SVIBOR - Project code: 1-08-231

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Strossmayerov trg 4, HR - 10000 ZAGREB
tel.: +385 1 459 44 44, fax: +385 1 459 44 69
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Project code: 1-08-231

Mechanisms of eutrophication in freshwater ecosystems

Main researcher: HABDIJA, IVAN (14981)

Assistants

KRULIK, IVANČICA (24144)
PRIMC-HABDIJA, BISERKA (68485)
MESARIĆ, NIVES (89714)
RADANOVIĆ, INES (165165)

Type of research: basic
Duration from: 01/01/91. to 12/31/95.

Papers on project (total): 14
Papers on project quoted in Current Contents: 4

Institution name: Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet, Prirodoslovni odjeli, Zagreb (119)
Department/Institute: Department of Biology
Address: Rooseveltov trg 6
City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

Communication: Phone: 385 (0)41-442-607

Summary: Investigations of the eutrophication mechanisms are aimed at theanalysis of functional community organization of invertebrates inthe karst fresh waters located in NW Dinarid area. Methodic isbased on the analysis of biomass and population density ofparticular functional feeding groups. In headwater streams andupper river course, input of coarse particulate organic matter(CPOM) from the banks is the main factor of eutrophication. Inaddition, periphyton is very important food source for thebenthic community. In these benthic communities the shredderfauna, represented by amphipods and shredder insect larvae, andscrapers represented by different species of gastropods, are themost abundant. At habitats in lower river area the collectorfauna, represented by oligochaets and dipteran larvae,constitutes the most percentage of the total macrobenthicbiomass. Composition of predators varies along the rivercontinuum but their percentage ranges below the 20% of the total. In the karst lakes protozoans, rotifers and crustaceansconstitute more than 90% of the total plankton biomass. It wasfound that in comparasion with influence of abiotical factors,the most responsible factors for the spatial and temporaldistribution of zooplankton are supply of available food,competition and predatory pressure. In general it can beconcluded that the eutrophication mechanisms in the karst freshwater communities depend upon the imput of quality and quantityof available food.

Keywords: Fresh water, eutrophication, food chains, trophy, microzoobenthos, macrozoobenthos, zooplankton

Research goals: The basic idea is to analyze the mechanisms of eutrophication in the aquatic communities of karst fresh water. As the eutrophication process is increase of energy flow through the food chains, the investigations are aimed at the analysis of functional community organization and the transfer of fixed energy in the form of organic matter along the physical river continuum described by Vannote et al. (1980). The planned research is based on the fact that the functional community organization is a reflection of the energy and food relationships in the aquatic communities. Relative abundance of consumer functional groups indicates the model of energy conversion and energy flux through the food chains. The knowledge of faunistic and trophic community structure give a feasibility to the reconstruction of food chains, and the standing crop biomass of particular consumer functional groups shows on the concentration of fixed energy in the particular segments of trophic pyramid. Separately the aspect of contamination by the toxic matter will be investigated because by the elimination of particular food chain links, the toxic components result the energy disturbance in the fresh water community. It is presumed that the results of these fundamental faunistic and biocenotic investigations can be applied in the technological development of exploiting of karst fresh water.

Other information about the project.


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Last update: 03/08/80
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