An Evaluation of the Impact of Hiking Tourism on the Ecological Status of Alpine Lakes—A Case Study of the Valley of Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich in the Tatra Mountains

Abstract

Eutrophication is one of the major threats to the quality of water in high mountain lakes. The inflow of elements having biological origin may significantly aggravate the ecological status of those ecosystems. For this reason, the aim of this study was to map and assess the impact of anthropogenic pressure on alpine lakes in the valley of Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich (known in English as the Valley of Five Polish Lakes) in the Tatra National Park in Poland. The effects of tourism and easy access to alpine lakes on changes in their ecological status were determined. Tourist trails were evaluated based on the difficulty of access to the water surface of analyzed alpine lakes, with a method developed for assessing anthropogenic pressure on aquatic ecosystems. The method, deployed for the first time in 2019, was modified and adapted to the local environmental conditions in the research area. The results of this study indicate that tourism pressure contributes to the growth of submerged vegetation in alpine lakes. The presence of aquatic plants (including vascular plants) shows ecosystem response to water enrichment with biogenic substances. The present findings were used to formulate practical recommendations and propose modifications to the evaluated hiking trails. The research method developed in the study can support analysis and control of tourist traffic, thus reducing anthropogenic pressure on alpine lakes in national parks located in mountain areas.

“A Gem among the Rocks”—Identifying and Measuring Visual Preferences for Mountain Lakes

“…This is particularly important for lakes that are reachable by car such as Pragser Wildsee, which indeed has very high visitation rates compared to other lakes [1]. Here, the visual water quality could be affected by aquatic recreation or recreational activities at the lake shore contributing to increasing levels of eutrophication [19][20][21]. Moreover, introducing fish in naturally fishless lakes for recreational angling purposes has not only huge consequences on the lake ecosystem [36], but water quality may also be affected due to fish feeding [19].…”

“…Compared to large and low altitude lakes, mountain lakes are less exploited for uses such as water provision, fish production, hydropower generation or aquatic recreation due to their usually small size and remoteness, but they are still largely exposed to environmental and anthropogenic pressures affecting the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of lakes [16,17]. For example, increasing eutrophication may originate from atmospheric nutrient inputs [18], fish feeding related to recreational angling [19], waterbased activities such as boating, swimming and diving [20] or hiking activities in proximity to lakes [21]. Consequently, changes in ecosystem health and water quality can lead to a decline in associated ecosystem services and benefits for human well-being [17,22].…”

Anthropogenic Impacts on Water Quality in a Small, Forested Mountain Catchment: A Case Study of the Seebächle, Black Forest, Southern Germany

“…The same is true for the winter and spring seasons at the Seibelseckle ski run, despite being frequented by comparatively fewer visitors. Case studies from other mountain regions (Central Range, Iberia, Fagaras Mountains, Romania, Australian Alps, Australia) and fells (Ruka and Levi, Finland) worldwide show that strong tourism pressure by skiing and hiking can negatively affect the water quality of alpine lakes and aquatic ecosystems [59]. This often concerns sensitive areas and National Parks.…”

“…This often concerns sensitive areas and National Parks. A recent study identifies eutrophication caused by anthropogenic impacts of hiking tourism as a major threat to water quality of several high-altitude alpine lakes in the Tatra National Park, Poland [59].…”

Not too small to benefit society: insights into perceived cultural ecosystem services of mountain lakes in the European Alps

“…Compared to other terrestrial ecosystems, small mountain lakes are more rapidly affected by climate change, posing a serious threat to lake organisms, ecological functions, and ecosystem services (Schmeller et al 2018, Moser et al 2019. Increasing pressures on mountain lakes also originate from recreational use, livestock farming, and water extraction (Dokulil 2014, Van Colen et al 2018, Brunner et al 2019, Senetra et al 2020. In particular, the importance of outdoor recreation and tourism is likely to increase in cooler regions such as the European Alps because of global warming (Pröbstl-Haider et al 2021).…”