The unique phytoplankton community of a highly acidic bog lake in Germany

The planktonic algal flora of the small bog lake ''Grobe Fuchskuhle'', Brandenburg, Germany, has been examined for more than 10 years. The phytoplankton communities of the lake were dominated only by a low number of taxa. The main contributors to the phytoplankton biomass were several flagellates (Chrysophyceae, Cryptophyceae, Dinophyceae, Chlorophyceae) and chlorococcalean picoplankters. Some algae that preferentially grow on soil exhibited short term developments in the phytoplankton of the lake. In comparison with other acidic lakes of the temperate zone, the algal species composition of this lake was very unique. Morphological (LM, SEM, TEM) characteristics of the dominant species are given. Several green algal taxa were investigated also under culture conditions.