years, populations of A. parthenogenetica have been found in inland playa salt lakes in the wheatbelt of south-west Western Australia, where none had been recorded in previous salt lake studies. Here we hypothesise that birds act as transport vectors for Artemia cysts both within Australia and between the Asian and Australian continents. Allozyme analysis was used to identify clonal types (multi-locus genotypes), clonal frequencies, genotypic diversities and genotypic identity of six populations (three coastal, three inland). Overall, the inland populations displayed almost identical genotypic structure to the coastal population from Lake Hayward, indicating that Lake Hayward could be the major source for dispersal and colonisation of inland populations. Results support the hypothesis of dispersal inland by nomadic bird species. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the inland and Lake Hayward populations may be an example of a metapopulation. The greater variety of genotypes present in the Rottnest population indicates that this population has received a large number of small immigrations, or that it received one large introduction. The former may indicate a long period of suitable salinities, providing a greater time-span over which migration and succession of clonal types could occur in comparison to other populations. While we cannot rule out the possibility of human introduction of A. parthenogenetica to Rottnest, the hypothesis of cyst dispersal along the Austral-Asian flyway remains possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of 11 sites covering three large (>10 km long, 6 sites) playa lakes and four pans (<1 km2, 5 sites) of the Yarra Yarra salt lake system in the Northern Agricultural Region of Western Australia commenced in 2001. These salt lakes are shallow and ephemeral, with inundation being more regular following winter rainfall, but summer inundation also occurred in 2001. Salinity was generally higher in playas (156–368 g l−1) than pans (30–284 g l−1), but salinity responded noticeably to heavy rainfall events, especially in pans. pH values in the playa lakes (6.68–7.82) were less variable than in the pans (6.81–8.08). The range of dissolved oxygen concentrations was greater in pans (3.7–14.4 mg l−1) than in playas (3.9–8.2 mg l−1). Cationic concentrations generally followed the pattern of sea water cation dominance. Benthic microbial communities comprised either cohesive to loosely mucilaginous mats, or thin films of diatoms. Five genera of diatom and two species of filamentous cyanobacteria were recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caecidotea williamsi Escobar-Briones & Alcocer (2002) is the first asellid described from a saline aquatic habitat in America, Alchichica crater-lake, Puebla, Central Mexico. No previous reports exist for asellid isopods from inland saline waters in America in spite of the extensive research undertaken so far on the continent. Differing from other asellids, C. williamsi inhabits saline waters (i.e. 8.5 g l−1) dominated by sodium, magnesium, chloride, and bicarbonate ions and markedly alkaline (pH 9.0 ± 0.1). Water temperature ranges from 14.5°C throughout the water column in winter and in the deep waters for the rest of the year, up to 20°C in the surface waters in summer. C. williamsi occurs in a depth range of surface to 30 m (lake’s maximum depth is 64 m), below which an anoxic layer is found during 9 months of the year. Generally it lives cryptically in tufa crevices and at shallower depths many inhabit empty trichopteran cases embedded within the tufa crevices. Some specimens are heavily covered by epizooic ciliates on the thoracic and abdominal segments of the exoskeleton and the pleopods. Data are presented on the diet, possible predators, saprobity and trophism, and regional distribution of C. williamsi. The continued survival of this unique isopod is threatened by anthropogenic desiccation of its habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Salton Sea currently suffers from several well-documented water quality problems associated with high nutrient loading. However, the importance of phosphorus regeneration from sediments has not been established. Sediment phosphorus regeneration rates may be affected by benthic macroinvertebrate activity (e.g. bioturbation and excretion). The polychaete Neanthes succinea (Frey and Leuckart) is the dominant benthic macroinvertebrate in the Salton Sea. It is widely distributed during periods of mixing (winter and spring), and inhabits only shallow water areas following development of anoxia in summer. The contribution of N. succinea to sediment phosphorus regeneration was investigated using laboratory incubations of cores under lake temperatures and dissolved oxygen concentrations typical of the Salton Sea. Regeneration rates of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) were lowest (−0.23–1.03 mg P m−2 day−1) under saturated oxygen conditions, and highest (1.23–4.67 mg P m−2 day−1) under reduced oxygen levels. N. succinea most likely stimulated phosphorus regeneration under reduced oxygen levels via increased burrow ventilation rates. Phosphorus excretion rates by N. succinea were 60–70% more rapid under reduced oxygen levels than under saturated or hypoxic conditions. SRP accounted for 71–80% of the dissolved phosphorus excreted under all conditions. Whole-lake SRP regeneration rates predicted from N. succinea biomass densities are highest in early spring, when the lake is mixing frequently and mid-lake phytoplankton populations are maximal. Thus, any additional phosphorus regenerated from the sediments at that time has potential for contributing to the overall production of the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the various studies made on aquatic ecology, management and conservation in Australia. Australian limnologists and aquatic managers are recognized for their valuable contributions to global limnology and water resource management. The problems of eutrophication and acidification are becoming serious issues to tackle for limnologists. Discussion was made on the trends in salt lake ecology and management. A citation of major limnological research in the country was also presented in this article.

In May and July 2001, the biological and ecological features of 22 salt lakes in northern Tibet , China, were investigated.Their salinity ranged from 1 to 390 g l−1. One hundred and thirty two samples were collected. Ninty five taxa of phytoplankton and 42 taxa of zooplankton were recorded. The dominant cation was sodium, with magnesium generally sub-dominant; CO was the dominant anion in low salinity, chloride was the dominant anion with increasing salinity. Major species were Gloeothece linearis, Oscillatoria tenuis, Chroococcus minutus (blue-green algae); Navicula spp, Cymbella pusilla, Diatoma elongatum(diatoms); Dunaliella salina, Chlorella vulgarisand Ulothrix tenerrima (green algae). Major zooplankton included: Vorticella campanula, Epistylis daphniae (Protista); Keratella quadrata, Brachionus plicatilis (Rotifera); Artemiaspp. (Anostraca); Daphniopsis tibetana (Cladocera); Cletocamptus dertersiand Cyclops vicinus (Copepoda). Ten species were recorded in hypersaline waters; apart from those metioned above, they included Cyclidiumspp Litonotus fasciola, Euplotes terricola, Strombilidium viride, Brachionus variabilis, Colurella adriatica, Keratella cochlearis, Colurella adriatica, and Cyclops sp. Seven taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates are recorded, represented by Cyprissp. (Ostracoda), Gammarus sp. (Amphipoda), Radixsp. and Hippeutis sp. (Mollusca); chiroonomids Tendipus group salinarius (Diptera), Nematoda, Trochophora and Ephrdra sp. At present, there are fishes only in Bangong Co., and no fishes recorded in other salt lakes. The total number of plankton species has a significantly negative correlation with the salinity, and decreased with increasing altitude, but not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geochemical investigations of interstitial waters from the Salton Sea, CA reveal evidence of concentrated brines in the sediments underlying the lake’s two basins. The brines are likely caused by the gradual dissolution of evaporite deposits. The chemical composition of the brine in the northern basin is dominated by magnesium and sulfate and differs from the southern basin where the dominant components are sodium and chloride. Sediment depth distributions of major ions and porosity indicate diffusion of salts from the sediments into the overlying waters in both basins. Benthic fluxes have been calculated for the four most abundant ions: magnesium, sodium, sulfate and chloride. For the northern basin we calculate diffusive fluxes of 3.7 × 10-2, 8.2 × 10-2, 44 × 10-2, and 5.4 × 10-2 g cm-2 yr-1 for magnesium, sodium, sulfate and chloride, respectively. For the southern basin we calculate diffusive fluxes of 0.9 × 10-2, 9.7 × 10-2, 6.9 × 10-2, and 25 × 10-2 g cm-2 yr-1 for these same ions. By scaling up our results we estimate the salinity flux from the sediment to the water column to be between 3.6 × 104 and 3.6 × 105metric tons per year, equivalent to 1-10% of the riverine input. These results are important for developing strategies to combat rising salinity in the Salton Sea, CA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Major biological parameters of four permanent (Lake Colac, Modewarre, Bolac and Tooliorook), shallow and slightly saline lakes in the volcanic plains of western Victoria, Australia recorded bi-monthly between November 1999–September 2001 are described. Chlorophyll a concentration ranged from 3–29 μg l−1 with peaks in autumn. Phytoplankton taxa recorded were diverse, with Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta being common. Cyanobacterial blooms were recorded mostly in summer. Zooplankton abundance in the lakes ranged from 12–368 individuals per litre. Rotifera dominated Lake Bolac, Copepoda dominated Lake Modewarre and they co-dominated Lake Colac and Tooliorook. Zooplankton interactions with phytoplankton suggest that simple predator-prey relationships cannot fully explain the trends exhibited and that a more complex model was acting to regulate algal biomass. A decline in the abundance of zooplankton in summer in Lake Modewarre was attributed to predation by high number of exotic larval carp at that time of the year. A total of 25 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were recorded from Lake Colac, 30 from Modewarre, 22 from Bolac and 35 from Tooliorook. Twenty-one of the 45 taxa identified occurred in at least three lakes. Nine of the 12 taxa that occurred in only one lake were from Lake Tooliorook. Simpson''s diversity index was low in Lake Bolac when compared to other three lakes. Lake Modewarre had more benthic individuals (3246 Ind m−2) than other three lakes (range 624–1397 Ind m−2). The combined contribution of Ostracoda, Amphipoda and Gastropoda dominated the benthos in all the lakes throughout the study period. Macroinvertebrate taxa richness was higher in the present study lakes than recorded from the lakes in the region. Frequency of sampling and number of sampling sites seemed more important in determining species richness than the size and shallowness of the lakes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Major physico-chemical parameters of four saline lakes (Lake Colac, Modewarre, Bolac and Tooliorook), in the volcanic plains of western Victoria (Australia), recorded bi-monthly between November 1999–September 2001 are described. Lakes are permanent, large (surface area range 3.5–29.6 km2) and shallow (mean depth range 1.5–3.9 m). Physico-chemical parameters revealed that lakes were homogenous with few differences between sites within lakes. Of the four lakes, Lake Modewarre had the highest salinity of 8 ppt with weak seasonal fluctuations in salinity in all the lakes. All the lakes were turbid (turbidity range 30–659 NTU), with low light penetration (suspended solids range 23–465 mg l−1) and low Secchi depth (Secchi depth range 7.7–89 cm). pH of the lakes varied between 8.2–9.3 with low seasonal variations, indicating well buffered waters. Based on nutrient status, lakes were classified as eutrophic to highly eutrophic with higher nutrient concentrations. Nitrogen was limiting in one lake (Lake Colac) and phosphorus in the other three lakes. Meteorological events probably influence the physico-chemical parameters of these lakes strongly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]