Abstract

Gilvin was the main attenuator of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) in 26 freshwater coastal dune lakes, despite most being only slightly humic (range 0.000-27.866 m^-1, median = 1.088 m^-1). Most were also non-turbid [range 0.27-3.00 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), median = 0.77 NTU] and had low concentrations of chlorophyll a (range 0.212-15.869 µg I^-1, median = 3.285 µg I^-1). Accordingly there was only slight to moderate attenuation of PAR in most lakes, the majority having mean downwelling vertical attenuation coefficients of less than 1.0 m^-1. However, Secchi depths indicate that the lake waters were more transparent during this study than previously reported in the literature. The lakes were typically oligotrophic, acidic, and of low conductivity. Desmids and Peridinium spp. dominated the phytoplankton, although Dynobryon cylindricum Imhof. and various Chlorococcales were also common.