Title:
Provision of specialized consultancy services for the analysis of phytoplankton samples from Cyprus water reservoirs and natural lakes and determination of biological indices. Implementation of Directive 2000/60/EC (Tender # 03/2014, WDD)

Duration:  
2 years (October 2014 – October 2016)

Funded by:
Water Development Department (Republic of Cyprus)

Project Description:
The scope of this tender was to provide specialized consultancy services for the analysis of phytoplankton samples from Cyprus water reservoirs and natural lakes and to determine biological indices for the purpose of the implementation of Directive 2000/60/EC.

Specifically, the basic goals were:

  • The analysis of 151 +/- 20 % phytoplankton samples from 15 Cyprus water reservoirs and 2 natural lakes.
  • The determination of the ecological potential of the 15 water reservoirs and the calculation of ecological quality indices for the 2 naturallakes.
  • The completion of the data delivery templates for the annual WISE SoE data request of the European Environment Agency (reporting obligation “Lake quality – EWN-2”) with the results of the Contract.

 

The samples that were analyzed were from the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the sampling periods were March, June, July and September. The examined water reservoirs were: Aminou, Asprokremmos, Kannaviou, Evretou, Akaki-Malounta, Tamassos, Achna, New Lympia, Lefkara, Dhypotamos, Kalavasos, Germasogeia, Polemidia, Pano Platres and Kouris. Paralimni and Oroklini are the two natural lakes that will be examined.

From each phytoplankton sample, total biovolume, biovolume of cyanobacteria, percentage of cyanobacteria and Index de grups algals (IGA index) were determined. Supplementary with each phytoplankton sample, chlorophyll a was determined for the Water Development Department by the Cyprus State General Laboratory and the results were provided and used in the analyses.

The final aim of the contract was the determination of the ecological quality of the water bodies under study:

  • For each sample from the water reservoirs the above metrics and indices were used to calculate both the “New Mediterranean Assessment System for Reservoirs’ Phytoplankton (NMASRP)” and the “Mediterranean Assessment System for Reservoirs’ Phytoplankton (MASRP)”, which was used for the 1st Cyprus RBMP.
  • For each sample from the natural lakes no assessment system is available yet, therefore the above metrics and indices represent the final results for the purpose of the Contract