FOSSIL PIGMENTS IN THE SURFACE SEDIMENTS OF A MEROMICTIC LAKE 1

Pigment concentration and diversity were measured in surface sediments on a transect across a small, meromictic lake in northwest Wisconsin. Pigment concentrations increase several fold and diversity by a third from the shallowest to the deepest sediments. Monimolimnetic chlorophyll derivatives are about 3 and carotenoids nearly 2 the hypolimnetic maxima in holomictic, eutrophic Minnesota lakes. Lower pigment concentrations at the deepest point along the transect suggest slumping of littoral detritus.