The ecology of potamoplankton has received less attention than lake plankton. These proceedings produce a synthesis of the composition, community structure and dynamics of lotic phytoplankton, which are intuitively submitted to a strong physical control in the flowing environment, perceived as much more `disturbed' than a lake, even than a well-mixed shallow one. It turns out that the boundary between the phytoplankton of rivers and lakes is not as clear-cut as was thought. In particular, most contributions provide arguments emphasizing the prominent role of physical control in both aquatic systems, especially due to the steep light gradient resulting from turbulent mixing in a turbid water column. Similarities and differences between potamoplankton and limnoplankton, largely based on the information gathered by the contributors are discussed in the introductory paper by Reynolds et al.

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Foreword. Introductory paper: Are phytoplankton dynamics in rivers so different from those in shallow lakes? C.S. Reynolds, J.-P. Descy, J. Padisák. Contributions: The long, the short and the stalled: on the attributes of phytoplankton selected by physical mixing in lakes and rivers; C.S. Reynolds. Meroplankton dynamics in a saline, turbulent, turbid shallow lake (Neusiedlersee, Austria and Hungary); J. Padisák, M. Dokulil. An elementary, structural analysis of river phytoplankton; C. Rojo, M. Alvarez-Cobelas, M. Arauzo. Algal assemblages from shallow lakes of the Salado River basin (Argentina); I. Izaguirre, A. Vinocur. Environmental control of phytoplankton productivity in turbulent turbid systems; M.T. Dokulil. Origin and succession of Phytoplankton in a river-lake system (Spree, Germany); J. Köhler. Cyanophycean blooms in the reservoir of Val Joly (Northern France) and their development in downstream rivers; J. Prygiel, M. Leitao. Main characteristics of the phytoplankton of the Southern Hungarian section of the River Danube; A. Schmidt. Comparative analysis of fifteen lowland fluvial systems of the River Plate basin (Argentina); I. O'Farrell. Modelling phytoplankton development in whole drainage networks: the RIVERSTRAHLER Model applied to the Seine river system; G. Billen, J. Garnier, Ph. Hanset. Development and ecological importance of phytoplankton in a large lowland river (River Meuse, Belgium); J.-P. Descy. Silica-scaled chrysophytes (Synurophyceae) from some rivers and shallow lakes in Hungary; K.T. Kiss, J. Kristiansen. Ecological observations on Skeletonema potamos (Weber) Hasle in the River Danube, near Budapest (1991--92): daily investigations; K.T. Kiss, É. Ács, A. Kovács. Shallows of the lower Danube asadditional sources of potamoplankton; M.P. Stoyneva. The phytoplankton community of the River Meuse (Belgium): seasonal dynamics (1992) and the possible incidence of zooplankton grazing; V. Gosselain, J.-P. Descy, E. Everbecq. Bloom formation of Gloeotrichia echinulata and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae in a shallow, eutrophic, Danish lake; B.A. Jacobsen. Phytoplankton dynamics in a shallow, hypertrophic reservoir (Lake Arancio, Sicily); R. Barone, L. Naselli-Flores.