Aspects of the limnology of Lake Tali Karng, Victoria

Abstract

Lake Tali Karng, the only deep highland lake in Victoria, was formed by a landslide. It is 51 m deep and 16.2 ha in area.

Lake water is low in total dissolved salts and is slightly acidic. Bottom deposits consist of alloch-thonous woody detritus in the littoral and sublittoral and of mud of high organic content in the profundal.

There are six species of zooplankton present, including .Calamoecia ampulla and Ceriodaphnia quadrangula. Twelve species inhabit the littoral zone, which is either rocky or supports weedbeds of Chara sp. Micronecta robusta and tadpoles of Littoria phyllochroa are most abundant. The benthos is dominated by the phraetoicid, Colubotelson sp., and two species of chironomid in the sublittoral and by Chironomus oppositus in the profundal. Mean benthic biomass is 4.45 g/m².

There is evidence of a biogeographical relationship to highland lakes in Tasmania.