Studia Quaternaria

Abstract

The freshwater dinoflagellate represent microfossils which are very rarely noted in lake deposits. In Late Holocene sediments of the Lake Młynek, the Iława Lakeland, northern Poland, we identified intense blooms of algae of the genus Palatinus. They occurred primarily in the period of strong human impact during expansion of the Monastic State of the Teutonic Order. The most amazing thing is that samples in which conventional palynological maceration has been used dinoflagellate are represented by armored vegetative forms instead of cysts. During this laboratory processes, especially acetolysis, cellulosic thecae of armored forms should be destructed. This is the second known example of acetolysis resistant thecae of modern dinoflagellate, built by substance other than cellulose. Palatinus blooms were associated probably with the hydrotechnical works made by Teutonic Knights in the catchment, which caused supply and discharge of micronutrients e.g. selenium in the basin.