Renaturalization of streams and rivers — the special importance of integrated ecological methods in measurement of success. An example from Saxony-Anhalt (Germany)

Since hydromorphology in about 80% of German streams and rivers is degraded to a high degree, increased efforts in hydromorphological renaturalization are necessary. A measurement of the success of the first realized projects shows that improvement in stream morphology has a remarkably positive influence on aquatic ecology. An example of a restored stretch of a lowland stream in Saxony-Anhalt is used to describe the possibilities of success measurement programs for improvement of poor renaturalization. Therefore, a combined morphological and hydrobiological approach was developed. An integrated ecological assessment is possible by using the multimetric index EQI_M (Ecological Quality Index using benthic Macroinvertebrates) and the GFI (German Fauna Index). The latter represents a tolerance measure to evaluate the hydromorphological status of a site by using certain taxa that indicate either positive or negative physical attributes. To consider the special characteristics of the stream in its landscape unit, specific reference conditions (‘Leitbild’) were defined for macroinvertebrate communities by sampling comparable but undisturbed streams in the same landscape unit. Only the combination of biological indices, hydromorphological mapping and comparison to the reference status allows for an expressive evaluation of renaturalization measures and precise conclusions for their improvement.     

Congruence between functional and taxonomic patterns of benthic and planktonic assemblages in flatland ponds

Using data from 31 ponds, we investigated the importance of environmental (e.g. habitat complexity, nutrient content, pH) and biotic factors (i.e. fish predation) on the spatial patterns of planktonic (phytoplankton and zooplankton) and benthic (macroinvertebrates) assemblages. We also evaluated the degree of concordance among assemblages and between the functional and taxonomic composition of assemblages, and test the hypothesis that surrogates of biodiversity (e.g. taxonomic or functional groups) can be used in pond conservation and biomonitoring studies. We found that the spatial patterns of benthic and pelagic assemblages were determined by macrophyte coverage, water quality and, to a lesser extent, fish. However, shifts in the taxonomic and functional composition were not congruent. Moreover, local environmental variation was slightly more important for the taxonomic than the functional composition of assemblages, except for phytoplankton. The degree of concordance among assemblages was also weak, which may be partly due to the fact that species respond individualistically to environmental variation. These findings also suggest that the coupling between benthic and pelagic habitats in flatland ponds is weak, and that the use of surrogate measures or indicator groups in pond conservation studies may not be appropriate.     

‘Natural’ rivers, ‘hydromorphological quality’ and river restoration: a challenging new agenda for applied fluvial geomorphology

Fluvial geomorphology is rapidly becoming centrally involved in practical applications to support the agenda of sustainable river basin management. In the UK its principal contributions to date have primarily been in flood risk management and river restoration. There is a new impetus: the European Union's Water Framework and Habitats Directives require all rivers to be considered in terms of their ecological quality, defined partly in terms of ‘hydromorphology’. This paper focuses on the problematic definition of ‘natural’ hydromorphological quality for rivers, the assessment of departures from it, and the ecologically driven strategies for restoration that must be delivered by regulators under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Habitats Directive contains similar concepts under different labels. Currently available definitions of ‘natural’ or ‘reference’ conditions derive largely from a concept of ‘damage’, principally to channel morphology. Such definitions may, however, be too static to form sustainable strategies for management and regulation, but attract public support. Interdisciplinary knowledge remains scant; yet such knowledge is needed at a range of scales from catchment to microhabitat. The most important contribution of the interdisciplinary R&D effort needed to supply management tools to regulators of the WFD and Habitats regulations is to interpret the physical habitat contribution to biodiversity conservation, in terms of ‘good ecological quality’ in rivers, and the ‘hydromorphological’ component of this quality. Contributions from ‘indigenous knowledge’, through public participation, are important but often understated in this effort to drive the ‘fluvial hydrosystem’ back to spontaneous, affordable, sustainable self‐regulation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pressure-specific and multiple pressure response of fish assemblages in European running waters

We classified homogenous river types across Europe and searched for fish metrics qualified to show responses to specific pressures (hydromorphological pressures or water quality pressures) vs. multiple pressures in these river types. We analysed fish taxa lists from 3105 sites in 16 ecoregions and 14 countries. Sites were pre-classified for 15 selected pressures to separate unimpacted from impacted sites. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to split unimpacted sites into four homogenous river types based on species composition and geographical location. Classification trees were employed to predict associated river types for impacted sites with four environmental variables. We defined a set of 129 candidate fish metrics to select the best reacting metrics for each river type. The candidate metrics represented tolerances/intolerances of species associated with six metric types: habitat, migration, water quality sensitivity, reproduction, trophic level and biodiversity. The results showed that 17 uncorrelated metrics reacted to pressures in the four river types. Metrics responded specifically to water quality pressures and hydromorphological pressures in three river types and to multiple pressures in all river types. Four metrics associated with water quality sensitivity showed a significant reaction in up to three river types, whereas 13 metrics were specific to individual river types. Our results contribute to the better understanding of fish assemblage response to human pressures at a pan-European scale. The results are especially important for European river management and restoration, as it is necessary to uncover underlying processes and effects of human pressures on aquatic communities.     

Assessment of the Water and Habitat Quality of a Mediterranean River (Kalamas,Epirus, Hellas), in Accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive

In the present study, the water quality of Kalamas river (NW Greece) was evaluated using physicochemical and hydromorphological parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates. Statistical analyses (Cluster and FUZZY analyses) were performed and two biotic scores (BMWP' and HS) were used in order to classify the sites according to water quality. Kalamas river appeared to have excellent tomoderate water quality at all sampling sites except one (close to the delta area) which was ”fairly or significantly polluted”. During the low flow season water quality appeared poorer than during the high flow season. The ecological parameters (hydromorphological, chemical, and biological) used for this integrated approach are the ones proposed by the New Water Directive 2000/60 EC for an efficient surveying monitoring of running waters.     

Assessing streams in Germany with benthic invertebrates: selection of candidate metrics

The process of selecting invertebrate-based candidate metrics for the German stream assessment system is described. The aim was to identify metrics indicating degradation types other than organic pollution and acidification (“general degradation”). For 18 out of 24 German stream types a data base of roughly 2,000 benthic invertebrate samples was generated; for each sample 79 metrics were calculated. Data on land use in the catchment were compiled for all sampling sites, together with data on hydromorphology for many sampling sites. Hydromorphological and land use parameters, which describe a clear gradient in the data sets were identified by Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS). Correlation analyses between land use/hydromorphological parameters and metric results were calculated separately for the individual stream types. Among those metrics best indicating catchment- and hydromorphological degradation in the majority of stream types are: proportion of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera; proportion of Plecoptera (mainly suited for mountain streams); number of Plecoptera taxa; proportion of xenosaprobic taxa; proportion of epirhithral preferring taxa. Differences of metric correlations between stream types and between degradation types are discussed, leading to a list of candidate metrics for assessing German streams.     

鳑鲏与河蚌交互作用对浮游生物和底栖生物的影响分析

放养河蚌,提高水体透明度以促进沉水植物生长,是湖泊生态修复中的常用手段之一.而小型杂食性鱼类鳑鲏依赖河蚌繁殖,河蚌放养可能会促进鳑鲏种群的发展;而鳑鲏与河蚌交互作用对水生态系统的影响仍研究较少.于2018年11-12月通过原位受控实验,设置对照组、河蚌组、鳑鲏组和河蚌+鳑鲏组,研究了鳑鲏(大鳍鱊Acheilognath...     

Die neue EG‐Wasserrahmenrichtlinie: Bewertung der chemischen und ökologischen Qualität von Oberflächengewässern

The New EC Framework Water Directive: Assessment of the Chemical and Ecological Status of Surface Waters The main objective of the draft EC Framework Water Directive is the good quality of all surface waters. The directive provides for an assessment of the chemical status of surface waters (EU‐wide valid environmental quality standards for approximately 30 priority substances) and a five‐stage ecological classification of waters, comprising the stages high, good, moderate, poor, and bad. The starting point for the assessment are the reference conditions, which are defined as corresponding to high water quality and characterising a water status with no significant anthropogenic impact. The reference sites in the various water body types are to be selected using hydromorphological and physico‐chemical parameters and subsequently characterised by means of biological parameters. For surface waters, three groups of characteristics are provided for, namely: 1. with priority the biology – in the case of surface waters – with the four elements phytoplankton, macrophytes/phytobenthos, benthic invertebrate fauna, and fish fauna; 2. supporting the hydromorphology, e.g. flowing waters with the three elements hydrological regime, river continuity, and morphological conditions and 3. supporting the physico‐chemical conditions with the three elements general conditions, specific synthetic pollutants, and specific non synthetic pollutants (other than the priority substances of the chemical status).     

蓄水后向家坝库区鱼类物种、分类和功能多样性变化

为了解向家坝水电工程对金沙江下游鱼类多样性的影响,基于2016—2018年邵女坪(库首)、绥江(库中)和桧溪(库尾)3个江段的鱼类群落调查数据,分析了向家坝库区鱼类物种、分类和功能多样性空间格局,结合蓄水前(2011年)和蓄水初期(2015年)的资料,探讨了蓄水后向家坝库区不同维度鱼类多样性的变化趋势。向家坝库区各江段以广适性的瓦氏黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus vachelli)和静水性的(Hemiculter leucisculus)占优势,两者的数量百分比分别为30.15%±14.82%和13.91%±11.16%。非度量多维尺度分析显示,蓄水后向家坝库区库首邵女坪和库中绥江鱼类群落差异最小,库首邵女坪和库尾桧溪鱼类群落差异最大;库中绥江在蓄水前、蓄水初期和2016—2018年3个时期的鱼类群落差异均较大,表明蓄水后绥江江段鱼类群落经历了剧烈变化。库区不同江段鱼类Margalef丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数均表现为:桧溪>邵女坪>绥江,鱼类分类多样性指数和分类差异指数均表现为:桧溪>绥江>邵女坪。库区鱼类摄食、运动和繁殖等不同维度的功能多样性(功能丰富度、功能均匀度、功能离散度)空间格局不同,但总体上库中绥江鱼类功能丰富度最高,功能均匀度最低。与蓄水前相比,绥江江段鱼类物种、分类多样性呈下降趋势,鱼类功能丰富度和均匀度也有下降趋势。蓄水后绥江江段鱼类群落主要功能性状发生了明显变化,如蓄水前以下位口、纺锤形体型鱼类占优势,蓄水后以端位口、侧扁形体型鱼类占优势。不同维度多样性指数侧重于鱼类多样性的不同方面,结合多种指数分析有利于更全面地了解鱼类群落对环境变化和外界干扰的响应。研究结果有助于深入了解水电工程建设对金沙江下游鱼类多样性的影响,为鱼类多样性保护提供依据,也可为长江“十年禁渔”效果评估提供本底资料。     

Improving benthic monitoring by combining trawl and grab surveys

Environmental monitoring is performed on seafloor communities since these organisms are relatively stationary and integrate the environmental conditions over many years. Standard practices involve sampling by grab. Epifaunal taxa, often missed by grab sampling, are likely to have different ecological functions. We investigate how current environmental assessments represent the benthic community as a whole by comparing taxonomic and functional components sampled by grabs and epibenthic trawls. Faunal communities sampled by trawl (filtrating or predator, epifauna) and grab (infaunal, detrivore) differs widely by sampling distinct functional components, and these may be expected to respond to different human-induced stressors. Neither component appears to be a good surrogate for the community as a whole. We suggest a benthic monitoring by combining both techniques. Sustainable ecosystem functioning is intimately tied to the health of both components of the benthic community, and is recognized as an important goal by signatories of the Convention on Biological Diversity.     

热带浅水湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构对生态修复的响应

热带浅水湖泊后生浮游动物群落以轮虫和小型枝角类为主,往往缺乏大型浮游动物,其影响因子还存在争议,因此通过减少鱼类,提高大型后生浮游动物密度,从而增强对浮游植物的下行控制、修复热带富营养化湖泊的方法受到质疑.暨大南湖位于广州暨南大学校园内,是热带富营养化浅水湖泊,于2014年1—2月实施以鱼类去除和水生植被重建为主的生态系统修复工程,以期改善水质.通过对南湖修复前后水质、后生浮游动物以及修复后鱼类群落的调查分析,研究了后生浮游动物群落对修复的响应.结果表明:与修复前相比,总氮、总磷和叶绿素a浓度显著降低,透明度显著上升.枝角类丰度和生物量显著增加,修复后初期出现较高密度的大型枝角类蚤状溞(Daphnia pulex),桡足类丰度和生物量没有显著变化,轮虫丰度下降而生物量上升;后生浮游动物体长和生物多样性显著增加.随着鱼类密度的增加,蚤状溞丰度快速降低,后期鱼类减少后蚤状溞丰度又有所升高.因此,本研究显示鱼类是控制热带浅水湖泊大型浮游动物种群的主要因素,由于控制鱼类密度以维持较高大型浮游动物密度较为困难,因此单纯生物操纵在热带浅水湖泊修复中难以取得显著效果.     

Feeding activity of adult roach (Rutilus rutilus (L.)), perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.)) in eutrophic Lake Aydat (France)

The feeding activity of adult roach (Rutilus rutilus), perch (Perca fluviatilis) and ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) was studied over a one year cycle to show trophic relations between fish and the prey communities in eutrophic Lake Aydat.Daily consumption rates were referred to the stock of the different age classes of fish. Seven food compartments (phytoplankton, macrophytes, Cladocera, Copepoda, macroinvertebrates, fish and sediment) were used by the fish. The main prey compartment ofR. rutilus were macroinvertebrates (39.7%), sediment (29.0%), macrophytes (15.4%) and phytoplankton (14.9%). Little zooplankton was consumed (2.4%).P. fluviatilis fed mainly on macroinvertebrates and fish fry (both 41.8%) and some zooplankton (15.0%). ForG. cernuus, macroinvertebrates dominated in the diet (97.4%). During spring, Bacillariophyceae and macroinvertebrates represented the principal preys. During summer, insect larvae, phytoplankton and macrophytes were the principal components of the diet. At the end of summer, macrofauna was scare and fish tended to move to the pelagic zone feeding on plankton. In autumn, the prey spectrum was large. During winter, sediment was the most important item consumed, together with some macroinvertebrates. The impact of this fish community through consumption is highest on macroinvertebrates (40.7%), flora (27.7%) and sediment (28.4%). The predation of these three fish on zooplankton was low (1% per day of the zooplankton biomass) and restricted to periods when the other items were scarce. Interspecific competition is not excluded for macroinvertebrates.     

湖沼学是研究内陆水体的多学科整合科学——兼论我国湖沼学发展面临的挑战与机遇

湖沼学是研究内陆水体的多学科交叉综合性科学,自从Forel F.A.于1892年首次对湖沼学做出定义以来已有近130年历史.湖沼学的主要分支学科包括地质湖沼学(包括古湖沼学)、物理湖沼学、化学(生物地球化学)湖沼学和生物湖沼学.湖沼学的关键自然属性是通过跨学科的整合,从水生态系统水平综合分析相关过程与机理,并对生态系统变化进行预测.因此,湖泊学也是支撑水资源与生态系统保护、管理与修复的核心科学.然而,目前我国湖沼学发展面临分支学科发展不平衡、研究碎片化等问题,而人类活动加剧和气候变化对内陆水体生态系统的影响及管理对策是湖沼学研究面临的挑战与机遇.我国湖沼学研究亟需围绕人类活动、气候变化的影响,重点开展以下几个方面的工作:1)水动力与水文地貌特征变化及其环境生态效应; 2)营养盐和有机质生物地球化学循环及其环境生态效应; 3)食物网结构与功能; 4)外来入侵物种的影响与控制对策; 5)与水环境有关的传染病防治; 6)地表水生态评价; 7)生态系统演变机理与退化生态系统修复等.     

江西省浅水湖泊大型底栖无脊椎动物多样性特征和影响因素

2019年春、秋两季,对江西省76个湖泊的底栖动物进行了调查,在分析其群落结构和多样性的基础上,探讨了多样性与环境因子间的关系,旨在确定影响大型底栖无脊椎动物多样性的重要环境因子,以期为江西省湖泊的精准化管理提供科学依据和技术支持。两次调查共检出140个分类单元,以水生昆虫和软体动物为主,摇蚊类物种数占水生昆虫物种数的53.62%。富营养指示种(长足摇蚊属一种和摇蚊属一种)为春、秋两季的优势分类单元,湖沼典型种(长足摇蚊属一种、摇蚊属一种、石田螺属一种、苏氏尾鳃蚓和霍甫水丝蚓)的丰度变化导致了群落结构的季节变化。大型底栖无脊椎动物α多样性水平较低,基于PLSR和PLS-SEM的分析结果表明,影响大型底栖无脊椎动物多样性指标的环境因子既与藻类种群动态密切相关,也与水质状态有关。大型底栖无脊椎动物多样性与藻类种群状态存在稳定的联系,不受季节因素的影响,过高的藻类丰度不利于大型底栖无脊椎动物多样性的提高,而较好的水质状况有利于大型底栖无脊椎动物多样性的提高。为保护江西省湖泊大型底栖无脊椎动物资源,应在具有渔业养殖功能的湖泊和城镇湖泊中进行水生植物的修复工作,使藻型湖泊向草型湖泊方向演化;对一...     

Benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of environmental deterioration in a large microtidal estuary

This study tested the hypothesis that, during recent years, the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of the large basin of the Swan-Canning Estuary has changed in ways consistent with deteriorating environmental conditions in that estuary. Between 1986/7 and 2003/4, the compositions of that fauna altered markedly at the species and even family levels. Thus, the densities and number of species of molluscs, and especially of crustaceans, which are particularly susceptible to environmental stress, declined, while those of the more tolerant polychaetes increased. However, taxonomic distinctness declined consistently only at one of the four widely-spaced sampling sites and the dispersion of samples did not differ markedly between periods, indicating that the benthic fauna has not undergone such extreme changes as in the nearby Peel-Harvey Estuary. It is thus proposed that benthic macroinvertebrates can act as important indicators of the severity of environmental degradation in microtidal estuaries in regions where such perturbations are increasing.     

Versuch einer Begründung für den Wandel in der qualitativen und quantitativen Zusammensetzung des Fischbestandes im Bodensee während der letzten 60 Jahre und eine Bewertung der Besatzmassnahmen

Statistics for all important fish for the past 60 years and the management measures taken, together with the scientific results, have been evaluated, in order to recognize the development trend and the success or failure of the measures. Although total yields have increased by 500%, the catches for some species i.e. pike, pike-perch and lake trout, have decreased in the past 15 years in spite of enormous measures. The possible reasons are discussed. Cannibalism and decimation through rapacious fish regulate the yield and cause oscillations. Therefore studies on the biology of fish must rather consider the correlations between the single species. For good management, it is more important to plant alevins than fry.

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Meinem Mitarbeiter Heinz Quoss danke ich recht herzlich für die Zusammenstellung der einzelnen statistischen Werte und für die zahlreichen Berechnungen.     

Environmental change,hydromorphological reference conditions and the restoration of Polish Carpathian rivers

In the twentieth century Polish Carpathian rivers were considerably modified by channelization and gravel mining, with significant detrimental effects to their ecological integrity, vertical stability of the streambeds and flood hazard to downstream river reaches. Restoration of the rivers is thus necessary to improve their ecological status and re‐establish geomorphic dynamic equilibrium conditions. Various approaches to defining hydromorphological reference conditions, proposed to date in river restoration literature, have serious deficiencies. In particular, environmental changes that took place in the catchments of Carpathian rivers during the twentieth century invalidate the historical state of the rivers as reference for their restoration. This is illustrated by a change from bar‐braided to island‐braided channel pattern that occurred in the past century in unmanaged sections of the Czarny Dunajec in response to a reduction in flow and sediment dynamics of the river. We indicate that reference conditions should be defined as those which exist or would exist under present environmental conditions in the catchment but without human influence on the channel, riparian zone and floodplain of the river which is to be restored. This assumption was tested through the evaluation of hydromorphological river quality of the Czarny Dunajec according to the European Standard EN‐14614. The evaluation confirmed a high‐status hydromorphological quality in an unmanaged channel section, which can thus be used as a reference for restoration of impacted river sections. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recovery of the macrozoobenthic community after severe dystrophic crises in a Mediterranean coastal Lagoon (Orbetello, Italy)

The Orbetello lagoon, one of the largest Western Mediterranean lagoons, was affected by high algal blooms and severe anoxic crises in 1992 and 1993, with fish mortality throughout most of the lagoon and a drastic reduction of benthic species. Many measures were undertaken between 1994 and 1996 to remove the severe eutrophication of this lagoon. Such measures included harvesting of the floating seaweed biomass, removal of all wastewater and sea channel enlargement by dredging activity. The aim of the present research was to study the macrozoobenthic assemblage in 1999 and to compare it with previous research in order to assess the recovery of the lagoon. A total of 106 taxa and 45,175 individuals were collected in three areas (sea inlets, western and eastern lagoon) having different organic matter loading during winter and summer. The results of multivariate and correlation analyses indicated that trophic status and its seasonal dynamics were crucial in determining species distribution among the different areas. Moreover, comparison of the macrozoobenthic structure between winter 1995 and 1999 showed differences in species composition and structural parameters in the western and eastern lagoon, where a clear recovery of benthic assemblages was observed in 1999. However, the dominance of opportunistic species in most of the lagoon and the decrease in some structural parameters during summer suggested that this basin still presented signs of disturbance in 1999, six years after the last extended anoxic crises and even after completion of the restoration measures carried out in the environment. It was hypothesized that a secondary disturbance, sustained by a high seasonal release of nutrients from the sediments, could create considerable deviations from the expected improvement in benthic conditions.