The value of novel ecosystems: Disclosing the ecological quality of quarry lakes

Laura M S Seelen; Sven Teurlincx; John Bruinsma; Thea M F Huijsmans; Ellen van Donk; Miquel Lürling; Lisette N de Senerpont Domis

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144294

The value of novel ecosystems: Disclosing the ecological quality of quarry lakes

Sci Total Environ. 2021 May 15:769:144294. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144294. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Authors

Laura M S Seelen¹, Sven Teurlincx², John Bruinsma², Thea M F Huijsmans³, Ellen van Donk⁴, Miquel Lürling⁵, Lisette N de Senerpont Domis⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Advice and Monitoring, Regional Water Authority Brabantse Delta, P.O. Box 5520, 4801 DZ Breda, the Netherlands; Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 226, 6700 AE Wageningen, the Netherlands.
² Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands.
³ Province of Noord-Brabant, P.O. Box 90151, 5200 MC's Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Biology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80125, 3508 TC Utrecht, the Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 226, 6700 AE Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 226, 6700 AE Wageningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: l.desenerpontdomis@nioo.knaw.nl.

PMID: 33486172
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144294

Abstract

Intense sand and gravel mining has created numerous man-made lakes around the world in the past century. These small quarry lakes (1-50 ha) are usually hydrologically isolated, often deep (6-40 m) and stratify during summer and in cold winters. Due to their small size, these deep man-made lakes are usually not included in the regular monitoring campaigns, e.g. as required for the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Therefore, not much is known about the ecological functioning of these novel ecosystems. During two summers, we determined the macrophyte diversity and measured a range of physico-chemical and biological parameters in 51 quarry lakes in the catchment area of the rivers Meuse and Rhine. We compared the results of this campaign to the chemical and macrophyte sampling as performed for the WFD in the immediate surrounding shallow standing waters. Alpha (local) and beta diversity (regional), and local contribution to beta diversity were calculated for the whole region of which beta diversity was further partitioned into a true species replacement and richness difference component. Quarry lakes contain higher water quality reflected by lower nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentration compared with shallow water bodies. Additionally, quarry lakes contribute significantly to the regional macrophyte diversity pool by harboring distinctly different macrophyte communities (beta diversity - replacement). Specifically quarry lakes with a total phosphorus concentration in the water column below 35 μg P/l contribute most to beta diversity among quarry lakes. Novel ecosystems such as deep quarry lakes are often perceived as less valuable ecosystems, with strong implications regarding their management. Our results show that quarry lakes are in general of better chemical and biological quality compared with shallow standing waters. We therefore call for a more integrated assessment of the quality of quarry lakes and corresponding management strategy of these waters by water managers.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Ecosystem services; Local contribution to beta diversity; Manmade ecosystems; Sand pit lakes; Water management.