Phytoplankton assemblages in reservoirs: Is it chemical or physical constraints which regulate their structure?

Data on phytoplankton assemblages and the correspondent environmental variables, collected in a limnological investigation carried out on 21 Sicilian reservoirs between 1987 and 1988, were ordered to clarify which physical (light availability, mixing depth), chemical (nutrient availability) and biological (grazing pressure) parameters modulate the structure of the assemblages. In particular, data sets were analyzed using CANOCO 3.1. The results of the analysis have shown that physical factors are more important in selecting species for those environments subject to pronounced water-level fluctuations. The reasons of such strong influence may be understood in the secondary modifications that the increased nutrient availability, coupled with the management of the stored water, promote in reservoirs.