Description of Ecosystem of the Lower Odra and the Odra Estuary

Environmental conditions of the lower river Odra and its estuary show a high variability of chemical and biological parameters, related to the dynamics of the river, its mouth area, the Lake Dabie-Szczecin Lagoon system, and the Pomeranian Bay. Water chemistry, affected by the total sum of industrial, urban, and agricultural pollution discharged from the direct drainage area is discussed. This pollution load influences the composition and ecological structures of terrestrial, frequently unique, phytal communities associated with aquatic areas, phyto- and zooplankton, benthos, fish fauna, and avifauna. The current status of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is described; elements of cultural infrastructure existing within the Lower Odra Valley in Western Pomerania are mentioned as well.     

Ecophysiological Studies on Size-fractionated Phytoplankton Populations by Tracer Technique in Wadi el Majanin Dam,Libya

Wadi el Majanin, one of the largest hydraulic structures in Libya was studied for ecophysiological aspects in relation to ambient environment. The waterbody is alkaline (pH=7.2) and characteristic of hydrogen-carbonate (144.8 mg L^–1 CaCO₃) system. Vertical extinction coefficients (> 4.8) indicate very high (biogenic) turbidity. Conspicuous variations of a quantitative kind in algal development (e.g., Pediastrum bloom) together with abundant diatom populations (chlorococcales-diatom assemblage), apart from very common occurrence of cyanobacteria and euglenoids show eutrophic water condition. Winter-summer alternation induced pronounced seasonal variability in the rates of in situ planktonic algal photosynthetic activities (285.7...1305 mg m^–3 d^–1 C). Dark fixation activity, attributed largely to bacterial production, oscillated by order of 2-fold magnitude, characterized by summer maxima (47.6 mg m^–3 d^–1 C). Size-fractional analysis established that smaller forms (< 60 μm), broadly regarded nanno-phytoplankton, frequently dominated (c. 70%) overall algal productivity.     

Effects of the Herbicide Metazachlor on Phytoplankton and Periphyton Communities in Outdoor Mesocosms

The effects of the chloroacetanilide herbicide metazachlor have been investigated in outdoor artificial mesocosms. Decreasing phytoplankton densities were caused by the application, however, the communities recovered after 30 to 35 days. Periphyton growth was found to be affected not only by the herbicide application but by the presence of species with different ability to grow on artificial substrates. Zooplankton diversity was small due to low density of ingestible algae species. Oxygen saturation was found to be correlated with the dosage levels of the herbicide in the second half of the study.     

The Interface Configuration of the Fresh‐/Dead Sea Water – Theory and Measurements

The high‐density Dead Sea water (1.235 g/cm³) forms a special interface configuration with the fresh groundwater resources of its surrounding aquifers. The fresh groundwater column beneath its surroundings is around one tenth of its length compared to oceanic water. This fact alone indicates the vulnerability of the fresh groundwater resources to the impacts of changes in the Dead Sea level and to saltwater migration. Ghyben‐Herzberg and Glover equations were used to calculate the volumes of water in coastal aquifers which were replaced by freshwater due to the interface seaward migration as a result of the drop in the level of the Dead Sea. For that purpose, the dynamic equation of Glover approach has been integrated to accommodate that type of interface readjustment. The calculated amounts of freshwater which substituted salt Dead Sea water due to the migration of interface are 3.21 · 10¹¹ m³, from a Dead Sea level of –392 m to τ411 m below sea level. The average porosity of coastal aquifers was calculated to range from 2.8 to 2.94%. Geoelectric sounding measurements showed that areas underlying the coastal aquifers formerly occupied by the Dead Sea water are gradually becoming flushed and occupied by freshwater. The latter is becoming salinized due to the residuals of Dead Sea water in the aquifer matrix, the present salinity of which is lower than that of the Dead Sea water. At the same time salt dissolution from the Lisan Marl formation is causing collapses along the shorelines in the form of sinkholes, tens of meters in diameter and depth.