Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in Cyprus
Land use composition, water level fluctuations (WLFs), and biogeographical factors are recognized as key drivers of phytoplankton dynamics in reservoir ecosystems. This two-year study presents the first assessment of the combined effects of catchment land use, WLFs, and geographical distance on phyt...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Polina Polykarpou Natassa Stefanidou Matina Katsiapi Maria Moustaka-Gouni Savvas Genitsaris Gerald Dörflinger Athena Economou-Amilli Dionysios E. Raitsos |
| author_facet | Polina Polykarpou Natassa Stefanidou Matina Katsiapi Maria Moustaka-Gouni Savvas Genitsaris Gerald Dörflinger Athena Economou-Amilli Dionysios E. Raitsos |
| author_sort | Polina Polykarpou |
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| description | Land use composition, water level fluctuations (WLFs), and biogeographical factors are recognized as key drivers of phytoplankton dynamics in reservoir ecosystems. This two-year study presents the first assessment of the combined effects of catchment land use, WLFs, and geographical distance on phytoplankton biomass and community composition across twelve Mediterranean reservoirs in Cyprus, which serve primarily for drinking water supply and irrigation. The results show that higher phytoplankton biomass was recorded in reservoirs whose catchments had >30% coverage by developed land (urban and agricultural), suggesting that increased anthropogenic pressures may lead to nutrient enrichment and elevated productivity. However, despite elevated biomass, no consistent spatial patterns were observed in phytoplankton community composition. The geographical distance between reservoirs had only a minor effect on species distribution, implying that other factors—such as water residence time or hydrological variability—play a more prominent role in shaping community structure. Phytoplankton biomass maxima were most often recorded during periods of elevated water levels and were typically dominated by Chlorophyta, Dinoflagellata, Bacillariophyta, and Charophyta. The pronounced temporal variability in species composition across all reservoirs points to a highly dynamic system, where environmental fluctuations strongly influence community assembly. This study provides the first comprehensive data on phytoplankton in Cyprus reservoirs, highlighting the importance of land use and hydrological regulation for water quality management in similar settings. Importantly, this baseline dataset can support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) by contributing to the definition of ecological status classes, establishing reference conditions, and guiding future monitoring and assessment efforts. Expanding such datasets through coordinated, basin-wide monitoring initiatives is essential to improve our understanding of phytoplankton dynamics and their role in ecosystem functioning under the pressures of climate change and intensified land use in this Mediterranean “hot spot”. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj-art-7f4f7f96ec6c438c811a38da37a792602025-08-20T03:08:12ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182025-06-0117745710.3390/d17070457Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in CyprusPolina Polykarpou0Natassa Stefanidou1Matina Katsiapi2Maria Moustaka-Gouni3Savvas Genitsaris4Gerald Dörflinger5Athena Economou-Amilli6Dionysios E. Raitsos7School of Biology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, 15784 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Botany, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Botany, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Botany, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Biology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, 15784 Athens, GreeceWater Development Department, 100-110 Kennedy Avenue, 1047 Pallouriotissa, Nicosia 1646, CyprusSchool of Biology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, 15784 Athens, GreeceSchool of Biology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, 15784 Athens, GreeceLand use composition, water level fluctuations (WLFs), and biogeographical factors are recognized as key drivers of phytoplankton dynamics in reservoir ecosystems. This two-year study presents the first assessment of the combined effects of catchment land use, WLFs, and geographical distance on phytoplankton biomass and community composition across twelve Mediterranean reservoirs in Cyprus, which serve primarily for drinking water supply and irrigation. The results show that higher phytoplankton biomass was recorded in reservoirs whose catchments had >30% coverage by developed land (urban and agricultural), suggesting that increased anthropogenic pressures may lead to nutrient enrichment and elevated productivity. However, despite elevated biomass, no consistent spatial patterns were observed in phytoplankton community composition. The geographical distance between reservoirs had only a minor effect on species distribution, implying that other factors—such as water residence time or hydrological variability—play a more prominent role in shaping community structure. Phytoplankton biomass maxima were most often recorded during periods of elevated water levels and were typically dominated by Chlorophyta, Dinoflagellata, Bacillariophyta, and Charophyta. The pronounced temporal variability in species composition across all reservoirs points to a highly dynamic system, where environmental fluctuations strongly influence community assembly. This study provides the first comprehensive data on phytoplankton in Cyprus reservoirs, highlighting the importance of land use and hydrological regulation for water quality management in similar settings. Importantly, this baseline dataset can support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) by contributing to the definition of ecological status classes, establishing reference conditions, and guiding future monitoring and assessment efforts. Expanding such datasets through coordinated, basin-wide monitoring initiatives is essential to improve our understanding of phytoplankton dynamics and their role in ecosystem functioning under the pressures of climate change and intensified land use in this Mediterranean “hot spot”.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/7/457phytoplanktonCyprusMediterranean reservoirsspecies compositionphytoplankton biomassland use |
| spellingShingle | Polina Polykarpou Natassa Stefanidou Matina Katsiapi Maria Moustaka-Gouni Savvas Genitsaris Gerald Dörflinger Athena Economou-Amilli Dionysios E. Raitsos Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in Cyprus Diversity phytoplankton Cyprus Mediterranean reservoirs species composition phytoplankton biomass land use |
| title | Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in Cyprus |
| title_full | Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in Cyprus |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in Cyprus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in Cyprus |
| title_short | Effects of Land Use and Water Level Fluctuations on Phytoplankton in Mediterranean Reservoirs in Cyprus |
| title_sort | effects of land use and water level fluctuations on phytoplankton in mediterranean reservoirs in cyprus |
| topic | phytoplankton Cyprus Mediterranean reservoirs species composition phytoplankton biomass land use |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/7/457 |
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