Checklist of rotifer species from Albania (phylum Rotifera)

The checklist of Rotifera species recorded for Albanian inland waters and its neighboring regions is provided. A total of 140 species of bdelloids and monogononts, with representatives of 38 genera are listed. The history of rotifer surveys as a component of zooplankton in Albania started at the end of 19th century. Mostly they were taxonomic and descriptive ones, while later on after the mid 20th century appeared the systematic approaches emphasizing the particularities and richness of zooplankton in specific karstic Mediterranean ecosystems. In this article 140 taxa of bdelloids and monogononts representing 39 genera are reported

Distribution of the non-indigenous fish species, Lepomis Gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758), in Albania

Pumpkin seed, Lepomis gibbosus L., is a native fish species to the eastern North America and is introduced to Europe freshwaters during the late nineteenth century and now appears to be wide spread in numerous countries. During the last two decades, the species spread rapidly into the Albanian inland water bodies. The distribution and abundance of invasive fish species Lepomis gibbosus L. inhabiting different water ecosystems, natural or man-made, standing or running ones was investigated. The study was carried out during a period of 10 years mostly during active breeding period for pumpkinseeds. The investigated water bodies are located along different water basins of Albania. Habitat quality was assessed after fish sampling. The following biological and physical habitat variables were considered: dissolved oxygen (mg l-1), pH, and water temperature (oC) measured with multi-parametric probes; electro conductivity (μS/cm) was measured with portable conduct meter. Substrate composition was visually estimated in a 1-m-wide band centered across each assessed area

Further records of Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1896) in central part of Adriatic coast in Albania

The distribution of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus is reported from marine, transitional and freshwater environments along the coasts of Adriatic Sea (Albania, Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Numerous specimens of the invasive blue crab were caught in the period from 2011 to 2019 in the area of Karavasta Lagoon. Our study was curried out during the September 2019. In addition to the morphometric parameters, some physic-chemical parameters were measured as well. These note documents further records of the species in one of the most important site for biodiversity in Mediterranean Sea that is currently seriously threaten by the presence of invasive alien species

RECENT DATA ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF FRESHWATER ICHTHYOFAUNA IN ALBANIA

U ovom članku izložen je ažurirani popis slatkovodnih riba u Albaniji za svaki podsliv. Prikazani podaci o rasprostranjenosti i popisi taksona temelje se na pregledu literature do listopada 2022. i intenzivnom terenskom radu u posljednjih 15 godina. Prikazani su podaci o distribuciji 101 vrste riba (koje potječu iz 25 porodica) iz 11 različitih podslivova. Postoje novi zapisi koji uključuju domaće, strane i translocirane vrste riba. Osobitost albanskih slatkovodnih riba je istaknuta pri definiranju specifične ihtiološke regije za cijelu balkansku regiju. Fauna slatkovodnih riba Albanije predstavlja posebnu vrijednost nacionalne baštine, posebice zbog svoje raznolikosti i visokog stupnja endemičnosti. To je uglavnom zbog složenih geoloških i klimatskih uvjeta i položaja između Jadranskog i Jonskog mora na zapadu i kontinentalnih područja Balkana s druge strane, što je omogućilo različite kolonizacije izvan područja i duga razdoblja specijacije. Jedanaest hidrografskih bazenskih jedinica analizirano je u pogledu sastava vrsta, evolucijskih obrazaca i ekoloških značajki. Ovim pregledom broj albanskih slatkovodnih riba iznosi 101, s 20 vrsta dodanih iz prethodnog popisa iz 1995. godine i nekoliko vrsta izbrisanih zbog taksonomskih promjena.In this article, we provide an updated list of freshwater fishes in Albania for each sub-basin. The distribution data and taxa-lists presented are based on a literature review up to October 2022 and intensive fieldwork conducted in the last 15 years. Distributional records of 101 fish species (deriving from 25 families) in 11 different sub-basins are reported. There are new records that include native, alien and translocated fish species. The distinctiveness of Albanian freshwater fishes is highlighted while defining a specific ichthyological region for the whole Balkan region. The freshwater fish fauna of Albania represents a special value of the national heritage, especially due to its diversity and a high degree of endemicity. This is mainly due to the complex geological and climatic conditions, and the location between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas on the west and the continental areas of the Balkans on the other side, which have allowed different colonization from outside the area and long periods of speciation. Eleven hydrographic basin units are analyzed for species composition, evolutionary patterns, and ecological features. This review brings the number of Albanian freshwater fish taxa to 101, with 20 species added from the previous 1995 inventory and several species deleted due to taxonomic changes

TRADING-OF FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY AND HYDROPOWER IN A UNIQUE BALKAN HOTSPOT (VJOSA RIVER WATERSHED, ALBANIA)

Inland waters and freshwater biodiversity in Albania constitute a valuable natural resource, in economic, cultural, aesthetic, scientific and educational terms. Amongst them Vjosa River watershed represents a unique feature, while its conservation and management are critical to the interests of local population, national and regional one. This review explores the special features of Vjosa River as one of the last living wild rivers in Europe. Along more than 230 kilometers in Albania it is untamed and free flowing, characterized by beautiful canyons, braided river sections and meandering stretches. Together with its tributaries, the Vjosa River creates a dynamic near-natural ecosystem, a true regional natural heritage. However, eight dams are foreseen along its course in Albania. These dam projects would destroy the unique river system. The river itself, from delta to upland flows, is migration corridor for European eel (Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus, 1758) and many other marine species

Limnological study on a newly built drinking water reservoir near Tirana, Albania

Bovilla Lake is a reservoir constructed 12years ago for supplying the city of Tirana (Albania) mainly with drinking water. It has a surface area of 4.6km2, a maximum depth of originally 60m and is monomictic with a stratification period from early spring to end of October. The lake is oligotrophic with low nutrient concentrations (e.g. SRP in spring about 8μgL − 1) and minor oxygen depletion in the hypolimnion during thermal stagnation. The lake is highly turbid due to severe particle import by several rivers during rain periods. This led to a massive deposition of sediments, lifting the maximum depth to 45m in 2008. Furthermore, the photic zone reached hardly more than 10m. Algal species diversity is high; however, diatoms from the genus Cyclotella dominate most of the year both in numbers and biomass. Our study describes for the first time the hydrography and limnology of the Bovilla Reservoi

Sastav i raspodjela zooplanktona duž obalnih i otvorenih voda Albanije (južni Jadran) u kasno proljeće

We present for the first time composition, numerical abundance and vertical structure of microand mesozooplankton in the Albanian coastal and open sea region. Zooplankton was sampled at six stations on the 75-km long continental shelf slope transect in May 2009. The most numerous microzooplankton were copepod nauplii (maximum: 39 ind. L-1), followed by calonoid and cyclopoid copepodites (maxima: 5 and 4 ind. L-1, respectively). The most abundant of fourteen tintinnid species was Tintinnopsis radix, found in the surface to 50 m layer. The species composition of the coastal and open sea mesozooplankton was similar to that previously reported for the south Adriatic Sea. The copepod Oithona similis was the dominant species at all stations, followed by Oithona plumifera, Acartia clausi, Paracalanus parvus, Oithona nana and cyclopoida-oncaeids at the shallower coastal stations, and Clausocalanus pergens, Oithona plumifera and Oithona nana offshore. Mesozooplankton diversity rose considerably from the coast to the open sea. Mesozooplankton abundance exhibited the opposite trend, with the maximum (2286 ind. m-3) noted at the shallowest station. Findings of typically open sea tintinnid and copepod species at the coastal station indicate the high influence of currents from the open sea area during our investigation. Our results suggest the low influence of fresh water on zooplankton population densities, even at the shallow stations where penetration of fresh water in the surface layers was notable.Po prvi put su prikazani sastav, abundancija i vertikalna struktura mikro- i mezozooplanktona u albanskim obalnim i otvorenim vodama. Istraživanje je obavljeno na šest postaja duž 75 km dugom transektu od šelfa do kontinentskog slaza. Najbrojniji predstavnici mikrozooplanktona su bili kopepodni naupliji (maksimum: 39 ind. L-1), iza kojih su slijedili kalanoidni i ciklopoidni kopepoditi. Od 14 zabilježenih vrsta tintinida, najbrojnija je bila vrsta Tintinnopsis radix, nađena od površine do 50 m dubine. Sastav zajednice mezozooplanktona obalnog i otvorenog mora u skladu je s prijašnjim istraživanjima južnog Jadrana. Kopepod Oithona similis bila je dominantna vrsta na svim istraživanim postajama. Na plićim postajama slijede je vrste Oithona plumifera, Acartia clausi, Paracalanus parvus, Oithona nana i cyclopoida-oncaeids, a u otvorenim vodama vrste Clausocalanus pergens, Oithona plumifera i Oithona nana. Bioraznolikost mezozooplanktona značajno raste od obale prema otvorenom moru. Nasuprot tome, najveća gustoća mezozooplanktona (2286 ind. m-3) zabilježena je na najplićoj postaji. Prisutnost karakterističnih vrsta tintinida i kopepoda otvorenog mora na obalnim postajama ukazuju na utjecaj struja otvorenog mora za vrijeme ovog istraživanja. Naši rezultati ukazuju da povećani upliv slatke vode nije znatno utjecao na gustoću zooplanktonskih populacija čak i na plitkim postajama gdje je prodor slatke vode u površinskim slojevima osobito izražen

The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation

Anthropogenic freshwater habitats may provide undervalued prospects for long-term conservation as part of species conservation planning. This fundamental, but overlooked, issue requires attention considering the pace that humans have been altering natural freshwater ecosystems and the accelerated levels of biodiversity decline in recent decades. We compiled 709 records of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) inhabiting a broad variety of anthropogenic habitat types (from small ponds to large reservoirs and canals) and reviewed their importance as refuges for this faunal group. Most records came from Europe and North America, with a clear dominance of canals and reservoirs. The dataset covered 228 species, including 34 threatened species on the IUCN Red List. We discuss the conservation importance and provide guidance on how these anthropogenic habitats could be managed to provide optimal conservation value to freshwater mussels. This review also shows that some of these habitats may function as ecological traps owing to conflicting management practices or because they act as a sink for some populations. Therefore, anthropogenic habitats should not be seen as a panacea to resolve conservation problems. More information is necessary to better understand the trade-offs between human use and the conservation of freshwater mussels (and other biota) within anthropogenic habitats, given the low number of quantitative studies and the strong biogeographic knowledge bias that persists.This publication is based upon work from COST Action CA18239, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). A.M.L. was financed by the Institute of Environmental Sciences Jagiellonian University (N18/DBS/000003) and K.N. by the Aragón Government. The authors acknowledge Jarosław Andrzejewski, Bartosz Czader, Anna Fica, Marcin Horbacz, Tomasz Jonderko, Steinar Kålås, Tomasz Kapela, Bjørn Mejdell Larsen, Maciej Pabijan, Katarzyna Pawlik, Ilona Popławska, Joanna Przybylska, Tomasz Przybył, Mateusz Rybak, Kjell Sandaas, Jarosław Słowikowski, Tomasz Szczasny, Michał Zawadzki and Paweł Zowada for providing detailed information on specific examples concerning freshwater mussels in anthropogenic habitats. We thank the editor and two anonymous referees for the valuable suggestions made, which increased the clarity of our manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Integrative phylogenetic, phylogeographic and morphological characterisation of the Unio crassus species complex reveals cryptic diversity with important conservation implications

The global decline of freshwater mussels and their crucial ecological services highlight the need to understand their phylogeny, phylogeography and patterns of genetic diversity to guide conservation efforts. Such knowledge is urgently needed for Unio crassus, a highly imperilled species originally widespread throughout Europe and southwest Asia. Recent studies have resurrected several species from synonymy based on mitochondrial data, revealing U. crassus to be a complex of cryptic species. To address long-standing taxonomic uncertainties hindering effective conservation, we integrate morphometric, phylogenetic, and phylogeographic analyses to examine species diversity within the U. crassus complex across its entire range. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (815 specimens from 182 populations) and, for selected specimens, whole mitogenome sequences and Anchored Hybrid Enrichment (AHE) data on ∼ 600 nuclear loci. Mito-nuclear discordance was detected, consistent with mitochondrial DNA gene flow between some species during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Fossil-calibrated phylogenies based on AHE data support a Mediterranean origin for the U. crassus complex in the Early Miocene. The results of our integrative approach support 12 species in the group: the previously recognised Unio bruguierianus, Unio carneus, Unio crassus, Unio damascensis, Unio ionicus, Unio sesirmensis, and Unio tumidiformis, and the reinstatement of five nominal taxa: Unio desectus stat. rev., Unio gontierii stat. rev., Unio mardinensis stat. rev., Unio nanus stat. rev., and Unio vicarius stat. rev. Morphometric analyses of shell contours reveal important morphospace overlaps among these species, highlighting cryptic, but geographically structured, diversity. The distribution, taxonomy, phylogeography, and conservation of each species are succinctly described.We thank Ana-Maria Benedek, Monica Sîrbu and Jouni Leinikki for their assistance with the fieldwork, and to Jeroen Goud, Sankurie Pye, Fiona Ware, Emily Mitchell, and Aleksandra Skawina for their assistance with the taxonomic investigation. We would also like to thank the editor, Dr. Guillermo Ortí, and two anonymous reviewers for their time and effort in reviewing our manuscript and for their insightful comments and valuable improvements to our work. This publication is based upon work from COST Action CA18239: CONFREMU - Conservation of freshwater mussels: a pan-European approach, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), including STSMs, the interaction of the authors and the writing of the paper. This work was supported by the project ConBiomics: The Missing Approach for the Conservation of Freshwater Bivalves Project No. POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030286, co-financed by FEDER through POCI and by FCT - Fundaç˜ao para a Ciˆencia e a Tecnologia, through national funds. Strategic funding UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020 was provided by FCT. FCT also supported DVG (2020.03848.CEECIND), EF (CEECINST/00027/ 2021/CP2789/CT0003) and MLL (2020.03608.CEECIND). INB, AVK and IVV were supported by the Russian Science Foundation under grants (19-14-00066-P), (21-17-00126) and (21-74-10130) respectively. BVB acknowledges the bioinformatics platform of UMR 8198 for the computing resources to perform time-calibrated phylogenetic analyses; this platform is in part funded by CPER research project CLIMIBIO through the French Minist`ere de l’Enseignement Sup´erieur et de la Recherche, the Agence Nationale de la Recherche, the European Fund for Regional Development (FEDER) and the region Hauts-de-France (HdF). Support to KD came from the Czech Science Foundation (19–05510S). TT and MT were supported by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria under the project ‘Conservation of freshwater mussels on the Balkan Peninsula’ (KP-06-COST-9/20.07.2022). Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States Government.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A roadmap for the conservation of freshwater mussels in Europe

Europe has a long history of human pressure on freshwater ecosystems. As pressure continues to grow and new threats emerge, there is an urgent need for conservation of freshwater biodiversity and its ecosystem services. However, whilst some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received a disproportionate amount of attention and funds, other groups remain largely off the public and scientific radar. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) are an alarming example of this conservation bias and here we point out six conceptual areas that need immediate and long-term attention: knowledge, threats, socioeconomics, conservation, governance and education. The proposed roadmap aims to advance research, policy and education by identifying the most pressing priorities for the short- and long-term conservation of freshwater mussels across Europe