Mass Development of Green Filamentous Algae of the Genera Spirogyra and Stigeoclonium (Chlorophyta) in the Littoral Zone of the Southern Part of Lake Baikal

A significant ecological shift has been observed in Lake Baikal, with the mass development of green filamentous algae, particularly Spirogyra fluviatilis and Stigeoclonium tenue, in its southern littoral zone. This phenomenon, previously undocumented in the lake, was recorded between 2008 and 2013, reaching up to 317 ± 143 g/m² in phytomass during peak periods (November) and covering stone sediments completely. The study combined field observations with laboratory analysis to assess the intensity of this development, marking a notable departure from Lake Baikal's historical algal composition. This discovery underscores potential changes in the lake's ecosystem dynamics.

Timoshkin, O. A., Bondarenko, N. A., Volkova, Ye. A., Tomberg, I. V., Vishnyakov, V. S., & Malnik, V. V. (2015). Mass Development of Green Filamentous Algae of the Genera Spirogyra and Stigeoclonium (Chlorophyta) in the Littoral Zone of the Southern Part of Lake Baikal. Hydrobiological Journal, 51(1), 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1615/hydrobj.v51.i1.20