Brown and brook trout populations in the Tatra Mountain lakes (Slovakia, Poland) and contamination by long-range transported pollutants

Fish living in the extreme conditions of the Tatra Mountain lakes were evaluated from a biological point of view as well as an important biomarker of long-range transported pollutants. In Velke Hincovo pleso and in Morskie Oko, specimens of brown trout (Salmo trutta) of extraordinarily advanced age were found (ages of 18+ and 17+ years, respectively). The capture of a 17+ year-old brown trout in Morskie Oko (2400 g, 540 mm) indicated the presence of the so-called ferox life strategy. The growth of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was faster than the growth of brown trout in the younger year classes, and while the growth of brook trout stopped after the age of 5+, the growth of brown trout continued. Concentrations of long-range transported pollutants (HCHs, HCB, DDTs, PCBs, PBDEs, and trace metals) in the Tatra Mountain fish were mostly associated with fish age, body weight and length, type of fish tissue, and lake altitude. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish muscle were dominated by PCBs 138, 153, 180, and p,p’-DDE. Conversely, PBDEs concentrations ranged at substantially lower levels compared to other POPs. Altitude correlated significantly with concentrations of a-HCH, HCB, p,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDE, and with PCBs 28 and 52. The highest contents of trace metals were found in kidney and liver samples, with higher concentrations in Velke Hincovo pleso than in Morskie Oko. The overall highest trace metal concentration levels were found for Fe, Cu, and Zn. In comparison with other European mountain lakes, the Tatra Mountain lakes are among the more contaminated.Postprint (author’s final draft

Multi-proxy temperature and environmental reconstruction during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe

Multi-proxy temperature reconstructions can provide robust insights into past environmental conditions. By combining different proxies we can disentangle the temperature signal from the indirect climate effects on the environment. This study uses a multi-proxy approach to reconstruct temperature and palaeoenvironmental conditions during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene (13.5–8 cal. ka BP) in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe. We assessed the similarity of the temperature signal based on chironomids, isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids (isoGDGTs), and pollen within a comparison with locally modeled temperature data generated by the CHELSA_Trace21k dataset. Pollen, macroscopic charcoal remains, and geochemistry were further used to reconstruct past environmental conditions such as vegetation dynamics, fire activity, the input of lithogenic material (Titanium), nutrient content (Total Nitrogen) and the sources of organic matter (C/N and δ13Corg). All temperature reconstructions based on independent proxies were positively correlated and followed the same long-term trend. However, results also showed that chironomids-inferred July temperature had lower amplitude variations compared to the other temperature curves. IsoGDGTs showed the most pronounced decrease in temperature values at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD), corroborating that this cooling event was more marked during winter than summer. However, a decrease of less than 1 °C during summer and two short-term warm events at 12.6 and 12.2 cal ka BP provoked a modest and asynchronous response of the vegetation to the onset of the YD. Nevertheless, isoGDGTs appeared to react to changes in both temperature and organic carbon sources, particularly between 11.2 and 10.6 cal yr BP. These environmental changes, characterized by high values of the GDGT-0/crenarchaeol ratio, recorded an increase in methanogenic activity in the lake sediments, which likely altered the recorded climatic signal. The corresponding anoxic episodes in the lake sediments might be caused by an increasing input of organic carbon from the catchment, related to the development of the vegetation and catchment soils at the beginning of the Holocene. Finally, pollen-based temperature reconstruction showed a lag in the response to major climatic events, such as the onset of YD and Holocene. Our study increases the understanding of the climate-vegetation-environmental feedback during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe

Recent and subfossil chironomids as a tool for tracing of environmental changes in mountain lakes of glacial origin

JOLANA TÁTOSOVÁ, Charles University in Prague Ph.D. Thesis, 2008 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Abstract The limnological research in mountain areas of Czech Republic and Slovakia have a long tradition at our workplace, and our hydrobiological team has participated on many international projects focused on study of mountain lake ecosystems. Since 2000, I have become a member of this team and I have directed my research activities on the benthic fauna of mountain waters, especially on chironomids. They represent the most numerous and diverse group of benthic communities in the waters of mountain areas. As the life and geographical distribution of chironomids are controlled by many environmental parameters - temperature, food availability, concentrations of dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, heavy metals and other pollutants, they can be very successfully used for tracking of environmental changes and effects of climatic variability on mountain lake ecosystems. The investigation of mountain areas has also its foundation. High altitude lakes represent very unique and vulnerable aquatic ecosystems. At the present time of very strong influence of human activity, these..

Recentní a subfosilní pakomáři jako nástroj ke sledování environmentálních změn vysokohorských jezer ledovcového původu

JOLANA TÁTOSOVÁ, Charles University in Prague Ph.D. Thesis, 2008 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Abstract The limnological research in mountain areas of Czech Republic and Slovakia have a long tradition at our workplace, and our hydrobiological team has participated on many international projects focused on study of mountain lake ecosystems. Since 2000, I have become a member of this team and I have directed my research activities on the benthic fauna of mountain waters, especially on chironomids. They represent the most numerous and diverse group of benthic communities in the waters of mountain areas. As the life and geographical distribution of chironomids are controlled by many environmental parameters - temperature, food availability, concentrations of dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, heavy metals and other pollutants, they can be very successfully used for tracking of environmental changes and effects of climatic variability on mountain lake ecosystems. The investigation of mountain areas has also its foundation. High altitude lakes represent very unique and vulnerable aquatic ecosystems. At the present time of very strong influence of human activity, these...JOLANA TÁTOSOVÁ, Charles University in Prague Ph.D. Thesis, 2008 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Abstrakt Limnologický výzkum horských oblastní v České a Slovenské republice má na našem pracovišti již dlouholetou tradici a náš hydrobiologický tým se účastnil mnoha mezinárodních projektů zaměřených na studium horských ekosystémů. Od roku 2000, kdy jsem se také stala členem tohoto týmu, jsem své výzkumné aktivity zaměřila na bentickou faunu horských vod, zejména na zástupce čeledi Chironomidae z řádu Diptera, jelikož tvoří nejpočetnější a nejpestřejší skupinu bentických společenstev vod horských oblastí. Jejich životní cyklus a geografická distribuce jsou ovlivňovány řadou parametrů prostředí jako je teplota, dostupnost potravy, množství rozpuštěného kyslík, pH, salinita, koncentrace těžkých kovů a jiných polutantů, lze tuto skupina organismů velmi úspěšně využít ke sledování změn podmínek prostředí a vlivu klimatické variability na horské jezerní ekosystémy. Také výzkum horských oblastí má své opodstatnění. Vysokohorská jezera představují velmi unikátní a zranitelné vodní ekosystému a v současné době silného vlivu člověka na přírodní prostředí tato jezera, díky své...Department of EcologyKatedra ekologieFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Nedávné a subfosilních chironomids jako nástroj pro sledování změn v oblasti životního prostředí v horských jezer ledovcového původu

JOLANA TÁTOSOVÁ, Charles University in Prague Ph.D. Thesis, 2008 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Summary Chironomid seasonality in a high mountain lake ecosystem - case study This paper summarizes result of the first complete round-year study of chironomids in the profundal zone of an oligotrophic high mountain Tatra lake - Ľadové lake - chosen as the key site in the EMERGE project. High mountain or arctic lakes are typical by the specific chironomid species composition, low species diversity at all and low abundances as well (Bretschko, 1974, Rieradevall & Prat, 1999, Aagaard, 1986, Brundin, 1956, Steinböck, 1955) Four chironomid taxa identified in the profundal of Ľadové lake (after average abundances) - Micropsectra radialis (Goetghebuer, 1939), Pseudodiamesa nivosa (Goetghebuer, 1928), Procladius (Holotanypus) sp. and Heterotrisscladius marcidus (Walker, 1856) - and the average chironomid density of 1 700 ind m-2 have confirmed this fact. The two most abundant taxa P. nivosa and M. radialis have demonstrated a univoltine life history with emergences in July and in August, respectively. According to published data, the univolitne life cycle of chironomids is expectable in high mountain or subarctic lakes (Moore, 1979, Wiederholm, 1977, Pechlaner et...Limnologiclcývýzkum horsloýchoblastnív Českéa Slovenskérepublicemá na nďem pracovišti již dlouholetou tradici a nríšhydrobiologický tým se účastnilmnoha mezinarodních projektu zaněřenýchna studiumhorskýchekosystémů'od roku 2000'kdy jsem se takésta|ačlenemtohoto dmq jsem svévýzkumnéaktivity zaměřila na bentickou faunuhorských vod, zejménana zásfupce čelediChironomidaez řádu Dipter4 jelikožwoří nejpočetnějšia nejpestřejšískupinubenticloých společenstevvod horslcýchoblastí.Jejichživotnicyklus a geografickádistribucejsou ovlivňovrí'ny řadou parametrůprosťedíjakoje teplot4 dosfupnostpotravy,množstvírozpuštěnéhokys|í( pH' sďinita koncentracetěžlcýchkovu ajiných polutantů'lze tuto skupinaorganismůvelmi uspěšně vyuŽítke sledovanízurěn podmínekprostředía vliw klimatickévariability na horskéjezemí ekosystémy.Takévýzkum horskýchoblastímá svéopodstatněni'Vysokohorskájezerapředstavují velmi unikátni a zranitelnévodníekosystémua v současnédobě si|néhov|iw člověkana přírodní prosťedi tato jezer4 díky své odletilosti, fuoří nejméně zasažsnépřírodní systémy.Citlivost vysokohorských jezer ke globáním změniírn_ ďmosferickému mečištění,kyselým sraŽkám a klimaticlcým Úlqrvum - a jejich schopnost reagovat na působenítěchto dopadůvelmi rychle z nich dělá výboméindikátory enviromentalníchzměn. Předkládaná disertačnípráce se...Dep. of Parasitology and Hydrobiology (obsolete)Katedra parazitologie a hydrobiologie (zrušena)Faculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Brown and brook trout populations in the Tatra Mountain lakes (Slovakia, Poland) and contamination by long-range transported pollutants

Fish living in the extreme conditions of the Tatra Mountain lakes were evaluated from a biological point of view as well as an important biomarker of long-range transported pollutants. In Velke Hincovo pleso and in Morskie Oko, specimens of brown trout (Salmo trutta) of extraordinarily advanced age were found (ages of 18+ and 17+ years, respectively). The capture of a 17+ year-old brown trout in Morskie Oko (2400 g, 540 mm) indicated the presence of the so-called ferox life strategy. The growth of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was faster than the growth of brown trout in the younger year classes, and while the growth of brook trout stopped after the age of 5+, the growth of brown trout continued. Concentrations of long-range transported pollutants (HCHs, HCB, DDTs, PCBs, PBDEs, and trace metals) in the Tatra Mountain fish were mostly associated with fish age, body weight and length, type of fish tissue, and lake altitude. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish muscle were dominated by PCBs 138, 153, 180, and p,p’-DDE. Conversely, PBDEs concentrations ranged at substantially lower levels compared to other POPs. Altitude correlated significantly with concentrations of a-HCH, HCB, p,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDE, and with PCBs 28 and 52. The highest contents of trace metals were found in kidney and liver samples, with higher concentrations in Velke Hincovo pleso than in Morskie Oko. The overall highest trace metal concentration levels were found for Fe, Cu, and Zn. In comparison with other European mountain lakes, the Tatra Mountain lakes are among the more contaminated

Brown and brook trout populations in the Tatra Mountain lakes (Slovakia, Poland) and contamination by long-range transported pollutants

Fish living in the extreme conditions of the Tatra Mountain lakes were evaluated from a biological point of view as well as an important biomarker of long-range transported pollutants. In Veľke Hincovo pleso and in Morskie Oko, specimens of brown trout (Salmo trutta) of extraordinarily advanced age were found (ages of 18+ and 17+ years, respectively). The capture of a 17+ year-old brown trout in Morskie Oko (2400 g, 540 mm) indicated the presence of the so-called ferox life strategy. The growth of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was faster than the growth of brown trout in the younger year classes, and while the growth of brook trout stopped after the age of 5+, the growth of brown trout continued. Concentrations of long-range transported pollutants (HCHs, HCB, DDTs, PCBs, PBDEs, and trace metals) in the Tatra Mountain fish were mostly associated with fish age, body weight and length, type of fish tissue, and lake altitude. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish muscle were dominated by PCBs 138, 153, 180, and p,p'-DDE. Conversely, PBDEs concentrations ranged at substantially lower levels compared to other POPs. Altitude correlated significantly with concentrations of a-HCH, HCB, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and with PCBs 28 and 52. The highest contents of trace metals were found in kidney and liver samples, with higher concentrations in Veľke Hincovo pleso than in Morskie Oko. The overall highest trace metal concentration levels were found for Fe, Cu, and Zn. In comparison with other European mountain lakes, the Tatra Mountain lakes are among the more contaminated