Planktonic interactions and their role in describing the trophic status of a shallow lake in central Italy (Lago Trasimeno)

The results obtained from the in situ zooplankton grazing study carried out in the lake during 1993, in addition to the evaluation of the peculiar characteristics of the physical, chemical and biotic components and their effect on planktonic interactions show that the lake can be considered eutrophic. Other parameters, such as the high zooplankton biovolume and species composition compared with the low phytoplankton biovolume and its selected species reflect the importance of the bacterial-detritus suspension rather than phytoplankton cells in the zooplankton diet, and indicate the eutrophic condition of the lake. -from Authors