Food web biomanipulations provide the means to partly control water quality problems (i.e. algal blooms) in lakes by altering internal ecological mechanisms. However biomanipulation mechanisms are complex and the results are often confounded through the interactions of various stressors. This study used paleolimnological approaches using the fossil remains of diatoms, Cladocera and Chaoborus indicators to explore the effects of past fish manipulations of two oligotrophic lakes (Mouse and Ranger lakes) located in south-central Ontario. A major focus was the temporal period associated with the most recent Dorset Food Web Piscivore Manipulation Project (1991-1997). The diatom assemblages recorded only subtle changes over time, with the most pronounced variation in the past decade, likely responding to recent warming and bottom-up processes. Following the smallmouth (Micropterus dolomieu) and largemouth (Micropterus salmoides) bass addition to Mouse Lake, the zooplankton and Chaoborus fossil record revealed that a reduction in planktivorous fish led to expected shifts in community size structure, but with changes apparently delayed by ~5-10 years. Primary production, as inferred from VRS chlorophyll-a concentrations, had been relatively stable for over ~200 years but increased significantly following the piscivore addition. A shift to larger, more efficient herbivorous zooplankton (i.e. Daphnia) may have been expected to suppress phytoplankton as they are able to filter food particles at a much faster rate and graze a wider size-range of algae compared to the less effective grazer, Bosmina. Additionally, changes to the lake system from climate warming may have uncoupled the trophic interactions, producing a mismatch in the timing of favourable environmental conditions in an algal-herbivore interaction. In addition, these oligotrophic lakes support algal communities often classed as being ungrazable, which would also substantially reduce grazer-mediated responses in the phytoplankton. Ranger Lake did not respond to reductions to piscivores as expected in terms of zooplankton and Chaoborus size structure. Larger-bodied Cladocera (i.e. Daphnia, Holopedium gibberum and Polyphemus pediculus) increased in abundance while small Bosmina species decreased markedly in the uppermost sediments. While some results of this study corroborated the expected effects of biomanipulation theory (i.e. species-specific shifts in size), the inconsistencies encountered highlight that other drivers (i.e. climate) are likely to mediate the effects of biomanipulations, particularly in temperate lake systems experiencing multiple stressors. / Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2012-10-17 19:22:40.972

Gudgeon (Hypseleotris spp.) are the most widespread and abundant native Australian freshwater fish and the dominant zooplanktivore in Maroon Dam, the site of Australia's first whole-lake biomanipulation experiment. The spatial (littoral and pelagic) and temporal (diurnal and seasonal) distribution and diet of Hypseleotris was examined following the addition of 100,000 piscivorous Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata) to Maroon Dam in the summer of 1998/99. A strong spatial and temporal ontogeny was observed, with smaller (<16 mm SL) Hypseleotris dominating the pelagic, an intermediate (12-20 mm SL) size class diurnally migrating between littoral and pelagic, and larger fish (>20 mm SL) remaining in the littoral throughout the day and night. Spatial ontogeny affected diet also, with fish consuming a decreasing proportion of zooplankton and an increasing proportion of macro-invertebrates as fish length increased and habitat use changed. A bioenergetics model was constructed to examine these distribution and diet patterns. Laboratory derived consumption and respiration parameters were combined with caloric densities and commonly accepted excretion and activity scalars to produce modeled growth estimates that were validated against Hypseleotris age-at-growth data collected from a diversity of habitats. Using this model, it was concluded that the spatial and temporal ontogeny and diet of Hypseleotris in Maroon Dam described the most energetically advantageous life history. Unlike many zooplanktivores in northern hemisphere lakes, Hypseleotris did not appear to engage in migratory predator avoidance behaviour. This is discussed in a context of Australia's paucity of pelagic piscivores. It is concluded that top-down biomanipulation by stocking of native piscivores has only a limited application in Australia, and that other biomanipulation techniques may prove more successful.

Eutrophication is a global environmental problem, which in Sweden is predominantly in the south of Sweden where there are large agricultural areas. Skellefteå is a small town on the northern coast which has eleven water bodies classified as “poor ecological status” of which Uttersjöträsket is one of them according to the water authorities. Uttersjöträsket has a requirement to achieve good ecological status by 2021. Uttersjöträsket’s agriculture land is from at least 1716 according to historical maps. To be able to restore a eutrophic lake the source of the phosphorus load must be identified.To determine the natural state for Uttersjöträsket the sediment record could be studied. For example, earlier studies have been made in Kassjön in Umeå were they conclude that the beginning of the agriculture area started in the 12th century, which means that Uttersjöträsket could have had agriculture land since before 1716. The municipality of Skellefteå made contact with residents in the area who formed a water group to work towards achieving the goal by 2021. This report will form the basis for the water group to take appropriate measures to reduce the bloom of cyanobacteria and to achieve good ecological status. The conclusions of this report are based on analysis of data and results from previous studies of eutrophic lakes. Many different methods must be done to have a long-lasting impact and to achieve good ecological status in Uttersjöträsket. The focus of the actions should be on the ditch between Yttersjön and Uttersjöträsket as the highest phosphorus load is in that catchment.

Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Dresden.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Nutrient inflows from anthropogenic sources into water systems are causing eutrophication, algal blooms and trophic changes in Swedish lakes and seas. The European water framework directive was implemented to regulate member countries' policies to achieve a good status in surface waters. Reduction fishing has shown to be an effective lake restoration tool involving removal of large quantities of planktivorous fish, decreasing the internal nutrient loads and recovering the lake status. The Administrative board of Östergötland (Länsstyrelsen Östergötland) started this project with the aims to find out how to dispose of the fish from reduction fishing projects in a sustainable way in the county of Östergötland. With analysis of secondary lake data, the study also aims to highlight the ecological and chemical status in five of the county's most eutrophic lakes: Asplången, Värnässjön, Svinstadsjön, Nimmern and Hällerstadsjön. The amount of predicted catch during a reduction project, for each lake with the corresponding amount of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) removal, was calculated based on lake area and reduction fishing guidelines. To find out the prospects and possibilities fora sustainable catch disposal, literature review, interviews and communication with possible stakeholders in the area were conducted and analysed in a SWOT-analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) as wellas for three sustainability criteria based on the Swedish waste regulation. The results showed that the ecological status is ranging from bad to moderate in the five studied lakes and that approximately 162 - 218 tonnes of fishcould be removed which corresponds to a reduction of P by ca. 1.1 - 1.5 tonnes and N by ca. 4.4 - 5.9. Four possible disposal methods were determined: the use of bream and roach as food for humans, for animal feed, for production of biogas and waste disposal by incineration. Roach and bream for human consumption showed to be a possible option despite a huge resistance in acceptance of roach and bream as edible fishes. Fish as feed was also possible if used as bait for fishing. Biogas production from fish worked well at the local biogas plant as long as the fish was prepared in the right way. Incineration could work as an easy way to dispose off the fish. The SWOT-analysis showed most strengths and possibilities for the biogas option, whereas the food alternative had more weaknesses and threats. However, due to waste management regulations, the use of roach and bream as food or animal feed were the more sustainable options.

As part of the collaborative Dorset Research Project investigating mercury and energy fluxes in fresh-water lakes, I measured mercury in the seston (Chapter 1) and studied the biomanipulation impacts on the phytoplankton (Chapter 2) of two Precambrian Shield lakes. Sestonic-mercury (HgT) was measured in the metalimnion and hypolimnion of each lake throughout the summer of 1995 to determine seasonal fluctuations and the relationship with algal productivity. In each lake, sestonic-HgT (pg Hg/L) did not significantly change in the metalimnion but significantly increased in the hypolimnion by season's end. Combined influences of external HgT inputs, seston sedimentation and increased methylmercury production in the hypolimnia over the season may have contributed to these trends. In comparison to other variables measured, algal productivity was highly correlated with sestonic mercury concentrations in both lakes at each limnetic depth. Although there were no significant differences between lakes with respect to average weight-specific HgT (pg HgT/mg D.W.), chlorophyll a exhibited the best correlations with HgT in MouseL. whereas algal biomass was more highly correlated with HgT in Ranger L. This disparity between lakes may be the result of apparent inter-lake differences in light availability and algal community structure. It was also apparent that changes in the proportions of large and small cells over the season affected the magnitude of sestonic mercury measured. With respect to the potential for trophic transfer of mercury, I suggest that small edible algal cells may bioconcentrate more mercury per unit weight than larger, inedible ones. The data also indicate that seston samples should be collected throughout the season at discrete depths if sestonic-mercury measurements are to be used in trophic transfer models. I also examined the effects of fish biomanipulation on the phytoplankton community of these study lakes. Prior to the biomanipulation, Ranger L. had a top-piscivore community whereas Mouse L. had a top-planktivore community. The biomanipulation involved the removal of top-piscivores from Ranger L. and adding top-piscivores to Mouse L. Trophic Cascade theory predicts that algal biomass in these lakes, with their similar morphometries and resource characteristics, should be ultimately controlled by top-consumer abundance. In addition, model predictions expect "edible" algal size-classes and groups in the community to experience the greatest changes in abundance. Therefore in Ranger L., it was expected that the removal of piscivores would result in higher algal biomass (particularly edible algae), whereas the addition of piscivores in Mouse L. would result in lower algal biomass (particularly edible algae). However, for those years following the biomanipulation, algal biomass significant increased in both lakes compared to pre-manipulation years. This suggests that variables other than direct trophic forces were controlling algal biomass from year to year, regardless of changes in the fish communities. When algal size-classes were tested, only edible cells varying from 10-30 μm increased in Mouse L., contrary to what was predicted. In Ranger L., large cells and colonies > 30 μm unexpectedly increased when all other size-classes did not significantly change. With respect to algal group composition, both Greens and Cryptomonads significantly increased in Mouse L. whereas only Greens significantly increased in Ranger L.. Both of these groups were considered to be edible and thus these results were not consistent with the model predictions. As such, I suggested that "bottom-up" influences were important in controlling both size-class and taxonomic abundances. However, when individual size-classes of representative algal genera were compared between pre-and post-manipulation years, there were some effects which may be attributed to the biomanipulation. In particular, large Green colonies became prevalent in Mouse L. during post-manipulation years as a probable response to increased grazing pressure. Conversely, "edible" Greens became prevalent in Ranger L. after the biomanipulation, supporting the prediction of reduced zooplankton grazing pressure. These results have revealed the necessity to test specific algal genera of varying size-classes in order to detect the effects of biomanipulation. They also showed that the majority of algal genera, regardless of size, were not affected by the biomanipulation. Limitations to my interpretation of the data are discussed and vary from time-scale issues to consumer and resource availability unknowns. Along with recommendations for further studies in this area, I hypothesized that the trophic transfer of sestonic-mercury to zooplankton could be intensified if small, edible algal genera (shown to be impacted by Top-Down forces), have relatively higher weight-specific mercury concentrations. However, considering that the phytoplankton community as a whole has shown resilience to herbivory, I also suggest that the majority of mercury measured in the seston is not available for trophic transfer to zooplankton consumers. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Externe Einträge von Nährstoffen, vor allem von Phosphor, fördern die Phytoplanktonentwicklung und sind damit die primäre Ursache für die Verschlechterung der Gewässergüte in Seen. Die pelagische Nahrungsnetzstruktur kann dabei sowohl positiv als auch negativ auf die Gewässergüte einwirken. Deshalb lässt sich der Gewässerzustand durch eine gezielte Steuerung der Räuber-Beute-Verhältnisse verändern. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden Ergebnisse der Groß-Enclosure-Experimente zu den Auswirkungen von Nährstoffen (mit/ohne Zugabe von Nährstoffen) sowie von einer manipulierten Nahrungsnetzstruktur (mit/ohne Zugabe von planktivoren Fischen) auf die pelagische Phyto- und Zooplanktongemeinschaft eines thermisch geschichteten Sees (Dagowsee, Brandenburg) präsentiert. Im Schwerpunkt der Untersuchungen lagen dabei die qualitativen und quantitativen Effekte dieser beiden Faktoren auf die Sedimentationsprozesse sowie den mikrobiellen Umsatz von Kohlenstoff und Phosphor im Hypolimnion und an der Sediment-Wasser-Kontaktzone des Sees. Es wurde gezeigt, dass die Manipulation der Nahrungsnetzstruktur sich auf die Menge und Zusammensetzung des Phyto- und Zooplanktons im Epilimnion des Sees sowie auf den quantitativen vertikalen Transport von Kohlenstoff und Phosphor auswirkte, während die unterschiedliche Nährstoffbelastung im Epilimnion die spezifischen Stoffgehalte des Kohlenstoffs und Phosphors im sedimentierten Material beeinflussten. Anhand der Sauerstoff- und Methanmessungen wurde festgestellt, dass die Intensität des mikrobiellen Abbaus der sedimentierten organischen Substanz vor allem von ihrer Menge abhängig war. Weiterhin konnten die Auswirkungen der manipulierten Nahrungsnetzstruktur auf die Effizienz während des Abbaus vom organischen Kohlenstoff in den Laborversuchen nachgewiesen werden. Diese Effekte waren allerdings in den Freilandexperimenten schwer nachweisbar aufgrund der Beteiligung der Abbauprodukte in anderen oxidativ-reduktiven Prozessen, die gleichzeitig im See verliefen. Anhand des Phosphor-Fraktionierungsverfahrens konnte festgestellt werden, dass dieser Stoff nicht organisch sondern zum größten Teil an Eisen und Mangen gebunden sowie labil adsorbiert die Sedimentoberfläche erreichte. An dieser Stelle zeigten diese beiden Fraktionen einen systematischen Unterschied, der nur auf eine Wirkung der epilimnischen Nährstoffkonzentration und nicht auf die des manipulierten Nahrungsnetzes hinwies. Weitere Analysen der Sedimente zeigten starke Transformationen des sedimentierten Phosphors, aufgrund deren vor allem die dominierenden labilen und redoxsensitiven Phosphorfraktionen betroffen waren. Sie wurden zum einen ins Wasser zurückgelöst und zum anderen in die organische Biomasse gespeichert. Die Veränderungen des Phosphorgehaltes in den Sedimenten waren wieder auf die vorherigen Effekte der Nährstoffe als der manipulierten Nahrungsnetzstruktur zurückzuführen. Die Effekte der Nahrungsnetzmanipulation waren also vor allem an der pelagischen Planktongemeinschaft im Epilimnion und an den Sedimentations- und Kohlenumsatzprozessen in tieferen Schichten des Sees zu sehen. Der vertikale Phosphortransport wurde weniger von der Nahrungsnetzstruktur beeinflusst. Dafür spielte dabei die epilimnische Nährstoffkonzentration sowie die Phosphorbindungspotenzial des Wassers für den internen Kreislauf des Stoffes eine wichtige Rolle. / External load of nutrients, above all from phosphorus, promote the phytoplankton development and are with it the primary cause for the deterioration of the waters quality in lakes. Further, the pelagic food web structure can affect the water quality in a positive as well as in a negative way. Therefore, the water trophic state can be changed by a specific control of the predator-prey relations. In the present study the results of the large enclosure experiments to the impact by nutrients (with/without addition of nutrients) as well as by a manipulated food web structure (with/without addition of planktivorous fish) on the pelagic phyto- and zooplankton community of a thermally stratified lake (Dagowsee, Brandenburg) were presented. Furthermore, the qualitative and quantitative effects of these both factors on the sedimentation processes as well as the microbial turnover of settled carbon and phosphorus in the hypolimnion and at the sediment-water layer of the lake were in the main focus of the investigations. It has been shown that the manipulation of the food web structure affected the amount and composition of the phyto- and zooplankton in the epilimnion as well as the quantitative vertical transport of carbon and phosphorus, while the different nutrient load in the epilimnion influenced the specific material content of the carbon and phosphorus in the sedimented material. With the help of the oxygen and methane measurements it was found out that the intensity of the microbial decomposition of the settled organic matter was dependent above all on her quantity. Furthermore, the effects of the manipulated food web structure on the decomposition efficiency of the organic carbon could be proved in the laboratory tests. However, these effects were in the free land experiments hardly provably due to the participation of the endproducts in other redox processes which ran at the same time in the lake. With the help of the phosphorus fractionation procedure could be found out that settled phosphorus for the most part not organically but in iron and manganese bound as well as loosely adsorbed the sediment surface reached. At this point these both forms showed a systematic difference which pointed only to an effect of the epilimnetic nutrient concentration and not on those of the manipulated food web. Other analyses of the sediments showed strong transformations of the settled phosphorus, which influenced above all the dominating labile and redox sensitive phosphorus fractions. They were released, on the one hand, in the water and stored, on the other hand, in the organic biomass. The changes of the phosphorus content in the sediments were to be led on the previous effects of the nutrients than of the manipulated food web structure. To conclude, the effects of the food net manipulation were to be seen above all in the pelagic plankton community in the epilimnion, and further in sedimentation and carbon turnover processes in deeper layers of the lake. The vertical phosphorus transport was influenced of less by the food web structure. Moreover, for it the epilimnic nutrient concentration as well as the phosphorus binding potential of the water played an important role for the internal circulation of the material.

&amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; was carried out in order to try and improve the water quality of six deep reservoirs situated in the catchment area of the River Wupper. All the reservoirs are deep, dimictic soft-water lake types, covering a range from oligo-/mesotrophic to eutrophic. Although changing the fishery management only by repeated fish stocking, in combination with implementating size and bag limits for recreational fisheries, is thought to have only limited success, we decided to put this type of &amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; into practice. This whole-lake biomanipulation experiment, covering a time scale of more than ten years, aimed to address the following questions: 1. Is such a fishery-management strategy a useful water quality management tool in deep reservoirs, not only in maintaining but also in sustaining the best water quality conditions in relation to the given nutrient concentrations? 2. What are the underlying mechanisms? With the exception of the oligotrophic Große Dhünn Reservoir, &amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; resulted in a shift of zooplankton body-size structure to larger daphnids in all the reservoirs. The underlying switch in the size shift from Daphnia cucullata to Daphnia galeata (Bever-Reservoir, Wupper-R, Lingese-R), or only in increasing individual body sizes of the Daphnia galeata population (Vorsperre Große Dhünn), occurred suddenly but only some years after the changes in fishery management were implemented. Our records of the fish stock suggest that indirect effects, presumably resulting from predator avoidance, must be a driving force. An increase of zooplankton body-size structure always resulted in an improvement in secchi-disk depth, often accompanied by a vertical restructuring of the water column favouring the development of metalimnetic algal populations. A decrease in summer chlorophyll concentrations in the trophogenic zone was only achieved in the slightly eutrophic reservoirs. This decrease in chlorophyll concentration was always accompanied by a decrease in the total phosphorus concentration in summer, while the total phosphorus concentration in spring remained unchanged. Thus, reduced P-availability, due to an increased vertical phosphorus flux, caused algal biomass to decline.These results support predictions from the size-efficiency hypothesis (Brooks &amp;amp; Dodson, 1965) but not those from the trophic cascade hypothesis (Carpenter et al., 1985). Undoubtedly the results underline the importance of indirect effects with respect to a successful &amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; as predicted from the hypothesis of Biomanipulation Efficiency Threshold of P-loading (Benndorf, 1987). In summary, implementation of a correct fishery management strategy was shown to be a useful water quality management tool, not only in maintaining but also in sustaining the best water quality conditions, in relation to the given nutrient concentrations in these deep reservoirs. / In sechs Mittelgebirgstalsperren im Einzugsgebiet der Wupper erfolgte eine Umstellung der fischereilichen Bewirtschaftung mit dem Ziel, die Gewässergüte dieser Talsperren durch Absenkung der Zooplanktivorie zu verbessern und auf einem hohen Niveau zu stabilisieren. Vom Gewässercharakter her handelt es sich bei den Talsperren um klare tiefe Weichwasserseen, welche den oligo-/mesotrophen bis eutrophen Bereich abdecken. Die hier genutzte Methode einer ordnungsgemäßen fischereilichen Bewirtschaftung (Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung), welche sich zum Auf- und Umbau der Fischbestände auf Besatz- und Hegemaßnahmen stützt und dabei bewusst auf massive Eingriffe verzichtet, gelangte bisher nur in wenigen Fällen zur ausschließlichen Anwendung und wird allgemein als wenig erfolgversprechend eingestuft. Ziel dieser mehrjährigen Ökosystemuntersuchungen mit anwendungsorientiertem Ansatz ist eine Antwort auf die Frage nach der Praxistauglichkeit und den Grenzen des Instruments der Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung in Mittelgebirgstalsperren. Die Analyse der Ergebnisse versucht die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen und Randbedingungen herauszuarbeiten, welche für die Wirkungsentfaltung der den Erfolg einer Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung tragenden Kräfte auf ökosystemarer Ebene verantwortlich sind. Mit Ausnahme der oligotrophen Großen Dhünn-Talsperre konnte in allen Gewässern eine adäquate Reaktion des Zooplanktons durch Umstellung der fischereilichen Bewirtschaftung erzielt werden. Im Einklang mit der Hypothese einer kritischen Schwelle der Planktivorie erfolgten die Reaktionen sprunghaft, aber erst nach mehreren Jahren und manifestieren sich durch einen &amp;quot;switch&amp;quot; von Daphnia cucullata zum größeren Daphnia galeata-Komplex (Bever-Talsperre, Wupper-T, Lingese-T), teils durch Körpergrößenzunahme des Daphnia galeata-Komplexes (Vorsperre Große Dhünn). Wie die Fischbestandsdaten nahe legen, kommt den indirekten, vermutlich aus einer Räuber-Vermeidungsreaktion resultierenden Effekten, hierbei eine Schlüsselposition zu. Parallel mit der Veränderung des Zooplankton-Größenspektrums kommt es stets zu einer Erhöhung der sommerlichen Sichttiefen, welche vielfach von einer vertikalen Neustrukturierung der Algenentwicklung im Wasserkörper begleitet ist. Eine Absenkung der sommerlichen Chlorophyll-Konzentrationen in der trophogenen konnte hingegen nur in den schwach eutrophen Talsperren beobachtet werden und war stets von einer erhöhten Absenkung der sommerlichen gegenüber den frühjährlichen Gesamtphosphor-Konzentrationen begleitet. Entsprechend muss die Absenkung der sommerlichen Chlorophyll-Konzentrationen auf eine erhöhte Phosphor-Sedimentation zurückgeführt werden.Die Ergebnisse der fischereilichen Bewirtschaftungsmaßnahmen stehen im Einklang mit den Vorhersagen der size-efficiency Hypothese (Brooks &amp;amp; Dodson, 1965), stützen aber nicht die Vorhersagen der trophic cascade Hypothese (Carpenter et al., 1985). Demgegenüber unterstreichen sie die Bedeutung indirekter Effekte, wie sie durch die These einer &amp;quot;Biomanipulationseffektivitätsschwelle der Phosphor-Belastung&amp;quot; (Benndorf, 1987) formuliert werden. Insgesamt erweist sich das Instrument der Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung als zwingender Baustein einer integrierten Wasserwirtschaft zur Sicherung der Gewässergüte in Mittelgebirgstalsperren, dessen soziökonomische Aspekte in der Arbeit angesprochen werden.

&amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; was carried out in order to try and improve the water quality of six deep reservoirs situated in the catchment area of the River Wupper. All the reservoirs are deep, dimictic soft-water lake types, covering a range from oligo-/mesotrophic to eutrophic. Although changing the fishery management only by repeated fish stocking, in combination with implementating size and bag limits for recreational fisheries, is thought to have only limited success, we decided to put this type of &amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; into practice. This whole-lake biomanipulation experiment, covering a time scale of more than ten years, aimed to address the following questions: 1. Is such a fishery-management strategy a useful water quality management tool in deep reservoirs, not only in maintaining but also in sustaining the best water quality conditions in relation to the given nutrient concentrations? 2. What are the underlying mechanisms? With the exception of the oligotrophic Große Dhünn Reservoir, &amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; resulted in a shift of zooplankton body-size structure to larger daphnids in all the reservoirs. The underlying switch in the size shift from Daphnia cucullata to Daphnia galeata (Bever-Reservoir, Wupper-R, Lingese-R), or only in increasing individual body sizes of the Daphnia galeata population (Vorsperre Große Dhünn), occurred suddenly but only some years after the changes in fishery management were implemented. Our records of the fish stock suggest that indirect effects, presumably resulting from predator avoidance, must be a driving force. An increase of zooplankton body-size structure always resulted in an improvement in secchi-disk depth, often accompanied by a vertical restructuring of the water column favouring the development of metalimnetic algal populations. A decrease in summer chlorophyll concentrations in the trophogenic zone was only achieved in the slightly eutrophic reservoirs. This decrease in chlorophyll concentration was always accompanied by a decrease in the total phosphorus concentration in summer, while the total phosphorus concentration in spring remained unchanged. Thus, reduced P-availability, due to an increased vertical phosphorus flux, caused algal biomass to decline.These results support predictions from the size-efficiency hypothesis (Brooks &amp;amp; Dodson, 1965) but not those from the trophic cascade hypothesis (Carpenter et al., 1985). Undoubtedly the results underline the importance of indirect effects with respect to a successful &amp;quot;Biomanipulation&amp;quot; as predicted from the hypothesis of Biomanipulation Efficiency Threshold of P-loading (Benndorf, 1987). In summary, implementation of a correct fishery management strategy was shown to be a useful water quality management tool, not only in maintaining but also in sustaining the best water quality conditions, in relation to the given nutrient concentrations in these deep reservoirs. / In sechs Mittelgebirgstalsperren im Einzugsgebiet der Wupper erfolgte eine Umstellung der fischereilichen Bewirtschaftung mit dem Ziel, die Gewässergüte dieser Talsperren durch Absenkung der Zooplanktivorie zu verbessern und auf einem hohen Niveau zu stabilisieren. Vom Gewässercharakter her handelt es sich bei den Talsperren um klare tiefe Weichwasserseen, welche den oligo-/mesotrophen bis eutrophen Bereich abdecken. Die hier genutzte Methode einer ordnungsgemäßen fischereilichen Bewirtschaftung (Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung), welche sich zum Auf- und Umbau der Fischbestände auf Besatz- und Hegemaßnahmen stützt und dabei bewusst auf massive Eingriffe verzichtet, gelangte bisher nur in wenigen Fällen zur ausschließlichen Anwendung und wird allgemein als wenig erfolgversprechend eingestuft. Ziel dieser mehrjährigen Ökosystemuntersuchungen mit anwendungsorientiertem Ansatz ist eine Antwort auf die Frage nach der Praxistauglichkeit und den Grenzen des Instruments der Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung in Mittelgebirgstalsperren. Die Analyse der Ergebnisse versucht die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen und Randbedingungen herauszuarbeiten, welche für die Wirkungsentfaltung der den Erfolg einer Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung tragenden Kräfte auf ökosystemarer Ebene verantwortlich sind. Mit Ausnahme der oligotrophen Großen Dhünn-Talsperre konnte in allen Gewässern eine adäquate Reaktion des Zooplanktons durch Umstellung der fischereilichen Bewirtschaftung erzielt werden. Im Einklang mit der Hypothese einer kritischen Schwelle der Planktivorie erfolgten die Reaktionen sprunghaft, aber erst nach mehreren Jahren und manifestieren sich durch einen &amp;quot;switch&amp;quot; von Daphnia cucullata zum größeren Daphnia galeata-Komplex (Bever-Talsperre, Wupper-T, Lingese-T), teils durch Körpergrößenzunahme des Daphnia galeata-Komplexes (Vorsperre Große Dhünn). Wie die Fischbestandsdaten nahe legen, kommt den indirekten, vermutlich aus einer Räuber-Vermeidungsreaktion resultierenden Effekten, hierbei eine Schlüsselposition zu. Parallel mit der Veränderung des Zooplankton-Größenspektrums kommt es stets zu einer Erhöhung der sommerlichen Sichttiefen, welche vielfach von einer vertikalen Neustrukturierung der Algenentwicklung im Wasserkörper begleitet ist. Eine Absenkung der sommerlichen Chlorophyll-Konzentrationen in der trophogenen konnte hingegen nur in den schwach eutrophen Talsperren beobachtet werden und war stets von einer erhöhten Absenkung der sommerlichen gegenüber den frühjährlichen Gesamtphosphor-Konzentrationen begleitet. Entsprechend muss die Absenkung der sommerlichen Chlorophyll-Konzentrationen auf eine erhöhte Phosphor-Sedimentation zurückgeführt werden.Die Ergebnisse der fischereilichen Bewirtschaftungsmaßnahmen stehen im Einklang mit den Vorhersagen der size-efficiency Hypothese (Brooks &amp;amp; Dodson, 1965), stützen aber nicht die Vorhersagen der trophic cascade Hypothese (Carpenter et al., 1985). Demgegenüber unterstreichen sie die Bedeutung indirekter Effekte, wie sie durch die These einer &amp;quot;Biomanipulationseffektivitätsschwelle der Phosphor-Belastung&amp;quot; (Benndorf, 1987) formuliert werden. Insgesamt erweist sich das Instrument der Nahrungsnetzbewirtschaftung als zwingender Baustein einer integrierten Wasserwirtschaft zur Sicherung der Gewässergüte in Mittelgebirgstalsperren, dessen soziökonomische Aspekte in der Arbeit angesprochen werden.