In this study we analyse the time series of monitoring data for the 5 years of the LimnoPirineus project. The results show that the group with the clearest response to fish eradication are the macroinvertebrates of the littoral zone, with an increase in taxon richness over time and a convergence of macroinvertebrate composition to that of natural lakes. The change in the biomass of periphytic algae is less affected and only occurs where minnow alone were present or where they were accompanied by salmonid species. In the pelagic system, lakes where minnow were the only fish species present showed an increase in the abundance of pelagic crustaceans and a decrease in phytoplankton biomass after eradication. All these changes and those of physical-chemical parameters (water transparency and nutrients) did not, however, seem to clearly affect the composition of phytoplankton or periphytic algae in the lakes studied.

E. Carrillo, J. Ninot, T. Buchaca and M. Ventura. Blanes, LIFE+ LIMNOPIRINEUS Technical Office

Peer reviewed