fresh blood for fresh water - masaryk university · 4 conference program wednesday (27.2) 9:00...
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Fresh Blood for Fresh Water
Young Aquatic Science
February 27th
– March 1st
2013 Lunz am See, Austria
Organised by the WasserCluster Lunz and SIL-AUSTRIA
http://www.univie.ac.at/fbfw/2013
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ORGANISERS AND SPONSORS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ORGANISERS AND SPONSORS ............................................................................................... 2
CONFERENCE PROGRAM .......................................................................................................... 4
ABSTRACTS: KEYNOTE LECTURES ..................................................................................... 7
ABSTRACTS: ORAL PRESENTATIONS ............................................................................... 10
ABSTRACTS: POSTER PRESENTATIONS ......................................................................... 24
ORGANISING COMMITTEE ....................................................................................................... 72
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS ............................................................................................................. 73
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CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Wednesday (27.2)
9:00 -11:00 Registration
11:00- 11:30 Conference Opening and Welcome
11:30-12:30 Scientific Keynote Lecture
Ed Hall: “ANTHROPOCENITIES: HUMAN DRIVEN INFLUENCES ON AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD – A TALE OF TWO WATERSHEDS”
12:30-14:00 Lunch
14:00-15:00 Session I: Oral presentations
14:00-14:15 Péter Borza CURRENT STATUS OF INVASIVE PONTO-CASPIAN MYSIDS (CRUSTACEA: MYSIDA) IN HUNGARY
14:15-14:30 Péter Mauchart NICHE SEGREGATION AND BIOTIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN A NATIVE AND A NATURALIZED INVADER GAMMARID (CRUSTACEA: AMPHIPODA)
14:30-14:45 Árpád Ferincz LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT OF FISH ASSEMBLAGE IN LAKE FENÉKI (KIS-BALATON WATER PROTECTION SYSTEM, HUNGARY): SUCCESSION, INVASION AND STABILIZATION
14:45-15:00 Susanne Wilken MIXOTROPHS IN THE FOOD WEB: LINKING PHYSIOLOGY TO POPULATION DYNAMICS
15:00-17:00 Session I: Poster presentations with coffee (# 1 – 9, 11 – 17)
17:00-18:00 Scientific Keynote lecture
Silke Langenheder: “FROM PATTERNS TO PROCESSES: MECHANISMS DETERMINING THE ASSEMBLY OF AQUATIC BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS SPATIAL SCALES”
Evening Dinner and drinks at the WasserCluster
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Thursday (28.2)
8:30-9:30 Session II: Oral presentations
8:30-8:45 Birgit Lerchegger BIOLOGICAL MONITORING IN COMBINATION WITH WATER AND DETRITUS ANALYSIS IN POTENTIAL FRESH WATER PEARL MUSSEL (MARGARITIFERA MARGARITIFERA) HABITATS IN UPPER AUSTRIA
8:45-9:00 Agnija Skuja CADDISFLY (TRICHOPTERA) LARVAE COMMUNITY SPATIAL PATTERN TRAITS AND DRIFT IN RHITHRAL TYPE MEDIUM-SIZED LOWLAND STREAMS IN LATVIA
9:00-9:15 Nela Kubová ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENTS DETERMINING LEECH OCCURRENCE AND ASSEMBLAGES COMPOSITION (CLITELLATA: HIRUDINIDA)
9:15-9:30 Marek Polášek TAXONOMY OF THE GENUS ELECTROGENA (HEPTAGENIIDAE: EPHEMEROPTERA) – GOOD OLD TAXONOMY WITH NEW TOOLS
9:30-10:00 Coffee break
10:00-10:45 Guest Lecture: Research funding
Sonja Heintel: “THE NEXT STEP – MARIE CURIE FELLOWSHIPS FOR YOUR CAREER”
10:45-12:30 Session II: Poster presentations (# 18 – 33)
12:30-14:30 Lunch buffet and outdoor recreation (e.g. walk around/on the
lake)
14:30-18:30 Two sessions of workshops + coffee
Sonja Heintel & Mia Bengtsson: “Do it yourself – how to prepare a successful proposal”
Phillip Hirsch: “Communicating science with and for society”
Ed Hall: “Communicating your ideas and visualizing your
data”
Hannes Peter: “Life-work balance in science”
Gabriel Singer: “R crash-course and helpdesk” (Code
provided, bring laptop)
14:30-16:15 Workshops session I
16:15-16:45 Break
16:45-18:30 Workshops session II
Evening Dinner at Zellerhof + concert by “The Roosevelt
Houserockers”
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Friday (1.3)
8:30-9:45 Session III: Oral presentations
8:30-8:45 Stephanie N. Merbt NITRIFICATION IN STREAMS: FROM SINGLE CELL TO ECOSYSTEM
8:45-9:00 Vendula Křoupalová MICROORGANISM ASSEMBLAGES IN THE SPRING FENS: THE EFFECT OF GROUNDWATER CHEMISTRY
9:00-9:15 Kristin Rath COMMUNITY COMPOSITION OF MICROBIAL BIOFILM AND SUSPENDED STREAM WATER COMMUNITIES DURING BIOFILM SUCCESSION
9:15-9:30 Mayr Magdalena FIGHTING PLANKTIC ALGAE WITH BENTHIC ALGAE: A PILOT STUDY AT THE HEUSTADELWASSER IN VIENNA
9:30-9:45 Łukasz Wejnerowski GRAZER INDUCED MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN CYANOBACTERIUM APHANIZOMENON GRACILE (LEMM.)
9:45-10:15 Coffee break
10:15 -11:45 Session III: Poster presentations (# 10, 34 – 48)
11:45-12:30 Guest Lecture: Applied Limnology
Clemens Ratschan: “FLASHLIGHTS FROM APPLIED FRESHWATER ECOLOGY – IS IT WORTH THE AGGRO?”
12:30-13:30 Lunch buffet
13:30-14:30 Discussions, summary and outlook
14:30 -15:00 Awards for best poster & oral presentations and Closing
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ABSTRACTS: KEYNOTE LECTURES
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Silke Langenheder
Department of Ecology and Genetics/Limnology, Uppsala University, Uppsala,
Sweden
FROM PATTERNS TO PROCESSES: MECHANISMS DETERMINING THE
ASSEMBLY OF AQUATIC BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS SPATIAL
SCALES
During recent years we have gain tremendous insights into the biogeography of
bacterial communities in aquatic ecosystems. In general, bacterial community
composition varies across spatial scales and it has become clear that there are two
major mechanisms, i.e. selection by local environmental conditions and dispersal
among local communities that can cause these patterns. What is still lacking is a
more comprehensive understanding about when and why different assembly
mechanisms prevail and how their importance is influenced by environmental change
and disturbances. Here I will talk about how the relative importance of different
assembly mechanisms changes over time and is affected by predation. I will also
present results from studies where we have looked specifically into what happens to
dispersed bacteria when they enter new environments and investigated the
importance of ‘seed-banks’, i.e. reservoirs containing dormant taxa, when freshwater
ecosystems are exposed to disturbances.
9
Ed Hall
USGS Research Biologist, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State
University, USA
ANTHROPOCENITIES: HUMAN DRIVEN INFLUENCES ON AQUATIC
ECOSYSTEMS IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD – A TALE OF TWO WATERSHEDS
How we use and manage our freshwaters has an undeniable regional signature.
However, our activities in one watershed affect the ecology and ultimately the
ecosystem services provided by another seemingly unconnected watershed. In a
globalized world, one where geographic space is increasingly diminished by global
commerce and communications cross-regional comparative studies are more
appropriate than ever before. I am currently conducting research in Rocky Mountain
National Park CO, USA and Lake Yojoa, Honduras, C.A. Each system is
experiencing human caused stress that is changing the function of and ultimately the
services provided by the ecosystem. While at first glance each ecosystem and their
associated watersheds seem very different, on closer evaluation the stress placed on
each are similar. I will discuss the underlying mechanisms driving changes in each
ecosystem and the unique set of challenges and obstacles that are present in
studying each ecosystem.
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ABSTRACTS: ORAL PRESENTATIONS
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Péter Borza
Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Göd, Hungary
CURRENT STATUS OF INVASIVE PONTO-CASPIAN MYSIDS (CRUSTACEA:
MYSIDA) IN HUNGARY
The number of invasive Ponto-Caspian mysid species in Hungary has recently risen
to four with the appearance of Paramysis lacustris (Czerniavsky, 1882) in the River
Tisza. The species has already colonized most of the Hungarian river section (up to
Tokaj, river km 543), presumably as a result of a jump dispersal aided by navigation.
Hemimysis anomala G. O. Sars, 1907 was also found for the first time in the river (up
to Szolnok, river km 334), whereas Katamysis warpachowskyi G. O. Sars, 1893 is
still present only in the River Danube and its adjacent waters with downstream
connection. The earliest colonizer of the country, Limnomysis benedeni Czerniavsky,
1882 has recently been recorded in several more-or-less isolated fishing ponds (i.e.,
reservoirs on streams and gravel-pit lakes), indicating its secondary dispersal
presumably via fish stocking transports from large natural waters (Danube, Tisza,
Lake Balaton), which mechanism might also contribute to the further spread of the
other species in the future.
Wednesday 27 Feb
12
Árpád Ferincz, Ádám Staszny, András Weiperth, András Ács, Nóra Kováts, Gábor
Paulovits
Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary
LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT OF FISH ASSEMBLAGE IN LAKE FENÉKI (KIS-
BALATON WATER PROTECTION SYSTEM, HUNGARY): SUCCESSION,
INVASION AND STABILIZATION
This analysis of long-term (1992-2011) changes in the fish assemblage of the
partially operating shallow, hypertrophic reservoir (Ingói-marsh, Lake Fenéki) was
carried out on the occasion of the planned completion of the impoundment.
Samplings were performed in standard localities with electrofishing. Three phases
could be distinguished in fish fauna development. The first phase is characterized by
two allochtonous marsh-species the Mud-minnow (Umbra krameri) and the Crucian
carp (Carassius carassius), and was fast replaced by the second invasion phase,
characterized by the invasion of non-native gibel carp (Carassius gibelio),and the
third phase by the dominance of roach (Rutilus rutilus) and bleak (Alburnus
alburnus). The cumulative relative abundance of non-indigenous species reached a
peak in the third year of the impoundment (1995; 56.4%), and remained high (>50%)
until 2001. The number of species, Shannon-Weaver diversity, and relative
abundance of piscivorous species correlated positively with the age of reservoir. The
shift of the fish fauna between the two phases was dynamic and dramatic, since the
all previously dominant species disappeared within 4 years. The impact of invasive
gibel carp is considered as high, because it has completely replaced its native
relative (C. carassius), but in the other hand it only was able to delay the natural
successive process, not completely transform it.
This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme (European
Lakes Under Environmental Stressors, 2CE243P3).
Wednesday 27Feb
13
Vendula Křoupalová, Věra Opravilová, Jindřiška Bojková, Michal Horsák
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
MICROORGANISM ASSEMBLAGES IN THE SPRING FENS: THE EFFECT OF
GROUNDWATER CHEMISTRY
We examined the responses of microorganism assemblages to a complete mineral
richness gradient spanning from extremely mineral-rich tufa-forming calcareous fens
to mineral-poor acidic Sphagnum-fens. We also compared the distribution of two
dominant taxa, testate amoebae and monogonont rotifers, among the sites differing
in water chemistry and among three microhabitats sampled at each site differing in
substrate and moisture conditions. Microorganism assemblages primarily changed in
response to the mineral richness gradient; moisture was the second important factor
structuring microorganism assemblages among microhabitats (i.e., wet bryophytes,
submerged bryophytes and waterlogged bottom sediments). Numbers of testate
amoebae taxa and individuals were the highest in rich Sphagnum-fens, indicating a
unimodal pattern along the mineral richness gradient. Numbers of testate amoebae
taxa decreased notably in wet bryophytes, especially in poor Sphagnum-fens. This
pattern might result from a strong effect of Sphagnum acidification due to minimal or
no dilution of the acidic environment by mineral-rich groundwater. In contrast to
testate amoebae, monogonont rotifers preferred bryophyte tufts in all sites, with the
number of rotifer taxa distinctly increasing from calcareous fens to poor Sphagnum-
fens. In poor Sphagnum-fens, monogonont rotifers were the most abundant in wet
bryophytes, probably due to reduced food competition and/or predaceous pressure
resulting from the limited occurrence of other groups of microorganisms by virtue of
the hostile acidic conditions in wet Sphagnum carpets.
The study was supported by the research project of the Czech Science Foundation (P505/11/0779).
Friday 1 Mar
14
Nela Kubová, Jana Schenková
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENTS DETERMINING LEECH OCCURRENCE AND
ASSEMBLAGES COMPOSITION (CLITELLATA: HIRUDINIDA)
Leeches (Clitellata: Hirudinida) are abundant predators or ecto-parasites inhabiting
various freshwater habitats, however many biotic and abiotic drivers of their
assemblage patterns have been rather deduced than directly tested. The study was
focused on the distribution of leeches in the Czech Republic, their habitat
requirements and species richness and composition. 109 sites of running and
stagnant waters were sampled in years 2007–2010, from April to June.
Morphological characteristics of the site, chemical parameters of the water and
climatic conditions such as mean year temperatures and precipitation were available
for each site. The sampling method was hand collecting, which proved to be the best
method for collecting free-living leeches. All gathered leeches were counted and
determined into the species level. In total, 17 species of leeches were recorded,
number of species varied between 0–7 and 0–9 in lotic and lenitic sites, respectively.
These differences in species richness of lotic and lenitic sites were highly significant,
contrary to abundances, which varied between 0–283 and 0–295 individuals.
Environmental and species data entered the analysis. The main change in species
composition was controlled by water temperature and morphological characteristics
(e.g. substrate and cover of macrophytes), mostly reflecting differences between lotic
and lenitic habitats. We found density of benthos (i.e. prey availability) to be the best
predictor of species composition in both lotic and lenitic sites, along with percentage
of canopy. The other significant predictors (i.e. substratum composition, water
conductivity, mean annual temperature and PO43-) differed between these habitats.
Thursday 28 Feb
15
Birgit Lerchegger
Technisches Büro für Gewässerökologie– Blattfisch, Wels, Austria
BIOLOGICAL MONITORING IN COMBINATION WITH WATER AND DETRITUS
ANALYSIS IN POTENTIAL FRESH WATER PEARL MUSSEL (MARGARITIFERA
MARGARITIFERA) HABITATS IN UPPER AUSTRIA
In Austria the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is endangered. So
the Upper Austrian government decided to launch an extensive conservation project
named “Vision Flussperlmuschel” in 2011. The overall aim of this project is the
establishment of reproductive M. margaritifera populations in fully restored habitats
that grant for their survival. Therefore different tributaries in the catchment areas of
the Rivers Naarn and Aist are scrutinized towards their suitability as potential habitat.
In these tributaries chemistry of the free-flowing water and the interstitial water were
examined. Furthermore redox potential, temperature regime, habitat suitability and
detritus chemistry were analyzed. The river Waldaist and the brook Gießenbach were
chosen as reference streams with well known mussel populations. Finally, juvenile
mussels were used for biomonitoring in order to find out the most appropriate habitat
by determining growth- and mortality rate as well as associating the results with the
chemistry of the free-flowing water and detritus.
Strong negative correlations between growth rate of the juvenile mussels and
potassium (R2 = 0.9), water hardness (R2 = 0.8), calcium (R2 = 0.7), sulphur (R2 = 0.6),
magnesium (R2 = 0.5) and electrical conductivity (R2 = 0.5) has appeared. Positive
correlations showed up between growth rate and nitrate (R2 = 0.6). The mortality rate
has correlated positive with magnesium concentration (R2 = 0.6). After a 70-day
biomonitoring the river Weiße Aist showed the best survival rate with 95% compared
with the best growth rate of 30.5% in the river Harbe Aist. Detritus as basic food
resource for juvenile mussels is encouraged by the positive correlation between the
organic part of the detritus and the growth rate (R2 = 0.5).
Thursday 28 Feb
16
Péter Maucharta, Csaba Bereczkia, Réka Bodaa, Adrienne Ortmann-Ajkaia, Zoltán
Csabaia, Ildikó Sziváka,b
aDepartment of Hydrobiology and Ecology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
bBalaton Limnological Institute,Hungarian Academy of Science, Tihany, Hungary
NICHE SEGREGATION AND BIOTIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN A NATIVE AND
A NATURALIZED INVADER GAMMARID (CRUSTACEA: AMPHIPODA)
In the last one hundred years, through the accelerated industrialization, condition of
watercourses have worsened so much that the number of invasive species greatly
increased in large European rivers. One of the most warnings among those invasive
species is the risk of amphipods, particularly gammarids while being very frequent
across. Besides, they could be considered as key species in aquatic assemblages,
especially in food webs. In spite of that changed structure of Amphipod communities
through invasions have been well researched the biotic relations in native, so-called
undisturbed communities are poorly known. In this study we examined (1) how two
closely related gammarid species - the native Gammarus fossarumKoch, in Panzer
1835 and the non-indigenous, but neutralized Gammarus roeseliGervais 1835 -
responded to abiotic conditions depending on their sympatric or allopatric distribution,
and (2) the variability in their biotic interactions if they are sympatric. The present
study provides information about the spatial niche segregation of two closely related
gammarid species. Besides, we also made an attempt to reveal the background of
the distribution pattern. We could show spatial but not temporal segregation between
the two species in small headwaters.
Wednesday 27 Feb
17
Magdalena Mayr, Jacqueline Jerney, Michael Schagerl
Team Phycology, Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Austria
FIGHTING PLANKTIC ALGAE WITH BENTHIC ALGAE: A PILOT STUDY AT THE
HEUSTADELWASSER IN VIENNA
Anthropogenic eutrophication in surface waters may cause serious problems, such
as fish kills, mass development of algae including cyanoprokaryotes, which
sometimes produce severe toxins.In the current case study, drastic hydrological
changes initiated an eutrophication process of the former Danube backwater
Heustadelwasser (Vienna, Austria). As a restoration measure a gravel filter followed
by a phosphate trap was installed in 2007. Additionally, we installed a biological
treatment in 2011 using the ability of self-purification in streams, particularly through
photoautotrophic biofilms: we used artificial stream beds (algae turf scrubbers = ATS)
situated at the gravel filter surface, periodically supplied with water from the
Heustadelwasser. For removing nutrients, the biomass was harvested. The study
aimed to estimate growth, productivity and composition of the algal biomass, to
investigate the potential of the ATSs for nutrient removal at the Heustadelwasser and
to examine the biomass with regard to further applications. Weekly measurements of
biomass, nutrients and fatty acids were done during three growth runs from June to
September 2011. In August maximal removal rates of phosphorus with about 19 mg
total phosphorus m-2 d-1 and a peak biomass of approximately 250 g m-2 dry mass
were observed. Within five summer months, approximately 18.8 kg of phosphorus ha-
1 could be removed. Further use of the harvested biomass as fertilizer, fermentation
feedstock or combustion fuel is possible. The pilot study showed that the ATS
technology has great potential and provides an effective and ecologically sustainable
way to remove nutrients from surface waters, with the positive effect of producing
biomass.
Friday 1 Mar
18
Stephanie N. Merbt, Emilio O. Casamayor, E. Martí
Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes- CEAB. CSIC; Blanes (Girona); Spain
NITRIFICATION IN STREAMS: FROM SINGLE CELL TO ECOSYSTEM
Nitrification is a rate-limiting step of the global nitrogen cycle, which transforms
ammonia to nitrate via nitrite. The central goal of my PhD is to understand the
controlling factors and mechanisms involved in nitrification in streams. This objective
is foreseen at three different scales: the ecosystem, the community and the single
cells.
The research is conducted in a stream (La Tordera stream, NE Spain) receiving
nutrient inputs from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). These conditions have
been shown to be ideal for nitrification activity; and thus, are very suitable to
approach my research objectives. In fact, initial results examining the community
composition of ammonia oxidizers (ammonia oxidizing archaea, AOA and bacteria,
AOB) growing on biofilms under different light and nutrient regimes using molecular
methods (fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), qPCR and cloning) showed that
AOA were present both upstream and downstream of the WWTP input, but that AOB
were only found downstream of the input, pointing at the WWTP effluent as a source
of AOB and suggesting a good success of colonization of AOB in stream biofilms.
Results also showed that AOA and AOB tended to be clustered in dark-side stream
microhabitats, suggesting light as an inhibitory factor. This was further tested in the
laboratory using single cell cultures of both AOA and AOB. Currently, experiments
are being done to test this effect in naturally growing biofilms. In this presentation, I
will show results of my ongoing research and how they contribute to better
understand patterns of nitrification in stream ecosystems.
Friday 1 Mar
19
Marek Polášek
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
TAXONOMY OF THE GENUS ELECTROGENA (HEPTAGENIIDAE:
EPHEMEROPTERA) – GOOD OLD TAXONOMY WITH NEW TOOLS
Five species of the genus Electrogena occur in Central Europe: Electrogena affinis
(EATON, 1887), Electrogena lateralis (CURTIS, 1834), Electrogena quadrilineata
(LANDA, 1969), Electrogena ujhelyii (SOWA, 1981) and Electrogena samalorum
(LANDA, 1982). Last mentioned species is considered as junior synonym of E.
ujhelyii (BAUERNFEIND & SOLDÁN, 2012). However, there still remain doubts about
this synonymity: the type material has never been compared and detailed study
supporting synonymy has never been published. There are also questions about
intra- and interspecific morphological variability of E. ujhelyii (E. samalorum) and E.
quadrilineata – it is very difficult (or impossible) to distinguish these species in some
particular cases. It is obvious that genus Electrogena needs detailed taxonomical
study.
This study brings comparison of available type material of Central European
Electrogena species, morphological comparison using modern statistical and numeric
methods, and preliminary results of molecular analysis of available material from
Central Europe.
Thursday 28 Feb
20
Kristin Rath, Katharina Besemer, Tom Battin
Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
COMMUNITY COMPOSITION OF MICROBIAL BIOFILM AND SUSPENDED
STREAM WATER COMMUNITIES DURING BIOFILM SUCCESSION
Microbial biofilms in streams are formed by the attachment and subsequent growth of
cells transported by the water column. In this study I compared the microbial
community composition of stream biofilm growing on new substrate with its source
community suspended in the stream water during the initial stages of biofilm
succession using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 16S
ribosomal RNA gene. The aim was to gain insight into how the biofilm community is
shaped by the suspended source community during biofilm development. OTU
richness and diversity were higher in the suspended than in the biofilm community.
During succession richness and diversity of the biofilm community increased initially,
but after a certain number of days richness decreased slightly again, whereas
diversity stagnated. In the beginning the rank-abundance curves of the biofilm
community showed a steep slope, which declined gradually later on. The microbial
community composition of the biofilm differed considerably from the composition of
the suspended community. The biofilm community composition changed during
succession. Temporal variations of the source community suspended in the stream
water showed no significant impact on biofilm community development. My findings
indicate that stream biofilm community structure is shaped by a combination of
environmental conditions through species sorting and autogenic successional
processes within the biofilm.
Friday 1 Mar
21
Agnija Skuja
Laboratory of Hydrobiology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
CADDISFLY (TRICHOPTERA) LARVAE COMMUNITY SPATIAL PATTERN TRAITS
AND DRIFT IN RHITHRAL TYPE MEDIUM-SIZED LOWLAND STREAMS IN LATVIA
Spatial pattern of caddisfly Trichoptera communities was studied in 9 medium-sized
lowland streams in Latvia (Baltic ecoregion). Hierarchical sampling design (at river
basin, stream and stream reach scale) was applied. Environmental factors were
analysed in three groups: local physically – chemical variables (n=15), local physical
variables (n=13) and regional variables (n=9). Abundance of larvae differed
significantly in the upper and the lower stream reaches. In general, local scale factors
(pH, alkalinity, NH4+ content, mean depth, substrate composition (xylal and psammal
substrate coverage)) and catchment area impacted caddisfly communities the most
significantly.
Additionally microhabitat preference was studied in 3 streams. Replicate sampling
was carried out in the most characteristic microhabitat types (n=5). Reophilous
communities, which inhabit various size lithal microhabitats, differed from the
communities in the substrates with smaller grain size and rich with detritus. The
highest taxa diversity was found in microhabitats with the largest particle size, higher
heterogeneity and detritus content. Functional feeding type analysis proved that the
periphyton was the main food recourse of caddisfly larvae and dominant functional
feeding type was grazers and scrapes. Detritus (coarse and fine particulate organic
matter (CPOM and FPOM)) was less significant food resource, which agrees with the
river continuum concept for the medium sized streams.
Taxonomic composition of drift samples was similar in both studied streams.
Caddisfly drift showed the characteristic seasonal dynamics. Diurnal drift dynamic
pattern was not found. The riffles did not contribute to the drift density significantly.
Drift influenced the microdistribution of Lepidostoma hirtum, Athripsodes spp. and
Lasiocephala basalis.
Thursday 28 Feb
22
Łukasz Wejnerowski, Sławomir Cerbin, Marcin Dziuba
Department of Hydrobiology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
GRAZER INDUCED MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN CYANOBACTERIUM
APHANIZOMENON GRACILE (LEMM.)
Cyanobacteria in the long-term co-evolution with herbivores acquired resistance to
grazing by their consumers. It is believed that this resistance is due to their
filamentous structure, the ability to produce toxins and colony formation. These
adaptations were until recently considered as constitutive but there are more and
more reports that they are defence mechanisms induced by a consumer’s pressure.
We investigated direct and indirect influence of grazer’s pressure, namely Daphnia
magna on the morphology of filaments of Aphanizomenon gracile. We designed two
experiments: in the first, all daphnids were able to graze on Aphanizomenon, while in
the second experiment, daphnids were placed in cages to allow them to release
infochemicals but they were not able to graze filaments. Each experiment had a
control with Aphanizomenon only. After 12 days the lengths and widths of filaments
were measured. Cyanobacteria were cultured on WC media, at 22°C, and
photoperiod 16h of light and 8h of darkness, PAR was set at 44 µmol m-2 s-1.
The results show that filaments of Aphanizomenon were significantly thicker than in
the control in the presence of Daphnia grazing or infochemicals only. Changes were
also noted for the lengths of filaments, which in direct and indirect presence of
grazer’s pressure were significantly shorter than control. These modifications of
Aphanizomenon morphology are regarded as adaptive to the grazing pressure.
Friday 1 Mar
23
Susanne Wilken, Jolanda Verspagen, Suzanne Naus-Wiezer, Ellen Van Donk, Jef
Huisman
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
MIXOTROPHS IN THE FOOD WEB: LINKING PHYSIOLOGY TO POPULATION
DYNAMICS
Mixotrophic organisms combine autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition. Mixotrophs
are increasingly recognized as key components of aquatic microbial food webs,
where they compete for nutrients and light with, but also feed on other phytoplankton
species. We used mixotrophs to test several key concepts in ecology, such as the
Metabolic Theory of Ecology and Intraguild Predation Theory.
The Metabolic Theory of Ecology predicts that heterotrophic processes increase
more strongly with temperature than autotrophic processes. This was confirmed by
our experiments, which showed that the grazing rate of the mixotrophic chrysophyte
Ochromonas sp. increased more strongly with temperature than its photosynthetic
rate. Hence, mixotrophs become more heterotrophic with rising temperature, which
alters their trophic position in aquatic food webs.
The ability of Ochromonas to grow autotrophically on ammonium, but not on nitrate,
offered a unique opportunity to test Intraguild Predation Theory by manipulating the
trophic position of the mixotroph. With ammonium as nitrogen source, Ochromonas
competes with its autotrophic prey for nitrogen and therefore acts as intraguild
predator. With nitrate, Ochromonas is not in competition with its prey for nitrogen, but
acts solely as predator. Using models and chemostat experiments, we show that
intraguild predation enabled Ochromonas to suppress its prey (a toxic
cyanobacterium) more strongly than would have been possible by predation alone.
This indicates that intraguild predation by mixotrophic organisms may open up
interesting new possibilities for biological control of microbial pest species.
Wednesday 27 Feb
24
ABSTRACTS: POSTER PRESENTATIONS
25
#1 András Abonyi1,2, Maria Leitão1, Judit Padisák2
1Bi-Eau, Angers, France
2Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary
PHYTOPLANKTON FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES ALONG THE RIVER LOIRE
CONTINUUM (FRANCE)
New requirements and needs arise on whole river scale studies. At first, they are
highly favoured by the new fresh water directive (WFD 2000); on the other hand, lotic
environments and longitudinal researches are still less frequently studied.
Phytoplankton ecological theories are mainly based on lake phytoplankton; while in
rivers, other biological groups have been preferred to conclude famous theories like
the river continuum concept or different zonation concepts.
The aim of this presentation is to use river phytoplankton to determine functional river
sections along the River Loire; and open towards ecological state assessments
based on this plankton member.
We studied the longest Continental Atlantic river (River Loire, France) at 19 sampling
stations between March and November coupled with physical and chemical
parameters, where some functional properties are highlighted from years 2009-2011.
In the presentation, we (i) discuss dissimilar phytoplankton functional classifications:
MBFG-(Kruk et al. 2010), MFG-(Salmaso and Padisák 2007), FG-(Reynolds et al.
2002); describe functional river sections based on phytoplankton functional groups
(FG); and make some notes on the possibility of using river phytoplankton for water
quality assessment (Borics et al. 2007; Mischke et al. 2011).
Borics, G., G. Várbiró, I. Grigorszky, E. Krasznai, S. Szabó & T. Kiss Keve, 2007. A new evaluation technique of potamo-plankton for
the assessment of the ecological status of rivers. Archiv für Hydrobiologie, Supplementband Large rivers 161(3-4):465-486.
Kruk, C., V. L. M. Huszar, E. T. H. M. Peeters, S. Bonilla, L. Costa, M. Lürling, C. S. Reynolds & M. Scheffer, 2010. A morphological
classification capturing functional variation in phytoplankton. Freshwater Biology 55(3):614-627 doi:10.1111/j.1365-
2427.2009.02298.x.
Mischke, U., M. Venohr & H. Behrendt, 2011. Using Phytoplankton to Assess the Trophic Status of German Rivers. International
Review of Hydrobiology 96(5):578-598 doi:10.1002/iroh.201111304.
Reynolds, C. S., V. Huszar, C. Kruk, L. Naselli-Flores & S. Melo, 2002. Towards a functional classification of the freshwater
phytoplankton. Journal of Plankton Research 24(5):417-428 doi:10.1093/plankt/24.5.417.
Salmaso, N. & J. Padisák, 2007. Morpho-Functional Groups and phytoplankton development in two deep lakes (Lake Garda, Italy and
Lake Stechlin, Germany). Hydrobiologia 578(1):97-112 doi:10.1007/s10750-006-0437-0.
WFD, 2000. Directive 2000/60/ec of the European Parliament and of the Council 22.12.2000. Official Journal of the European
Communities L327:1-72.
26
#2 Diána Árva, Mónika Tóth, Sándor A. Nagy, András Specziár
Department of Hydrobiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF PLANT-
DWELLING CHIRONOMIDS ACROSS HIERARCHICAL HABITAT AND SEASONAL
SCALES IN THE OXBOW LAKES OF RIVER TISZA
In the temperate region, plant-dwelling chironomids can be considered as cyclic
colonizers that inhabit seasonally ephemeral submerged and floating-leaved
macrovegetation. In this study, patterns of abundance and species richness of plant-
dwelling chironomids were analysed within and among stands of three macrophyte
species, oxbow lakes and in time along River Tisza (Hungary). Chironomids
colonized macrophytes rapidly and most species occupied the habitat before its
complete development in June. Assemblage structure and density of particular
species varied considerably among plant species, oxbow lakes and summer months
indicating dynamic selection mechanisms and a characteristic succession from June
to August. Density of most species, except the Endochironomus tendens, total
chironomid density, sample level and total species diversity were highest on plant
Ceratophyllum demersum, and most species occurred at the beginning of the
colonization succession, in June. Contributions of among oxbow lakes (20.3 %) and
sampling months (20.3 %) components to the total chironomid diversity were higher
and that of the within (19.7 %) and among sample (13.5 %) components were lower
than would be expected by the chance alone. To conclude, biodiversity conservation
actions should include multiple habitats in the region. Moreover, the significant
seasonal species turnover warrants the need of multiple samplings annually to
assess total diversity of chironomids.
27
#3 Barbara Behounek, Christina Fasching, Gabriel Singer, Tom Battin
Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
TERRIGENOUS ORGANIC MATTER SUPPORTS MICROBIAL METABOLISM IN
BROWN-WATER STREAMS
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, character and bioreactivity
substantially influence carbon cycling in fluvial networks. Recent studies indicate an
increasing DOC export from terrestrial to freshwater ecosystems in northern regions,
especially concerning streams draining peatlands. Changes in climate and land use
are suggested to cause the elevated release of terrigenous organic carbon, which
results in ‘browning’ of surface waters due to its absorbance of visiblelight.
Considering that terrigenous organic carbon often supports microbial metabolism in
many inland waters, altered DOC quantity and possibly also quality imply
consequences for ecosystem processes and ultimately affect carbon dioxide
emissions. Yet, the effect on ecosystem respiration and carbon cycling in headwaters
and downstream ecosystems remains unclear.
Here, we investigated DOC concentration, composition and bioreactivity in 20 first
order headwater streams draining spatially independent catchments covered with
coniferous forest and peatland in the Bohemian Massive, Austria. We selected
streams along a brown-water gradient and used bioassays and high-resolution
optical (absorbance and fluorescence) methods to investigate DOC properties and
dynamics. Fluorescence signals derived from excitation-emission spectroscopy and
parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) in combination with the SUVA254 indicated highly
aromatic material and humic-like compounds of possibly terrigenous origin as a
major contributor to DOC in these streams.Bioavailable DOC (BDOC) ranged from
1.6 to 9.3% and was a driver of CO2 partial pressure in streams, emphasising the
role of terrigenous DOC as a subsidy for downstream carbon cycling. Hence, altered
carbon fluxes may significantly affect carbon cycling and ecosystem metabolism of
headwater streams and downstream ecosystems.
28
#4 Csaba Bereczki1, Ildikó Szivák1,2, Zoltán Csabai1
1Department of Hydrobiology and Ecology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary,
2Balaton Limnological Institute, Tihany, Hungary
SURVEYING MICROHABITAT PREFERENCE OF AQUATIC
MACROINVERTEBRATES
The aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages are important components of freshwater
ecosystems, because of appearing with high abundance and diversity and with their
wide range of ecological functions. However, only limited and diverse information is
available about the role of microhabitats in structuring these assemblages. In this
presentation we try to answer the most important questions in connection with the
microhabitat preference of aquatic invertebrates, for example: what extent the
microhabitats are explain the variation in distribution patterns?are there significant
differences in species richness and quantitative patterns between the habitat-
types?what kind of invertebrate assemblages could characterize different aquatic
microhabitats?is there any strongly associative or indicator species to different
habitat types? what biotic and abiotic factors determine the „habitat-choice” of a living
creature? Besides, we introduce some of our future plan and seek for further ideas in
order to get more complete view of the role of microhabitats in structuring
assemblages of aquatic macroinvertebrates.
29
#5 László Berzi-Nagy, Petra Éva Szalay, György Dévai
University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
POSSIBILITIES OF MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS OF DRAGONFLY (ODONATES)
SPECIES IN CONDUCTING HABITAT COMPARISONS
The actual physical appearance of an individual can possibly allow us to assess
fitness and developmental stabilitiy of it. Fluctuating asymmetry stands for subtle,
random differences between the left and right sides of a bilaterally symmetric
individual, these differences are not related to the genotype and they show normal
distribution.
In this paper we compared four water bodies [Bodzási-anyaggödrök (Tiszafüred);
Tisza-hullámtér, Marázs (Egyek); Kati-ér, Hajnaltanya (Debrecen); backwater Nagy-
morotva (Rakamaz and Tiszanagyfalu)] using the wingmorphometry of the small red-
eyed damselfly [Erythromma viridulum (Charpentier, 1840)]. There were only few
significant differences. The lowest mean trait values belong to the Kati-ér and the
backwater Nagy-morotva habitats, which may indicate the presence of stressors in
these areas. According to the asymmetry analyses the backwater Nagy-morotva has
the most significant differences, being so this habitat has the highest level of
asymmetry. It is important to note however that the asymmetry of this habitat does
not meet the criteria of normality regarding most of the traits, thus this asymmetry
can not fully taken as ideal fluctuating asymmetry. Concerning that the individuals
collected at the backwater Nagy-morotva may be under effects of antisymmetry, the
measured asymmetry can not be attributed exceptionally to the environmental
conditions of the habitat. The measured traits were also compared to each other in
order to decide which is more sensitive, the total winglength of the forewing (fm1)
proved to be the most useful to detect the most significant differences.
30
#6 Julia Birtel, Blake Matthews
Eawag, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY IN AQUATIC FOOD-WEBS
During my PhD, I investigate the role of the environment, space as well as the food-
webcomposition and complexity on the diversity and functioning of microbial
communities within a metacommunity network.I have so far carried a field survey,
during which I have sampled a set of 21 lakeswithin Switzerland, and conducted two
large-scale mesocosms experiments.During my first mesocosms experiment I have
investigated how (Daphnia) predation,as well as a diversity manipulation affects the
microbial community, whereas duringthe second experiment, I created more complex
food-webs and addressed questionsin a metacommunity and metaecosystem context.
31
#7 Réka Boda, Csaba Bereczki, Péter Mauchart, Zoltán Csabai
Department of Ecology and Hydrobiology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
MESOHABITAT PREFERENCE OF LARGE GOLDEN RINGED DRAGONFLY
(CORDULEGASTER HEROS THEISCHINGER, 1979) IN HUNGARIAN
UPSTREAMS
The Large Golden Ringed Dragonfly is a Natura 2000 indicator species of community
importance, and also a strictly protected dragonfly in Hungary. Despite of this, its
distribution patterns and ecology is poorly known. The heterogeneity, derived from
the variation of riffles (low water-depth and high velocity) and pools (high water-depth
and low velocity), has an important role in structuring aquatic assemblages. The aim
of this present study was to determine the mesohabitat preference of C. heros, and
to explore the effect of different characteristics of riffle-pool habitat structure on the
quantitative distribution of the species. Through one year larvae samples were
collected monthly from eight sampling sites in Mecsek Mountains. At each sampling
site 10 riffles and 10 pools were sampled with an area of 2m2 along a 200m long
section. Each point was sampled for 3 min by using hand net. In each riffle and pool
water depth, water width and water velocitywas measured. Our results showed that
larvae of Cordulegaster heros prefer pool-type mesohabitats. According to the
measured parameters pool and riffle-type mesohabitats separate significantly from
each other. Mesohabitat type and water depth had the greatest effect on the number
of individuals. Water velocity and water width did not show significant effect on the
spatial distribution of C. heros larvae in the examined streams.
32
#8 Erika Bódis1, Bence Tóth1, Ronaldo Sousa2,3
1Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Göd, Hungary
2CBMA – Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho,
Braga, Portugal
3CIMAR-LA/CIIMAR – Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Laboratory of
Ecotoxicology and Ecology, Porto, Portugal
IMPACTS OF DREISSENA INFESTATION ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITION
OF NATIVE AND INTRODUCED BIVALVE SPECIES IN LAKE BALATON
The impact of Dreissena fouling on unionids has been scarcely studied in Europe
despite the fact that in some ecosystems (e.g. Lake Balaton) infestations of several
hundreds to a thousand D. polymorpha per unionid have been observed after its
establishment. At present D. polymorpha is still a dominant species in Lake Balaton,
and in last decade three other bivalve species were introduced increasing the threats
for native unionids.
We examined whether the fouling of dreissenids has harmful impacts on unionids
and whether there are any interspecific patterns of fouling intensity and impact using
3 native (Anodonta anatina, Unio pictorum, U. tumidus) and two introduced bivalves
(Sinanodonta woodiana, Corbicula fluminea). For each species, individuals with
different fouling intensity were collected seasonally and were split into four classes
according to the wet mass of attached dreissenids. To measure the physiological
condition of each species, standard condition index and glycogen content were
determined. Both standard condition index and glycogen content of unionids was
negatively correlated with wet mass of dreissenids with A. anatina and U. tumidus
being the mostly affected. However, in the case of C. fluminea a positive correlation
was detected. In May and July Anodonta species, whereas in September Unio
species were more affected by dreissenids. Attached D. bugensis was still found in
low quantity. However, if the synergistic effect of dreissenids increases, the native
unionids will be seriously threatened. Nevertheless, the quick proliferation of the
recently introduced S. woodiana probably will be slowed down by Dreissena
infection.
33
#9 & #10 Nastasia Julianna Cozma1,2, Béla Kiss2, Szabolcs Lengyel1
1Department of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
2BioAqua Pro Llc., Debrecen, Hungary
DYNAMICS OF WATER BUG ASSEMBLAGES IN HUNGARIAN SODIC-ALKALI
PANS
Sodic-alkali pans have unique biological, ecological and conservation values in
Hungary. These ponds are characterized by large fluctuations in water level and are
sensitive to global, local and seasonal changes. Most pans have relatively simple
species assemblages, therefore, they provide an excellent model system to study the
organization of aquatic communities. We analysed the dynamics of water bugs
(Heteroptera: Gerromorpha, Nepomorpha), an abundant group in sodic pans. We
sampled water bugs and measured background variables in five sodic-alkali pans in
South Hungary three times per year (spring, summer, autumn) in 1999, 2000, 2001
and 2010. We found a total of 13 species of water bugs, with Sigara lateralis and
Paracorixa concinna as the two commonest species. Species richness varied among
pans, by year and season. There were significant interactions among pans, years
and seasons, which indicated that seasonal changes in species richness developed
in different ways in years and in the water bodies. Abundance also varied greatly
among water bodies, by years and seasons, often in interaction with each other. The
density of water bugs was clearly lower in 2010 than in previous years in four of the
five pans and fluctuated in the largest pan. Conductivity and redox potential
significantly affected, while dissolved O2 content and O2 saturation did not influence,
water bug assemblages. Our results show that several trends can be detected in the
dynamics of water bug assemblages in sodic pans and further study is warranted to
discover the factors that may explain these trends.
34
#11 Daniela Dieter, Christiane Herzog, Michael Hupfer
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
EFFECTS OF DRYING ON PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE IN RE-FLOODED LAKE
SEDIMENTS
Water table fluctuations associated with sediment drying are an increasingly common
feature of temporary streams and lakes worldwide. Sediment drying and re-flooding
periodically change the redox conditions and therefore stimulate redox-sensitive
processes such as P dynamics.
We experimentally dried and re-flooded sediments from lake Müggelsee (Berlin,
Germany) in the laboratory to study changes in P binding fractions, P uptake
potential, and porewater dynamics of the sediments.
Drying mobilized more stable P fractions, stimulated the mineralization of organic P
compounds, and increased the proportion of labile and reductant-soluble fractions.
Drying reduced the P sorption affinity and capacity by up to 32% in batch equilibrium
experiments, but also led to a 4-fold sediment compaction, which in contrast
enhanced P uptake rates by factor 1.7 in sediment column experiments. Compaction
due to drying also induced the development of a redoxcline below which P was
mobilized.
The results indicate that a single drying event can already result in the transformation
of P components into more labile forms, which are accumulated in the uppermost
sediment layer, and therefore raise the potential of pulsative P release under
reducing conditions.
35
#12 Kinga Farkas-Iványi, Gábor Guti
Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Göd, Hungary
HISTORICAL CHANGES OF HABITAT DYNAMICS IN THE SZIGETKÖZ
FLOODPLAIN OF THE DANUBE RIVER
One of the basic requirements of the successful habitat restoration along rivers is the
detection and assessment of the historical changes of landscape shaping processes.
Our study was aimed to review the most important spatio-temporal impacts of river
engineering, particularly the effects of channelization in the Szigetköz floodplain of
the Hungarian section of the Danube. Two study sites were investigated in the
floodplain can be characterized by different hydromorphological conditions. The
study highlights the difference of river morphology and vegetated landform between
the pre-regulation period (1820-1872) and after extensive river control (1946-2002).
The longitudinal and lateral spatio-temporal dynamics of riverine habitats were
compared by analysis of historical maps. Prior to extensive regulations, the Szigetköz
floodplain was periodically restructuring alluvial anabranching channel system. The
rejuvenation of the vegetation was twice intensive in its upper section than in its
lower area. The modified hydro-geomorphological processes lead to terrestrialization
formation of several abandoned channels and significant decline of ecological
rejuvenation in the floodplain.
36
#13 Andrea Funk, Walter Reckendorfer
WasserCluster Lunz, Lunz am See, Austria
VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BENTHIC FAUNA IN THE HYPORHEAL OF
THE MAIN STEM OF THE RIVER DANUBE.
The interstitial assemblage of the River Danube was examined by freeze coring.
Altogether 23 samples were taken in or close to the navigation channel of the main
stem up to a depth of 100 cm using a step length of 10 cm. The vertical distribution
and abundance of most common benthic taxa was studied in relation to hydrological
conditions and sediment characteristics.
Cyclopidae, Harpacticidae, Oligochaeta, Chironomidae and Aphipoda were the most
common taxa in the samples. Organisms where found in the whole depth range from
0 to 100 cm and overall abundance peaked in a depth of 40 cm. Taxa showed clear
differences in their depth preference. More than 50% of the individuals of Isopoda
occurred in the first 10 cm of the sediment, of Amphipoda in the first 20 cm, of
Plecoptera between 10 and 20 cm, of Harpacticoidae, Cyclopoidae and Nematoda
between 20 and 50 cm and of Ostracoda between 70 and 100 cm. Chironomidae and
Oligochaeta were more equally distributed.
Hydrological conditions had a significant impact on the depth distribution and
abundances of the fauna. Total abundances and abundances of common taxa were
significantly higher in downwelling zones than in upwelling zones. Overall
abundances were highest in a depth between 0 and 40 cm in upwelling zones and
between 20 and 60 cm in downwelling zones.
37
#14 Andreas Gondikas, Robert Reed, Frank von der Kammer, Thilo Hofmann
Department of Environmental Geosciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
DETECTION OF ENGINEERED NANOMATERIALS IN SURFACE WATERS
The potential effects of the booming industry of nanotechnology are still unclear. A
major factor that limits risk assessment efforts is the lack of knowledge concerning
the concentration and properties of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in real-world
environments. Traditional colloid detection and characterization methods lack the
sensitivity necessary for the analysis of nano-sized particles. We are aiming at
developing methods for the detection and characterization of ENMs in natural water
bodies. Titanium dioxide in sunscreen products is used as an example of metal oxide
ENMs and the Alte Donau Lake as a test system. This lake is heavily used for
bathing activities during the summer and the low in- and out-flow of water renders it a
relatively stable system that receives input of ENMs from human activities. We have
carried out a series of sampling campaigns since May 2012 and measured titanium
concentrations in the suspended matter of the lake. We found that the elemental ratio
of titanium to other elements is a useful tool for eliminating natural variations of
absolute elemental concentrations. During the bathing season an increase of titanium
to aluminium concentration is observed, which is likely to be caused by the release of
sunscreens in the water.
38
#15 Iris Hödl1, Lorenzo Mari2,3, Enrico Bertuzzo2, Samir Suweis4, Katharina
Besemer1,5, Andrea Rinaldo2,6, Tom Battin1,5
1Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
2Laboratory of Ecohydrology, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
3Dipartimento di Elettronica e Informazione, Politecnico di Milano, Milano,
Italy
4Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Padova, Padova, Italy
5WasserCluster Lunz, Lunz am See, Austria
6Dipartimento ICEA, Universita di Padova, Padova, Italy
MORPHOGENESIS OF MICROBIAL BIOFILMS IN CONTRASTING FLOW
ENVIRONMENTS
Biofilms are matrix enclosed microbial communities attached to surfaces. Their
architecture is believed to drive mass transfer, biofilm functioning and related
ecosystem processes, but its morphogenesis and underlying mechanisms remain
elusive. By experimenting with stream biofilms growing in contrasting hydrodynamic
microenvironments, we show that biofilm morphogenesis results in “ripple-like” and
“star-like” architectures. To explore the potential contribution of demographic
processes to the morphogenesis of these contrasting architectures, we propose a
size-structured population model. This model simulates the temporal dynamics of
biofilm growth and the size distribution of biomass clusters. The model attributes
different roles to the coalescence of adjacent clusters, cell migration among clusters,
and to cell and particle deposition for biofilm morphogenesis in the two hydrodynamic
microenvironments. Our findings establish that basic physical and demographic
processes are key forces that shape reproducible and apparently universal
architectures as they occur in diverse microbial biofilms.
39
#16 Hajnalka Horváth, Attila W. Kovács, Mátyás Présing
Balaton Limnological Institute, Tihany, Hungary
EXTRACTION METHOD OF PHYCOCYANIN DETERMINATION IN FILAMENTOUS
CYANOBACTERIA
Cyanobacteria are the most variable prokaryotic organisms, which often produce
mass development from freshwater to ocean, causing degradation of water quality
and decreasing of biodiversity. There is a clear need for accurate, reliable and rapid
monitoring of inland water quality to provide fundamental information on ecosystem
function. The rapid detection of cyanobacteria bloom is based on the different
(unique) pigmentation from the other algae classes. Cyanobacteria cells accumulate
photosynthetic accessory pigments (allophycocyanin, phycocyanin and phycoerithrin)
that function is light-harvesting for photosystem II. The phycocyanin/chlorophyll-a
ratio (pc/chl-a) is a good indicator to establish the presence of cyanobacteria and PC
concentration is used to estimate the relative abundance of blue-green algae.
Despite several extraction methods, there is no standard protocol to obtain the
maximum extraction of phycocyanin. In our study the effectiveness of four selected
extraction methods (repeated freeze-thaw method, homogenization with mortar and
pestle, Ultrasonic, and Polytron homogenizer) were compared using culture of
Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii. It was found that the extraction efficiency of
phycocyanin was the highest when a single freezing-thawing cycle was followed by
sonication (25% higher yield was extracted than with the freezing-thawing method
alone). Applying this combined method to surface water samples of Lake Balaton,
good correlation was found between PC concentration and cyanobacterial biomass (r
= 0.8956). This combined method has been proved suitable for detection of
cyanobacteria content and estimation of cyanobacteria contribution to total biomass,
as well as for the characterization of natural waters.
40
#17 Emilia Jakubas, Maciej Gąbka
Department of Hydrobiology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
THE DISTRIBUTION OF AQUATIC PLANTS ALONG ENVIRONMENTAL
GRADIENTS IN THE LOWLAND RIVER.
Key words: macrophytes, environmental factors, ecology, lowland river.
The relationships between aquatic composition and environmental factors in the
lowland Wełna river (NW Poland) were studied. We tested the meaning of 10
environmental indicators such as water velocity on surface and velocity in plants, pH,
temperature, conductivity, O2 dissolved and saturation, Secchi disc visibility, turbidity
and color of water on the pattern distribution of aquatic vegetation in the Wełna river.
Furthermore some hydromorphological indicators e.g. depth of water, width of
channel, riverbed materials, angle of bottom, shading of channel, banktop land-use
and channel modification were noted.
The field research were performed in 120 randomly appointed research
plots of 16m2 during one vegetation period (June-September 2012) on the 30 km
distance of the Wełna river. Field survey data included recognition of structure and
species compositions of aquatic plants, as well as estimation of plants cover in the
bottom. For each field plot mentioned above hydromorphological factors and
physicochemical indicators of water were measured.
Our results suggested that species richness in the lowland river is strongly
dependent on just 4 ecological indicators such as water velocity on surface and
velocity in plants, pH gradient and type of riverbed material.
41
#18 Jacqueline Jerney, Michael Schagerl
Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
SYNERGY OF WASTE WATER CLEANING AND ALGAE CULTIVATION
Clean water is an essential resource not only for aquatic organisms, but also
forterrestrial ones. Under appropriate conditions algae facilitate cleaning our
wastewaters, offering an additional advantage at the same time: the production of
algalbiomass. This biomass contains lots of high-quality compounds, which can be
usedfor different purposes, such as feedstock for biofuels or as fertilizers.
In this project, microalgae are studied to focus on two questions: (1) Is it possible
touse waste waters of different origin for microalgae cultivation? (2) Which type
ofalgae cultivation systems is most suitable for waste water treatment and retention
ofnutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus)?
Literature studies and the creation of a criteria catalogue for algae cultivation inwaste
water were the basis for the identification of suitable waste waters in Austria.
Four different effluent waters were chosen and cultivation experiments were
carriedout in the laboratory. Further steps of the project are to develop production
conceptsfor the utilization of waste water via microalgae and defining research
anddevelopment needs for designing competitive algae-based systems for the
treatmentof waste waters, production of high-quality compounds from waste water
and for theproduction of energy carriers from the produced biomass.
42
#20 Philipp Kirschner1, Marc Ventura Oller2,3, Danilo Buñay Chicaiza2, Ruben
Sommaruga1
1Aquatic Photobiology and Plankton Ecology group, Leopold‐ Franzens‐ Universität
Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
2Biogeodynamics and Biodiversity Group, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes,
Spanish Research Council (CEAB‐ CSIC), Blanes, Catalonia, Spain
3Institut de Recerca de l’Aigua, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia,
Spain.
PHYLOGENY AND PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF CYCLOPS ABYSSORUM IN
MOUNTAIN LAKE AREAS OF EUROPE
Mountain lakes are of interest for studies on phylogeny, diversity and dispersal of
species, as they are characterised by isolation and extreme environmental factors.
The copepod Cyclops abyssorum occurs in the plankton of most of these habitats in
addition to a widespread distribution over various European freshwater ecosystems,
suggesting a high dispersal ability. This cyclopoid has been the aim of numerous
ecological studies and several morphotypes or subspecies have been described by
taxonomists. So far, these descriptions have been based only on morphology and
geographic occurrence, leading to an unclear taxonomic status.
We sampled Cyclops abyssorum populations from 78 mountain (Alps, Tatras,
Pyrenees) and lowland populations from Europe and sequenced parts of the
mitochondrial (COI, 12s) and nuclear (28s) genome to clarify phylogeny and
phylogeography of this species, and its distribution and dispersal ability. Phylogenetic
analyses separated Cyclops abyssorum from Cyclops bohater (percent divergence of
substitutions per site, COI: 20%, 12s: 5%), and clearly delimitated them against a
clade including C. vicinus, C. insignis and C. kolensis (COI: 34%). We found no
genetic support for the traditional morphotypes. In contrast, we identified a cryptic
species in Lake Banyoles (Catalunya, Spain). Intraspecific analyses based on COI
lead to five lineages assigned to the Pyrenees (1), the Western Alps (1) and the
Eastern Alps (3), with one very distinct Eastern Alpine lineage showing a divergence
as high as 4.2% substitutions per site. Pyrenean and Western Alpine lineages were
consistent with a single colonisation event, while multiple colonisations occurred in
the Eastern Alps.
43
#21 Barbora Klementová1, Milan Novikmec1, Marek Svitok1, Ladislav Hamerlík2,
Michal Hlávek1, Richard Hrivnák3, Judita Kochjarová4, Zuzana Matúšová1, Jozef
Oboňa1, Helena Oťahelová3, Peter Paľove-Balang5, Radovan Stupák1& Andrea
Zaprihačová1
1 Department of Biology and General Ecology, Technical University, Zvolen, Slovakia
2 Department of Biology and Ecology, Matej Bel University, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
3Institute of Botany, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
4 Botanic Garden of Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
5 Institute of Biological and Ecological Sciences, Pavol Jozef Šafárik Košice, Slovakia
TOWARDS POND BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT IN CENTRAL EUROPE
Small size aquatic biotopes with stagnant water (ponds), both natural and
anthropogenic, represent specific and highly endangered ecosystems. Ponds often
represent „hot spots“ of biodiversity and refugia for far more rare species than other
water bodies, whereby many of these species occur specifically only in ponds. To
effectively preserve these neglected biotopes, we have to understand the relationship
between organisms and their environment. The project BIOPOND („Biodiversity of
small water biotopes: parallel, intersecting or skew?“) aims at complex description of
pond macrophyte and invertebrate communities and shedding more light on drivers
of their diversity in central European context. In the pilot stage, we selected 50 ponds
covering the whole territory of Slovakia and assessed concordance in diversity and
assemblage composition of various taxonomic groups.
The first results suggest that diversities of invertebrate groups are, in general,
positively related. Surprisingly, total invertebrate diversity showed the strongest
correlation with Hirudinea richness. The most parsimonious model explaining
variability in total invertebrate diversity included richness of Heteroptera, Hirudinea
and Odonata. As based on cross-validation, these tree groups could be used as a
tool for rapid estimation of total invertebrate richness in central European ponds (root
mean square error of prediction ≈ 3 species). In contrast, concordance in community
structure and diversity between macrophytes and invertebrates appeared rather
weak.
This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. APVV-0059-11
44
#22 Franz Loisl1, Gabriel Singer1, 2, Hubert Keckeis1
1Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
2WasserCluster Biologische Station GmbH, Lunz am See, Austria
METHOD-INTEGRATED FISH ASSEMBLAGE STRUCTURE AT TWO SPATIAL
SCALES ALONG A FREE-FLOWING STRETCH OF THE AUSTRIAN DANUBE
Fish species occurrence and abundance were investigated during an intensive
survey at three consecutive sites in the main channel of the Danube River. Three
common sampling methods were used (boat and wading electrofishing and longline
fishing) in four mesohabitats at each site. In order to achieve a more inclusive
impression of the overall assemblage, the normalized catch-per-unit-effort data from
all methods were combined and analysed with regard to species richness,
assemblage structure and abundance of single species. Site and mesohabitat were
investigated and tested as differentiating forces on the fish assemblage structure at
two spatial scales.
The combination of methods, each of which delivered a distinct impression of an
“apparent” fish assemblage, greatly improved the assessment across sites and
mesohabitats. We found that the main channel sites of the free-flowing Danube east
of Vienna are populated by a species rich fish assemblage. Overall, the composition
of this assemblage was rather consistent, with little variation across sites except for
the occasional occurrence of a few rare species. At the smaller mesohabitat scale,
however, the assemblages differed considerably, indicating strong mesohabitat-
specific use by different species. Hydrodynamic conditions are apparently the major
structuring force shaping the assemblage across mesohabitats.
45
#19 Irina Ludwig, Michael Schagerl
Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
RECYCLING IN A DIFFERENT WAY - ALGAE AND WASTE WATER
Conventional wastewater treatment removes nutrients and other contaminants
through physical, chemical and biological processes. Particularly phosphorus and
nitrogen are difficult and expensive to remove from wastewater. Microalgae have the
ability to capture solar energy, remove nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen,
while building up biomass. Therefore an additional cleaning step with microalgae
would be an environmentally friendly way to reduce nutrients and costs at the same
time.
This project focuses on the cultivation of Chlorella emersonii and algae raw material
from the field in 4 different types of wastewater: from a large and a small municipal
sewage treatment plant, a dairy and a brewery. A first screening of the wastewaters
led to the exclusion of the small municipal sewage treatment plant. For the remaining
effluent waters three approaches were used to determine the most suitable type and
concentration of waste water for microalgae cultivation: pure algae cultures in bubble
column reactors, Erlenmeyer flasks and cultivation of algae raw material in flow
lanes, where microscopy and HPLC were used to determine the algae in the biofilm.
The following analyses were used to calculate algae growth rates: Chlorophyll a,
HPLC, AFDW, fluorescence and optical density. To test the cleaning abilities of
microalgae, ion and nutrient analysis were performed at the beginning and end of the
experiments.
46
#23 Alexandra Mätzler, Leopold Füreder
Institute of Ecology, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck
FEEDING ECOLOGY OF INSECT LARVAE IN ALPINE RIVER ECOSYSTEMS
Alpine river ecosystems are characterised by their harsh environmental conditions
resulting in a dynamic mosaic of microhabitats, a low biodiversity and simplified food
webs. Although insect larvae in Alpine streams are known to be adapted to the
environmental harshness, only scattered information exists about their functional
relationships. Within a pilot project for the establishment of a long-term river
monitoring programme in the Hohe Tauern National Park, we study nine river
systems along a gradient of harshness with the aim to i) investigate the structural and
functional organisation of benthic key invertebrate taxa and ii) elucidate the feeding
ecology of dominant invertebrate taxa. First results from classification into functional
feeding groups showed a dominance of grazing insect larvae in glacier- and spring-
fed river sections. It seems that in extreme habitats autochthonous energy sources
are more important for the macroinvertebrates than allochthonous ones.
47
#24 Paul Meulenbroek
Institut für Hydrobiologie & Gewässermanagement, The University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences- BOKU, Vienna, Austria
FISH BIODIVERSITY AND SPECIES DISTRIBUTION IN BURKINA FASO
To establish sustainable management of natural and man-made aquatic systems,
Burkina Faso requires methods and tools for the standardised assessment of the
water quality and ecological status of rivers. The purpose of this project is to
strengthen in-country capacities for science, policy and practice to establish the basis
for sustainable fisheries in Burkina Faso. This means building scientific capacity to
monitor and assess the dynamics of reservoir services (fish, water), the educational
capacity to train scientists and technicians in these concepts and methods, and
institutional capacities in management and policy formulation, that are linked with
research and education in the sphere of water and fisheries in Burkina Faso.
The goal of my thesis is to assess the biodiversity and species distribution of fishes
for conservation in Burkina Faso.
The specific objectives are:
Description of fish biodiversity, their composition and distribution
Start a GIS database of Burkina Faso’s river network and analyse different fish populations and their distribution
Characterize and describe fish populations of various study areas by comparing their abundances and composition,
Gain knowledge about mass occurring and sensitive species
Identify and study the relationship between different guilds (feeding, spawning…) and their requirements
Make recommendations for conservation
48
#25 Laurent Moya, Hannes Peter, Ruben Sommaruga
Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck Austria
CONSEQUENCES OF GLACIER RETREAT FOR THE STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTION OF ALPINE LAKES
The rapid current retreat of glaciers constitutes one of the most prominent signs of
climate change. Glacier retreat enlarges existing lakes and at the same time is
creating new ones at the glacier terminus. A remarkable characteristic of glacier-fed
lakes is their high content of suspended minerogenic particles, so-called 'glacial
flour'. The high minerogenic turbidity constitutes a real challenge for filtering
planktonic groups such as cladocerans and leads to unfavorable conditions for
phytoplankton primary production. The current rapid glacier retreat is expected to
change lake transparency and ecosystem productivity. For example, transparency
could be further reduced during rapid melt events/runoff, whereas in lakes where the
glacier terminus loose connectivity with the basin, transparency will increase. Overall,
little is known on the ecology of glacier-fed lakes even if they are at the origin of most
lakes on earth.
The overarching objective of my project is to understand the consequences of glacier
retreat for the structure and function of the biota of alpine lakes and to understand
the governing ecological conditions in glacier-fed lakes, particularly of those recently
created. In particular, we will concentrate on the analysis of the structure and function
of microbial food web and on how this relates to the expected change in prokaryotic
diversity along a turbidity gradient.
49
#26 Attila Mozsár, Gergely Boros, László Antal, Sándor Alex Nagy
Department of Hydrobiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
INTRA- AND INTERSPECIFIC VARIATION IN THE PHOSPHORUS CONTENT OF
THREE FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES
Stoichiometry theory states that the elemental composition of organisms is a
genetically determined trait and is relatively constant within a species. However,
several contemporary studies reported that the elemental stoichiometry of fish is not
as constant as previously thought. Concentration of nutrients in fish, especially of
phosphorus, varies significantly between species; potential differences can be
induced by differences habitat, morphology, size, ontogeny and diet. These
differences can be attributed to several physiological and ecological factors, but one
of the most important effects can be the proportion of fat reserves in fish bodies. Fat
(rich in carbon) dilutes the phosphorus in fish bodies, changing the stoichiometric
relations. Thus, phosphorus content can be changing between seasons, owing to the
seasonal changes in lipid contents of fish. Moreover, there may be variation between
the different populations of the same species, depending on food availability,
temperature, trophic state of the ambient water, etc.
To assess the potential inter- and intraspecific variations in phosphorus content and
explore the seasonal dynamics of nutrient stoichiometry, two size classes of three
fish species (Centrarchidae, Odontobutidae, Cyprinidae) were collected seasonally
(spring, summer, autumn) from a shallow, eutrophic oxbow (Rakamazi Nagy-
morotva, Hungary).
50
#27 Agnieszka Napieralska, Elżbieta Szeląg-Wasielewska
Department of Water Protection, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University,
Poznań, Poland
A COMPARISON OF MICROBIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF THE WATER OF
STRZESZYŃSKIE LAKE AND ITS TRIBUTARY (POLAND)
Water reservoirs and their catchment areas form elemental, dynamic and functional
systems. One of the main causes of the low quality of surface water is bacterial
contamination, which can be input by tributaries. The aim of this study was to
determine the microbiological quality of Strzeszyńskie Lake and its main tributary –
Rów Złotnicki. Strzeszyńskie Lake is of glacial origin and is situated within the
boundaries of the city of Poznań (western Poland). Its area is 34.9 ha and the
maximum depth is 17.8 metres. The lake is used for recreational purposes,
swimming and fishing. It is believed to be the cleanest of all the larger bodies of
water near Poznań. However, the quality of its water has recently deteriorated. One
of the main reasons behind it is Rów Złotnicki, which flows into the lake. Water
samples were taken each month of 2012 from the pelagial of the lake and from the
tributary, near its mouth. Several parameters were measured in situ, such as: pH,
water temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen concentration. Microbiological
analyses included: total bacterial count at 22° C and at 37°C, coliform group and
faecal coliform bacteria. The MPN of the coliform group in Rów Złotnicki ranged from
460 to 75·103 cells in 100 ml, while in the lake water – from 21 to 240 cells in 100 ml.
The high microbiological contamination level betokens an adverse influence on the
water quality of Strzeszyńskie Lake and therefore some form of treatment of this
stream is necessary before it flows into the lake.
51
#28 Georg Niedrist, Leopold Füreder
River Ecology and Invertebrate Biology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATIONS IN CHIRONOMID ASSEMBLAGES IN
GLACIATED CATCHMENTS - (NP HOHE TAUERN, AUSTRIA)
Within the pilot activities for the ‘River- Monitoring Program NP Hohe Tauern’ (2009 –
2012) selected river reaches (non-glacial, glacial) in four glaciated catchments were
investigated in order to i) characterize the abiotic conditions and biotic patterns of the
individual systems, ii) elucidate important variables being responsible for species
occurrence, richness, diversity and abundance, and iii) to define appropriate
indicators for showing environmental conditions and change. For this paper the
chironomid assemblages were used as these organisms are ubiquitous in alpine river
systems and are known to react sensitively to environmental gradients. Chironomid
assemblages showed different temporal and spatial patterns when non-glacial and
glacial rivers as well as reaches above and below the tree line were compared, both
in terms of structure and functional organization respectively. In general, water
temperature and current velocity were the main factors influencing the chironomid
distribution pattern. However, several other parameters (conductivity, specific
anions, cations, and nutrients) were found significant to explain species or species-
group occurrence. Our results showed that the presence of certain chironomid
species can be unequivocally associated with specific environmental factors.
Fundamental premises are however, a robust taxonomy and a comprehensive set of
physico-chemical data to characterize specific ecological demands, including optima
and tolerances. This knowledge is essential to define appropriate species to be used
as indicators for climate-change effects in alpine river ecosystems.
52
#29 Zoltán Novák, Mihály Jánószky, Sándor Alex Nagy, István Bácsi
Department of Hydrobiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
ZINC TOLERANCE OF DESMODESMUS QUADRICAUDATUS (TURPIN)
HEGEWALD AND ZINC REMOVAL ABILITY OF LIVING AND DEAD BIOMASS OF
THE GREEN ALGA
Environmental pollution by human activities has become a global problem in recent
years. Metals are one of the most dangerous materials among chemical
contaminants. Algae play more and more important roles in a wide range of
economical and environmental issues, they are involved in wastewater treatment and
sequestering of toxic, essential or precious metals. Desmodesmus species are
common, ubiquist organisms. They can be easily cultured and maintained in
laboratory and they are widely used for biotechnological processes. Results of the
present work show that Desmodesmus quadricaudatus (earlier: Scenedesmus
quadricauda (Turpin) Brébisson) can tolerate zinc in the range of 2,5-15 mg/L
concentration, so the species can be characterized with moderate zinc tolerance
among green algae. The growth rates of the cultures were reduced by the increasing
zinc concentrations. Maximal zinc removal was observed in the 5 mg/L zinc-treated
culture (87,6% of the added zinc was removed) and greater part of bound zinc was
extracellular (77-89%). Dead biomass could bind significant amount of zinc (56-58%),
however zinc binding of the same amount of living biomass was significantly higher.
Our results and literary data of zinc tolerance and zincbindingcharacteristics for
different D.quadricaudaisolates show highsimilarities, so these characteristics seem
to be general for the species.
53
#30 Attila László Péntek1, Csaba Ferenc Vad2, Zsófia Horváth3
2Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd
University, Budapest, Hungary
3 WasserCluster Lunz, Lunz am See, Austria
HABITAT PREFERENCE OF AMPHIBIAN SPECIES IN WATERBODIES OF THE
TOLNA-BARANYA HILLS AND THE EASTERN MECSEK (SOUTHERN HUNGARY)
In 2012, we investigated the habitat preference of amphibians in the Southern
Transdanubian Region of Hungary. Between March and June, we studied the
presence of species in more than 100 waterbodies of the Tolna-Baranya Hills and the
Eastern Mecsek. We included lakes, ponds, temporary pools, marshes as well as
streams in our survey and considered all developmental stages of the inhabiting
species. Nine environmental variables were measured in all sampling sites and nine
amphibian species were found in the whole territory. Redundancy analysis was used
to identify relationships between the variables and the presence of species. The two
most common species were the water frog complex (Pelophylax esculentus complex)
and the agile frog (Rana dalmatina). Water temperature, elevation, vegetation cover
and surface area proved to be significant determinants of the occurrence of different
species. Our results suggest that the water frog Pelophylax esculentus complex has
a clear preference for aquatic habitats with high vegetation cover and the yellow-
bellied toad (Bombina variegata) for high elevation. The common toad (Bufo bufo)
prefers waterbodies with larger surface area in the spawning season. As year 2012
was characterized by extreme drought and therefore, the number of suitable habitat
patches was limited, we intend to continue our survey in 2013, especially if different
weather conditions occur.
54
#31 Wiebke Plötner, Helmut Hillebrand, Radka Ptacnikova, Robert Ptacnik
Institut für Chemie und Biologie des Meeres (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University
Oldenburg,Wilhelmshaven, Germany
HETEROTROPHIC FLAGELLATES INCREASE ALGAL BIOMASS YIELD FOR
BIOFUELS
In time of scarcity of fossil raw materials microalgae draw interest to provided energy
due to their high growth rates and high lipid contents. Besides that, algae have the
potential to remove nutrients from nutritious polluted media. However monocultures
are easily contaminated with competing algae or protozoa, which may graze the
target algae. Furthermore, especially in nutrient enriched media heterotrophic
bacteria are highly abundant. Due to their high competitiveness in terms of nutrients,
they may strongly reduce the yield in algal biomass.
In this study I tested a principle (heterotrophic flagellate effect) to shift this
competition toward the algae and make the nutrients bound in bacteria available for
algae growth. A particular focus of the study was whether heterotrophic flagellates
(Oxyrrhis marina and Cafeteria sp.) could enhance algal biomass productions of
Coscinodiscus granii and Odontella sinensis under conditions favouring bacteria, i.e.
in presence of organic pollutants. The experiments therefore were run without carbon
source, with a carbon source (barley grain) and finally with biogas waste water (0,15
% and 0,25 % concentration).
The presence of the grazer resulted in higher algal biomass in the stationary and
especially in the exponential growth phase of the algae and higher amount of
assimilated carbon. The principle could be repeatedly shown in carbon as well as
nutrient enriched media, although results were highly species-specific. Additionally,
analysis of the particulate fraction without diatoms revealed that detritus tended to be
reduced in presence of heterotrophic flagellates, though the heterotrophic flagellates
were part of the detritus fraction.
55
#32 Eugeniusz Pronin1, Mariusz Pełechaty1, Andrzej Pukacz2
1Department of Hydrobiology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
2Collegium Polonicum, Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Biology, Poland
STABLE ISOTOPE COMPOSITION (δ13C AND δ18O) OF CARBONATE
INCRUSTATION AND OOSPORES OF CHAROPHYTE (CHARACEAE) AS AN
INDICATOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
Charophytes (Characeae) are a group of aquatic macroscopic green algae to which
significant functions in the lake environment are attributed. Among the most
important the CaCO3 precipitation is listed to be a result of the photosynthetic CO2
assimilation from soluble bicarbonates. Carbonate incrustations deposited on the
thalli and oospores (organs of generative reproduction) - can record, in the form of
the composition of stable oxygen and carbon isotopes, environmental conditions
under which these carbonates are precipitated. The knowledge on the relationships
between the isotopic composition of modern charophyte carbonates and surrounding
environment may be applied in reliable palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental
reconstructions using isotopic record of carbonates deposited in lacustrine
sediments. In the middle of the vegetation season, the study of stable isotope
composition (δ13C and δ18O) of thalli and oospore carbonates of 5 charophyte
species varied with respect to morphology and ecological requirements is planned in
10 lakes. The isotopic composition will also be examined in water samples from the
immediate environment of charophytes (δ18OWATER i δ13CDIC) and supplemented by
field measurements of water physico–chemical parameters. Water samples from the
free of vegetation open water areas will serve as control conditions. In the field, the
species composition and structure of communities, from which charophyte
specimens will be collected for isotope analyses and the depth of occurrence as well
as the availability of photosynthetically active radiation will be studied. We also
present a part of work connected with planed study, which we did in last vegetation
season.
56
#33 Vanda Rádková, Michal Horsák, Jindřiška Bojková, Marie Zhai, Vendula
Křoupalová, Vít Syrovátka, Jana Schenková, Lenka Hubáčková
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic,
THE ROLE OF SPECIES SORTING AND DISPERSAL ON STRUCTURING THE
AQUATIC INVERTEBRATE ASSEMBLAGES OF ISOLATED SPRING FENS
Recent explanation of the processes driving ecological metacommunities aim to
integrate two opposing paradigms: (1) Species exhibit different environmental niches
and ecological communities are consequently structured by habitat features (species
sorting paradigm); (2) Species are environmentally equivalent and ecological
communities are therefore determined by species dispersal abilities (neutral model).
Many previous studies suffer from several drawbacks, e.g. direct comparison across
taxonomic groups sampled at the same plots is nearly absent or environmental
variation often covariates with space in nature and thus it is impossible to distinguish
between their effects. In this project we want to address the question how species
sorting and dispersal limitations drive the species distributions in spring fens in the
Western Carpathian Mts. We are comparing several taxocenoses inhabiting the
same sites and the effect shared by environment and space will be minimized by
appropriate selection of sampling sites. Spring fens are suitable model habitat for
testing ecological and biogeographical hypotheses because of their relatively stable
environmental conditions and isolation. The main ecological gradient of fens is the
gradient of mineral richness which strongly determines richness and composition of
species assemblages across distant groups of organisms (e.g. algae, vascular
plants, Testacea, Mollusca, Clitellata). The studied taxocoenoses: Clitellata,
Copepoda, Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Chironomidae differ in their environmental
demands and have different dispersal abilities. Each taxocenosis will be analysed
separately and the pure and shared effects of species sorting and spatial structure on
the species composition will be detect and compared.
This study is financially supported by P505/11/0779.
57
#34 Pablo Rauch, Martin Guldenschuh
Institut für Hydrobiologie & Gewässermanagement, The University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences- BOKU, Vienna, Austria
FISH-MESOHABITAT CHARACTERISTICS IN AUSTRIAN LOWLAND RIVERS
Facing a changing climate and its increasing effects on riverine ecosystems, the
project BIO_CLIC is estimating the potential of riparian vegetation to lower these
effects on the biotic community of small to middle sized rivers in Austrian lowlands
(Rivers Lafnitz and Pinka). Climate Models predict a warming in all seasons with the
risk of exceeding the ecological targets of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Processes structuring fish assemblages are closely linked to water temperature. The
concept of fish zones is mainly determined by the longitudinal temperature increase.
The limited tolerance of certain species (e.g. brown trout, grayling) to high
temperature in combination with the shift of fish zones could result in disturbance of
populations. Primary objectives of the workpackage are to (1) determine microhabitat
use of juvenile and adult fish species and spawning (2) identify abiotic habitat
variables as basic requirements for spawning and (3) investigate the explanatory
power of shading, water temperature and radiation in characterising fish habitat in
different river sections. This gives a valuable contribution to the establishment of a
program of measures on how the strong influence of riparian vegetation can have
beneficial effects for river systems.
58
#35 Carina Rofner
University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
HETEROTROPHIC BACTERIAL GROUPS AND PHOSPHORUS CYCLE IN
MOUNTAIN LAKES
Mountain lakes are very oligotrophic systems characterized by low dissolved organic
carbon and nutrient concentrations. Inorganic and dissolved organic phosphorus are
particularly scarce, and limit bacterial production. However, knowledge on how
different freshwater bacterial groups cope with phosphorus concentrations in these
ecosystems is scarce. Thus, we want to investigate which bacterial groups are the
main actors in the phosphorus cycle of mountain lakes, the strategies they use and
their seasonality.
We monitor phosphorous dynamics in two lakes different in their trophic status,
chemistry and catchment. Phosphate and ATP concentrations are estimated by a
Bioassay and the MAGIC method to assess their seasonal variability. The bacterial
groups actively incorporating Phosphate and ATP are investigated using single-cell
methods such as micro autoradiography (MAR), fluorescent in situ hybridization with
catalysed reporter deposition (CARD-FISH), and flow cytometry with cell sorting.
This multi-approach should lead to a better understanding of how distinct bacterial
groups act in the cycling of inorganic and organic phosphorus in mountain lakes.
59
#36 Sylvie Růžičková, Veronika Weissová, Jana Schenková, Jan Helešic
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University,Brno, Czech Republic
THE EFFECT OF MINING WATER EFFLUENT ON BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES
Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by various human impacts (activities), among
the strongest the alteration of temperature regime and water pollution can be
classified. Unlike global changes, heated mining waters can cause a high, stable,
and long-term increase in water temperature often combined with increase of various
ion concentrations.
A unique chance to study the environmental impact of heated waters appeared in the
Nedvědička River, which is a recipient of treated mining water from the Czech
Republic's last underground uranium mine.
For our research, four sampling sites were chosen, one on the mining water tributary
and three on the Nedvědička River, one of them placed upstream the tributary and
other two downstream. Samples of benthic macroinvertebrates were taken monthly
(March 2008 – June 2009) and basic physico-chemical parameters were recorded
during every sampling.
The mining water tributary influenced physico-chemical characteristics of the
Nedvědička River downstream, mainly conductivity, temperature, pH and inorganic
carbon (increase) and nutrients (decrease). We observed change of qualitative,
quantitative and functional characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages.
The response of selected species on the effluent of heated mining water was
species-specific including a negative effect with decrease of abundances, a neutral
effect, as well as a slightly positive effect with increase of abundances in case of
eurytopic species.
60
#37 Domenico F. Savio, Georg H. Reischer, Philipp Stadler, Julia Vierheilig, Ines
Wilhartitz, Andreas H. Farnleitner
Centre for Water Resource Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna,
Austria
ELUCIDATING THE PROKARYOTIC POPULATION STRUCTURE/DYNAMICS IN
WATER RESOURCES FOR WATER QUALITY MONITORING-PERSPECTIVES BY
HIGH-THROUGHPUT SEQUENCING
After more than 100 years of research on environmental bacteria our knowledge is
still limited due to methodical limitations and constraints this field is exposed to. Not
surprisingly, this also applies to the field of Microbial Water Quality Monitoring
(MWQM), which is still mainly based on classical cultivation methods. However, with
the rapid development of cultivation-independent methods over the last decades
these constraints are disappearing more and more. In this context, especially the
upcoming and rapid development of high-throughput Next-Generation Sequencing
(NGS) methods and advanced bioinformatics opens unbelievable perspectives in
fundamental as well as applied research.
The aim of this PhD thesis is the investigation of the prokaryotic population structure
and dynamics in important water resources by NGS methods in order to evaluate the
potential and the limitations of NGS methods for MWQM. For this purpose,
contrasting water resources with relevance for water supply along selected
environmental gradients (defined by hydrological, chemo-physical and
microbiological parameter) will be investigated. The proposed habitats include an
alpine karst and alluvial porous groundwater aquifer as well as the Danube River.
The first module will focus on the investigation of the autochthonous microbial
endokarst community (AMEC) in an alpine limestone karst aquifer spring whose
existence was previously proven by Farnleitner and colleagues in 2005. In this study,
the stability and vulnerability of the AMEC as well as the detectability and impact of
surface-associated bacteria during a high-discharge event will be investigated in
more detail by 454 Pyrosequencing.
61
#38 Anna Sieczko, Maria Maschek and Peter Peduzzi
Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
PROKARYOTIC ACTIVITY RESPONSE MODULATED BY DIFFERENT
SUBSTRATES IN BACKWATERS OF THE DANUBE
Floodplain lakes, located in two different subsystems (I and II) of the Danube river-
floodplain near Vienna (Austria) were investigated. The locations were chosen due to
their different hydrological regimes: I was rarely connected to the main channel while
II was never flushed even during floods.
We aimed to determine the microbial community response to different DOM-pools,
hypothesizing that enzymatic activity would show different patterns in these
subsystems. We focused on the relationships between nutrient availability, primary
production (PP), photosynthetic extracellular release (PER), secondary production
(BSP) and microbial enzyme activities. We aimed to define typical DOM sources that
supported bacterial growth in each subsystem. Our results suggest that algal-derived
C regulated enzyme expression and thus bacterial growth in both locations.
Phytoplankton growing under P-limited conditions in I suppressed synthesis of
bacterial glucosidases resulting in significantly lower activities of glucosidases in I. P-
limitation also triggered elevated PER which could not be efficiently exploited by
bacteria. In this subsystem more refractory material, degraded by phenol oxidase,
was important as a substrate for bacteria. In II, under strong N-limitations, a
significant share of PER (up to 50% of total primary production) induced the
synthesis of β –glucosidase, and enabled utilization of PER by the bacterial
community. BSP in II was driven by primary production. We propose that occasional
floods and long residence times in floodplain lakes create ample opportunities, which
allow microbial processing also of refractory carbon. Further, we suggest that in
floodplain lakes situated in disconnected locations, despite high terrestrial input,
bacterial growth can be driven by autochthonous (PP) carbon sources.
62
#39 Manuel Sieder1,2 and Maren Striebel1,2
1WasserCluster Lunz, Lunz am See, Austria
2Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl
vonOssietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
EXPERIMENTAL MESOCOSM STUDIES – DESIGN AND APPLICATION
Over the past four decades, mesocosm studies have been successfully used for a
wide range of applications and have provided a lot of information on trophic
interactions and biogeochemical cycling of aquatic ecosystem. However, thesetupof
such mesocosms, (e.g. dimensions and duration of experiments) needs to be
adapted to the relevant biological processes being investigated. Small flasks can be
used to study species specific characteristics e.g. in the laboratory, while larger
mesocosm are used to study whole communities in lakes and oceans.
Specific applications of mesocosm are for example to test the community/ecosystem
response of nutrient enrichment, define the toxicity of substances and to study
questions concerning species diversity and community stability.
Here, we present an overview about different experimental mesocosm studies
(indoors and outdoors) and the variables a researcher needs to consider when
designing experimental mesocosms, such as scaling, system size, experimental
duration, ecological complexity, light, mixing, temperature.
63
#40 Maren Striebel1,2,3, Gertrud Spörl1,3, Thomas Hein1,3, Martin Kainz1, Peter
Hingsamer3,4, Leo Kirchmaier3, Lukas Hartmann1, Birgit Grünsteidl1, Sarah Betz1,
Manuel Sieder1,2,3, Andreas Gangelbauer1, Christian Preiler1
1WasserCluster Lunz, Lunz am See, Austria
2Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl-von-
Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
3Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences- BOKU, Vienna, Austria
4Environmental Physics Group,Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz,
Konstanz, Germany
EXPERIMENTAL MESOCOSM RESEARCH IN LAKE LUNZ
Mesocosms (or enclosures) are often used in experimental aquatic ecology to
conduct experiments at ecosystem level and to investigate nutrient fluxes and
ecological interactions. Mesocosm studies provide the advantage of using natural
communities close to natural conditions, in which various environmental factors such
as light, nutrients, temperature, and CO2 can be manipulated. Mesocosms are a
powerful tool to link large field studies with highly controlled small-scale laboratory
experiments; maximizing the opportunities for control without losing the advantage of
replication. Experimental setups with up to 54 mesocosms incubated in Lake Lunz
were used to investigate ecological relevant questions.
Here, we present first results from a mesocosm experiment conducted in Lake Lunz
in 2012 investigating the effects of flood events (light, nutrients, and sediments) on
plankton communities of different origin.
64
#41 Blanka Švaňhalová, Jindřiška Bojková, Světlana Zahrádková
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
LONG-TERM CHANGES OF AQUATIC INSECT ASSEMBLAGES IN THE LOTIC
ECOSYSTEMS
Benthic macroinvertebrates (especially aquatic insect) are generally suitable model
organisms for indication of aquatic environment status. Long-term studies of their
assemblages could serve as a basis for objective impact assessment because they
allow the definition of real trends and to avoid short-term fluctuations in compositional
and functional changes in assemblages. However, the appropriate data are rare. One
of the available dataset comprises information on benthic macroinvertebrates
(especially mayflies and stoneflies) of the Czech Republic collected in the 1950s,
1990s and 2000s. Watercourses were affected by various effects resulting from
intensive anthropogenic activities in the Czech Republic during the last few decades.
Small brooks were often affected by hydromorphological changes, which could even
lead to their periodical drying up. Mid-size streams and large rivers underwent
extensive effects of impoundment, channelization or organic pollution.
Substantial species loss and changes in composition of assemblages caused by
these effects were documented. In the mayflies, for instance, several pollution-
sensitive and habitat-specialized species of potamal zone disappeared from
numerous localities (e.g. Choroterpes picteti) and were substituted by generalists.
Some species with lower resistance to drought were substituted by those with higher
resistance (e.g. Habrophlebia lauta and H. fusca), especially at mid-altitude
headwaters. Stoneflies suffered strong species loss which led to high dissimilarities
in historical and current assemblages. Streams draining intensively exploited areas
host a mere fragment of their original species. The majority of stoneflies became
much less frequent than before, although their assemblages remained intact in high
altitude streams.
65
#42 József Szekeres
Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Göd, Hungary
DEEP WATER MACROZOOBENTHOS INVESTIGATIONS ALONG THE
HUNGARIAN DANUBE STRETCH
In the framework of the “Improvement of the navigability conditions on the Hungarian
Danube River” a longitudinal sampling program of benthic macroinvertebrate
community was completed. Altogether more than 45 cross-sectional sampling were
carried out between 2009 and 2012. Hand net was used in the littoral, shallow zone
with the 1 mm mesh size using the Kick and Sweep sampling method (K&S), and a
bottom dredge was applied in the deep water zones in the given cross section using
the motor boat for pulling the sampler on the bottom surface.
Abiotic parameters, as temperature, water depth, distance from the bank, water level,
bottom material description were also measured.
We found, that the richness of macrozoobenthon assemblage highly depends on the
quality of the water bed material. The number of species and the abundance
decreasing with the water depth and the distance from shoreline, but several species
were found only from the deep water zone.
The upcoming task is to do multivariate statistical analysis to find the connections
between environmental circumstances and the composition of the macrozoobenthon
fauna.
66
#43 Ildikó Szivák1,2,3, Arnold Móra3, Nikoletta Méhes4, Csaba Bereczki1, Adrienne
Ortmann-Ajkai1, Zoltán Csabai1
1Department of Hydrobiology and Ecology,University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
2Institute of Biology,University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
3Balaton Limnological Institute, Tihany, Hungary
4Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences,University of West Hungary,
Szombathely, Hungary
TAXONOMIC AND FUNCTIONAL COMPOSITION OF HEADWATER CHIRONOMID
ASSEMBLAGES IN A SMALL, GEOLOGICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY
HETEROGENEOUS MOUNTAIN RANGE
The spatial variability of Chironomidae larvae assemblages were investigated at 6
near-pristine, temperate headwaters in SW Hungary. Sites are located within a
relatively small mountain range but belong to two different catchment areas
characterized by highly variable abiotic habitat conditions. We hypothesised
differences in taxonomic composition but not in functional composition between
different catchment areas and aimed to assess the primary influencing spatial factors
structuring the taxonomic and functional compositions of chironomid assemblages.
The spatial distribution of chironomid assemblages were examined 4 times during 1
year period according to the AQEM protocol at multiple scales, from microhabitat to
catchment. At each site environmental data related to streambed morphology,
physicochemical attribute, riparian vegetation, microclimate and hydrology were
collected. Three main traits (saprobic preference, stream zonation preference, trophic
structure) were used to characterize the functional composition of chironomid
assemblages.Our results indicated sharp differences in taxonomic composition and
fast species turnover between the two sides of mountain range within a relatively
small spatial distance and showed moderate, but statistically significant separation of
functional composition between catchments. The observed spatial changes in
taxonomic and functional composition of midges accompanied changes in habitat
features mainly in physicochemical characteristics, riparian vegetation, microclimate
and altitude. We also highlighted that internal microhabitat heterogeneity played a
major role in structuring the taxonomic and the functional patterns of chironomid
assemblages.
67
#44 Anna Sztakó1, Mária Dinka1, Judit Bartholy2
1Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
2Department of Meteorology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
PRELIMINARY STUDY ABOUT THE POSSIBLE HYDROECOLOGICAL
CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE SEDIMENT OF LAKE
FERTŐ/NEUSIEDLER SEE
Lake Fertő/Neusiedler See (309 km2) is situated on the Hungarian-Austrian border. It
is the westernmost steppe lake in Eurasia. The Hungarian part of the lake is 75 km2
and 86% of it is covered by reed stands. The typical water bodies of the Hungarian
part of the lake are open waters, reed stands, and open water areas enclosed by
reed, the so-called inner ponds. The temperature measurements of every cm of
sediment of different water bodies took place between 1987 and 1992. The sediment
temperature of the various areas reached its maximum in August. There was nearly
10 °C difference between sediment temperatures taken in summer and in autumn.
During the year, sediment warmed slowly and to different degrees, reached its
maximum at every depth in August, and afterwards cooling of the sediment in the
subsequent part of the year was faster than its warming.
68
#45 Nikolett Tarjányi
Danube Research Institute, Vácrátót, Hungary
DIVERSITY OF HABITATS AND ASSEMBLAGES OF MACROINVERTEBRATES
OF BROOK MORGÓ (BÖRZSÖNY MOUNTAIN/HUNGARY)
The investigations of low-order streams are more and more urgent. On the one hand,
because there is hardly any untouched streams and on the other hand, it is
indispensable to know the results of the increasing human interventions. For this, we
need to register the long-term changes from the aspect of the environmental
endowments, water chemistry and of the fauna. Our research was made along the 11
km long Morgó Brook in the Börzsöny Mountain. Our aim was to investigate the
hydroecological and hydrozoological conditions of Brook Morgó. The investigation
began in March 2008; and has been carried out for a year now, with monthly
regularity, embracing water chemical and zoological terms. The aim is to explore the
different kinds of habitats, to adopt distinct ways of sampling and to compare all the
results both in time and space. We have found 118 new taxa and there have been 68
new ones revealed to the brook’s fauna. One of these was new to the Hungarian
fauna (Atrichops crassipes (Meigen, 1820)), and one was new to the fauna of
Börzsöny (Oulimnius tuberculatus (P. J. W. Müller, 1806)) as well. There are typical
differences between the patterns of certain taxa diversity and density. Nevertheless,
these patterns are influenced by human factors as well.
69
#46 Adrienn Tóth1, Katalin Zsuga2, Zsófia Horváth3,4, Csaba Ferenc Vad4, Emil
Boros5
1Balaton Limnological Institute, Tihany, Hungary
3WasserCluster Lunz, Lunz am See, Austria
4Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
5Kiskunság National Park Directorate, Kecskemét, Hungary
ROTIFERA OF THE EUROPEAN SODA PANS: THE FAUNA AND COMMUNITIES
OF A UNIQUE HABITAT
Intermittent aquatic environments are highly valuable, as they are inhabited by a high
number of rare species besides cosmopolitans and frequently function as separated
islands with unique communities. Changing environmental conditions provide
habitats to variable zooplankton communities. The Pannonian Plain in the Carpathian
Basin is the western border of alkalic (soda) pans in Eurasia. We collected
zooplankton samples from 110 pans located in an area of approximately 125,000
km2 in three countries (62 pans in Hungary, 38 in Austria, 10 in Serbia) in two
different seasons, to characterize both spring and summer communities. This poster
presents our results on rotifer communities. 105 Rotifera taxa were identified, most
frequent species were: Cephalodella catellina (44 pans), Testudinella patina (36
pans), Brachionus quadridentatus (32 pans). Regarding the 89 natural and semi-
natural pans, SDR-simplex analysis showed similar seasonal patterns with high beta
diversity in both seasons. The values of community assembly were the following:
92.5% and 92.7% (beta diversity), 59.3% and 60.0% (richness agreement) and
47.9% and 47.3% (nestedness) for spring and summer, respectively. We identified
some rare species (Donneria sudzukii, Paradicrahophorus sordidus, Rhinoglena
fertoeensis, Proales daphnicola) and two new species for the Pannonian Plain,
Keratella eichwaldi and Brachionus asplanchnoides. Owing to our sampling, we
acquired a reliable overview on the species composition and dominance of this
unique habitat. We can conclude that due to the high regional species pool, soda
pans had quite different species composition, thus, the conservation of these habitats
is highly important.
70
#47 Mihály Tóth, László József Szabó
Department of Hydrobiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
PHENOLOGY OF MOSQUITO SPECIES IN NORTH-EAST HUNGARY
Researches about mosquitoes have just few details in Hungary. Most of examination
have been performed at touristic haunts like the region of the Lake Balaton and there
are confined to mosquito control surveys. The eastern part of Hungary is under-
researched, the faunistic publications were presented only in the last 10 years. The
aim of our study was to unfold phenological characters of frequent species and
examine differences between regions and sampling sites.
During 2011 and 2012 mosquitoes were collected in the north-eastern corner of
Hungary. There are three groups of sampling sites: 5 sites near Debrecen, 5 sites
near Kisvárda and a site in the Hortobágy National Park (HNP). Each year the main
season of collection was defined from April to October according to the maximum
annual activity of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes were collected twice a month by a pooter
(aspirator), after sunset.
Number of collected specimens were significant smaller, than the years before,
because these years were especially dry. Even so phenology data of the frequent
species (Aedes vexans, Aedes cinereus, Culex modestus, Coquillettidia richiardii,
Anopheles hyrcanus, Ochlerotatus annulipes, Ochlerotatus cantans) can be
evaluated.
There are phenological differences between sites due to the characteristics of sites.
In 2011 the swarming max of vernal and aestival species can be separated, but in
2012 the vernal species have been disappeared or appeared just in summer, since
there was just a few amount of rain and snow, so the most of ephemeral water
bodies were dried out.
71
#48 Bohuslav Uher1,2, Michael Schagerl2
1 Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
2 Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
PHENOMENON SPIROGYRA – MICROEVOLUTION AGENTS POLYPLOIDY AND
ANEUPLOIDY BY CONJUGATES.
Isolation, cultivation and identification of Spirogyra morphotypes are fundamentals for
a continued study on its infra- and interspecific relationships. The monographs
published by Czurda (1932), Kolkwitz and Krieger (1941), Transeau (1951),
Randhawa (1959) or Kadlubowska (1984) are based solely on morphological
diacritical features of field collected material. However, Allen (1958) was the first to
observe polyploidy in clonal cultures and therefore introduced the term “species
complex” for derived groups with euploidal diffences and distinct morphology leading
to multiple “traditional” species. A “species complex” in Spirogyra consists of a series
of morphotypes of different ploidy emanating from a clonal morphotype. Hoshaw et
al. (1985, 1987) confirmed polyploidy in Spirogyra and McCourt and Hoshaw (1990)
focused on problems associated with species concepts in this genus. Richard et al.
(1990) confirmed that polyploidy plays a major role in morphological diversity of
Spirogyra filaments. Recently, cytological study of Kim et al. (2009) underlined the
aneuploidy phenomenon in the genus. Summing up, the uncertain position of
Spirogyra within the Zygnemataceae and its complex species structure can be
resolved only by detailed studies of clonal cultures including traditional characters,
karyology (Kim et al. 2009) and molecular markers as provided in this study.
Knowledge of nuclear cytology in algae remains to be much improved, compared to
that in higher plants and animals. We supposed that additional species complexes
will be delimited and that polyploidy is widespread among Spirogyra. Special
attention was paid to the different karyological methods.
72
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Mia Bengtsson
Nancy Burns
Zsófia Horváth
Hannes Peter
Christian Preiler
Robert Ptacnik
Radka Ptacnikova
Gabriel Singer
Amber Ulseth
Csaba F. Vad
Gabriele Weigelhofer
Linda Wilhelm
73
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
1 András Abonyi abonyiand(at)gmail.com
2 Martina Adlboller martina.adlboller(at)univie.ac.at
3 Diána Árva arva.diana(at)science.unideb.hu
4 Barbara Behounek barbara.behounek(at)gmx.at
5 Mia Bengtsson mia.bengtsson(at)univie.ac.at
6 Csaba Bereczki bereczki(at)gamma.ttk.pte.hu
7 László Berzi-Nagy lachus160(at)gmail.com
8 Julia Birtel julia.birtel(at)eawag.ch
9 Réka Boda reka86(at)gamma.ttk.pte.hu
10 Erika Bódis bodiserk(at)gmail.com
11 Péter Borza borza.peter(at)okologia.mta.hu
12 Nancy Burns nancy.burns(at)univie.ac.at
13 Nastasia Julianna Cozma stassy87(at)gmail.com
14 Daniela Dieter daniela.dieter(at)igb-berlin.de
15 Kinga Farkas-Iványi kinga.ivanyi(at)gmail.com
16 Christina Fasching christina.fasching(at)univie.ac.at
17 Árpád Ferincz thorocatum(at)gmail.com
18 Harald Ficker harald.ficker(at)hotmail.com
19 Andrea Funk andrea.funk(at)boku.ac.at
20 Andrea Gall andrea_gall(at)gmx.net
21 Andreas Gondikas andreas.gondikas(at)univie.ac.at
22 Martin Guldenschuh m.guldenschuh(at)students.boku.ac.at
23 Ed Hall ed.hall(at)colostate.edu
24 Camilla Hagman cco(at)niva.no
25 Thomas Hein thomas.hein(at)boku.ac.at
26 Sonja Heintel sonja.heintel(at)ffg.at
27 Phillip Hirsch philipp.hirsch(at)unibas.ch
28 Iris Hödl iris.hoedl(at)univie.ac.at
29 Hajnalka Horváth horvath.hajnalka(at)okologia.mta.hu
30 Zsófia Horváth zsofia.horvath(at)wcl.ac.at
31 William Hunter william.hunter(at)univie.ac.at
32 Emilia Jakubas emijak(at)amu.edu.pl
33 Jacqueline Jerney jacqueline.jerney(at)gmx.at
74
34 Martin Kainz martin.kainz(at)donau-uni.ac.at
35 Florian Keil keil.florian(at)me.com
36 Philipp Kirschner philipp.kirschner(at)student.uibk.ac.at
37 Barbora Klementová klementova.barbora(at)gmail.com
38 Katharina Kneissl katharina.kneissl(at)hotmail.com
39 Vendula Křoupalová vkroupalova(at)seznam.cz
40 Reinhard Krusch krusch7(at)gmx.at
41 Nela Kubová kubova.nela(at)seznam.cz
42 Martin Kvarda mgkvarda(at)gmail.com
43 Silke Langenheder silke.langenheder(at)ebc.uu.se
44 Birgit Lerchegger lerchegger(at)blattfisch.at
45 Franz Loisl franz.loisl(at)univie.ac.at
46 Irina Ludwig irinamarial(at)yahoo.de
47 Alexandra Mätzler alexandra.maetzler(at)uibk.ac.at
48 Péter Mauchart mauchart(at)gamma.ttk.pte.hu
49 Magdalena Mayr mayrmagdalena(at)hotmail.com
50 Karin Meisterl karin.meisterl(at)gmail.com
51 Stephanie Merbt smerbt(at)ceab.csic.es
52 Paul Meulenbroek p.meulenbroek(at)students.boku.ac.at
53 Laurent Moya laurent.moya(at)uibk.ac.at
54 Attila Mozsár mozsarhal(at)gmail.com
55 Agnieszka Napieralska aganap(at)amu.edu.pl, aga.napieralska(at)gmail.com
56 Georg Niedrist g.niedrist(at)student.uibk.ac.at
57 Zoltán Novák novak.zoltan(at)science.unideb.hu
58 Attila László Péntek attila.petak(at)gmail.com
59 Hannes Peter hannes.peter(at)uibk.ac.at
60 Wiebke Plötner wa.ploetner(at)gmx.de
61 Marek Polášek m.polasek(at)mail.muni.cz
62 Christian Preiler christian.preiler(at)wcl.ac.at
63 Eugeniusz Pronin gubu(at)o2.pl
64 Robert Ptacnik robert.ptacnik(at)wcl.ac.at
65 Radka Ptacnikova radka.ptacnikova(at)wcl.ac.at
66 Vanda Rádková vanda.radkova(at)seznam.cz
67 Kristin Rath kristinrath(at)gmx.at
68 Clemens Ratschan ratschan(at)ezb-fluss.at
69 Pablo Rauch pablo.r(at)gmx.at
70 Walter Reckendorfer w.reckendorfer(at)t-b-r.at
71 Carina Rofner carina.rofner(at)uibk.ac.at
72 Judith Rosentreter judithR-34(at)gmx.de
73 Sylvie Růžičková sylvie.ruzickova(at)gmail.com
74 Domenico Savio savio(at)waterresources.at
75 Anna Sieczko anna.sieczko(at)univie.ac.at
76 Manuel Sieder manuel49(at)gmx.at
75
77 Gabriel Singer gabriel.singer(at)univie.ac.at
78 Agnija Skuja agnija.skuja(at)lu.lv
79 Maren Striebel striebel(at)limnology.eu
80 Blanka Švaňhalová blanka.svanhalova(at)email.cz
81 József Szekeres szekeres.jozsef(at)okologia.mta.hu
82 Ildikó Szivák szivak.ildiko(at)okologia.mta.hu
83 Anna Sztakó sztako.anna(at)okologia.mta.hu
84 Nikolett Tarjányi tarjanyi.nikolett(at)okologia.mta.hu
85 Adrienn Tóth toth.adrienn(at)okologia.mta.hu
86 Mihály Tóth toth.mihaly(at)science.unideb.hu
87 Bohuslav Uher uherius(at)gmail.com
88 Amber Ulseth amber.ulseth(at)univie.ac.at
89 Csaba F. Vad vad.csaba(at)gmail.com
90 Péter Várnagy neppster(at)gmail.com
91 Gabriele Weigelhofer gabriele.weigelhofer(at)wcl.ac.at
92 Łukasz Wejnerowski lukaweju(at)gmail.com
93 Linda Wilhelm linda.wilhelm(at)univie.ac.at
94 Susanne Wilken s.wilken(at)nioo.knaw.nl
95 Bernhard Zens a0707530(at)unet.univie.ac.at
96 Ernesztina Zsidi zsidi.ernesztina(at)gmail.com