Structural and functional characteristics of the bacterioplankton of rivers flowing through a large city (Cherepovets,Upper Volga Region)

The structural and functional properties of the bacterioplankton in two small rivers and the Sheksna River that run through the large industrial city of Cherepovets were studied from April to October 2009–2011. The three-year average numbers and biomass of planktonic bacteria in small rivers were 18.7–18.8 million cells/mL and 3.5–4.9 g/m³, respectively; these values in the Sheksna River’s littoral zone were 15.8 million cells/mL and 2.2 g/m³. The bacterioplankton production in the small water courses exceeded that in the Sheksna River by a factor of 1.8–2.2. The contribution of bacterial filaments to the total biomass and the total bacterioplankton production increases in small polluted rivers.     

Riparian vegetation change in upstream and downstream reaches of three temperate rivers dammed for hydroelectric generation in British Columbia,Canada

River flow regulation by dams for hydroelectric generation has been a common practice worldwide for centuries, with diverse ecological impacts. We studied upstream and downstream reaches of three British Columbia Hydro reservoirs on the Allouette, Coquitlam, and Cheakamus Rivers to determine if riparian plant communities were affected by the dams. We determined cover of all plants in consecutive 1 m² quadrats along five to six 14 m-long belt transects in each 300 m upstream and downstream sections of these rivers. We encountered 166 plant species in a total of 448 quadrats. Differences in plant communities (abundance, species richness, diversity) amongst rivers were larger than that between the upstream versus downstream of the rivers. This suggests that any difference caused by reservoir management was within the natural range of variation found across the rivers. We found significant reductions in the occurrences of red alder and western red cedar downstream of reservoirs. The lack of regeneration of these two species may be attributable to the reduction in extremes of flow variation and lack of sediment transport due to the reservoirs. Coordinated flow management can help mitigate these downstream impacts.     

Variation in material transport and water chemistry along a large ephemeral river in the Namib Desert

• 1 The chemical characteristics of floodwaters in ephemeral rivers are little known, particularly with regard to their organic loads. These rivers typically exhibit a pronounced downstream hydrological decay but few studies have documented its effect on chemical characteristics and material transport. To develop a better understanding of the dynamics of floods and associated material transport in large ephemeral rivers, floods of the ephemeral Kuiseb River in south‐western Africa were tracked and repeatedly sampled at multiple points along the river's lower 220 km.
• 2 We quantified the composition and transport of solute and sediment loads in relation to longitudinal hydrological patterns associated with downstream hydrological decay. Source and sink areas for transported materials were identified, and the composition and transport dynamics of the organic matter load were compared to those described from more mesic systems.
• 3 Concentrations of sediments and solutes transported by floods in the Kuiseb River tended to increase downstream in association with pronounced hydrological decay. The contribution of particulate organic matter to total organic load is among the highest recorded, despite our observation of unusually high levels of dissolved organic matter. Hydrological decay resulted in deposition of all transported material within the lower Kuiseb River, with no discharge of water or materials to the Atlantic Ocean.
• 4 Our results suggest that longitudinal variation in surface flow and associated patterns of material transport renders the lower Kuiseb River a sink for materials transported from upstream. The downstream transport and deposition of large amounts of labile organic matter provides an important carbon supplement to heterotrophic communities within the river's lower reaches.

     

流域库坝工程开发的生物多样性敏感度分区

流域生态敏感性是流域生态系统遇到干扰时产生生态失衡与生态环境问题的难易程度和可能性大小,生物多样性是其影响最为重要的生态因子。主要考虑物种丰富度、珍稀程度、濒危程度、保护等级和生态系统类型等生物多样性敏感因子,借助GIS强大的空间数据采集和建模分析能力,在专家打分求取敏感因子权重基础上,通过空间模型计算生物多样性敏感度综合得分。基于二级流域综合得分最大值,采用ARCGIS自然间断点法实现敏感度分区,结果表明:极敏感区域主要分布在长江区的岷沱江、金沙江石鼓以下、金沙江石鼓以上、宜宾至宜昌、嘉陵江流域,珠江区的郁江、红柳河和西江流域,西南诸河区的澜沧江、红河和怒江及伊洛瓦底江流域,黄河区的龙羊峡以上流域等,这些区域水生生物特有种和受威胁物种丰度大,国家级自然保护区密集,是陆地生物多样性最丰富的地区。不敏感区域主要分布在松花江区除第二松花江以外流域,西北诸河区的塔里木盆地荒漠、古尔班通古特荒漠、中亚西亚内陆河、塔里木河干流等荒漠区,松花江区低温高寒,具有大森林、大草原、大湿地、大农田和大水域的特点,库坝工程对其生物多样性产生影响的可能性较小,西北诸河的荒漠区生境严酷,生物多样性贫乏,也不具备修建大型水库的条件,生物多样性敏感度也较低。其它区域介于二者之间,因其所处的生态系统类型、物种丰富度、珍稀程度、濒危程度和保护等级不一样,生物多样性敏感度各异。对流域库坝工程产生的生物多样性敏感度进行辨识,可为未来流域水资源合理和适度开发提供科学依据。     

Comparing the fish assemblages and food‐web structures of large floodplain rivers

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Tributaries under Mediterranean climate: their role in macrobenthos diversity maintenance

The taxonomic richness erosion and the role of tributaries in the maintenance of the taxonomic richness were considered in a Mediterranean catchment in southeastern France. Nine stations were chosen along the Arc stream (three stations downstream from an organic effluent and one station upstream from the pollution source) and on two groups of tributaries (three intermittent and two perennial). High biodiversity erosion was noticed in the main stem, revealing diffuse sources of pollution added to the expected effect of the localized organic pollution. Jackknife richness estimator and beta diversity indicated that the intermittent tributaries had the highest richness values and harboured 70% of the taxa recorded at the catchment scale. The intermittent flow tributaries seem to play a major role in maintaining the taxonomic richness in such catchments, highly impacted by anthropogenic activities. The detailed examination and the preservation of these ecosystems should be an important step in catchment management, and support the need for catchment-scale conservation of freshwater invertebrates.     

Small dams decrease leaf litter breakdown rates in Mediterranean mountain streams

The damming of rivers and streams alters downstream habitat characteristics and biotic assemblages, and might thus alter stream functioning, although there is not much direct evidence of this impact. In this study we compared breakdown of alder leaves upstream and downstream from 4 small (<1 hm³) dams in 4 Mediterranean mountain streams with no appreciable impact on water temperature and nutrient concentrations. Despite no effect on water characteristics, dams decreased leaf litter breakdown rates. Abundance and biomass of invertebrates and shredders and hyphomycete sporulation rates did not differ between upstream and downstream bags. However, the structure of invertebrate and hyphomycete assemblages did. Especially evident was a drop in limnephilids, which might explain the slower breakdown of leaf litter below dams. These results may help to explain some of the variability found in the literature on the effects of dams on decomposition rates. If dams increase water temperature and nutrient concentrations they may promote faster decomposition, but if dams do not change water characteristics, their impact on detritivore communities may cause slower decomposition rates.     

Flow regulation by dams affects ecosystem metabolism in Mediterranean rivers

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Seasonal dynamics and larval drift of Chironomus riparius (Diptera) in a metal contaminated lowland river

Chironomus riparius is one of the insect species which inhabit polluted rivers in large densities, indicating a high adaptive capacity. Previous studies showed that this capacity is expressed by the occurrence of adapted strains in metal polluted rivers. Differences in life history between metal-exposed and non-exposed midges have been demonstrated in laboratory experiments, and therefore a comparative field study of seasonal dynamics was carried out at two metal polluted sites and one reference site. Just downstream from a massive metal discharge, seasonal dynamics were almost identical to the upstream reference site. Circa four generations per year were produced. Further downstream, lower larval densities were recorded, especially during the second half of the sampling period. The influx of upstream C. riparius larvae into polluted sites was estimated by measuring larval drift just upstream from the point source of metal contamination and indicated a massive input to the standing stock downstream. It is concluded that drift of non-tolerant larvae is dominating the seasonal dynamics of midges downstream. Accordingly, genetic uniformity of chironomids inhabiting upstream and downstream sites is expected most of the time. However, research performed during the last decade, demonstrated that genetically adapted strains of C. riparius may develop at certain stages in the seasonal cycle. However, a stable metal-adapted C. riparius population at the first downstream site, is most likely present on rare occasions only.     

Effects of temperature gradients resulting from reservoir discharge on Dorosoma cepedianum spawning in the Savannah River

Synopsis The timing and spatial pattern of gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum, spawning were markedly affected by a temperature gradient caused by the release of hypolimnetic water from an upstream reservoir into the middle reaches of the Savannah River. During 1983 and 1984, a distinct thermal gradient occurred with the warmest temperatures at the downstream end of the 257 km study reach and the coolest temperatures at the upstream end. The occurrence of gizzard shad larvae indicated that spawning began at the sample stations farthest downstream and progressed upstream, peaking at each sample station when it warmed to approximately 19° C. The estimated difference in date of peak density of larvae between the upstream and downstream ends of the gradient was 23 days in 1983 and 35 days in 1984. Because of this pattern, densities of larvae were highest at the downstream end of the study area early in the spawning season and highest at the upstream end of the study area late in the spawning season.Photoperiod and daylength appeared unrelated to the patterns under study. Far-reaching effects of anthropogenic temperature changes on fish spawning and the distribution of larvae are probably common in rivers that receive hypolimnetic discharge.     

Seasonal dynamics and production of Campsurus violaceus nymphs (Ephemeroptera, Polymitarcyidae) in the Baía River, upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil

The production of Campsurus violaceus nymphs was investigated from October 1987 to September 1988 in the Baía River, a secondary channel of the Paraná River, Brazil. The annual production of this species during this period was 16.48 g dry wt m^-2 y^-1and the P:B ratio was 4.9. This low ratio compared to other rivers occurred because the Baía River was strongly influenced by the hydrological regime of the Paraná River, where nymphs migrated to avoid adverse conditions in the river during the flood phase. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of urban and industrial wastes on species diversity of the diatom community in a tropical river,Malaysia

Monthly species diversity and other components of diversity of diatom samples collected over a period of one year at eight stations in the Linggi River Basin, Malaysia were analysed. Species diversity ranged between 0.52–3.62 bits individua^–1. Among the four stations located in the Linggi River (sensu stricto), highest diversity values were recorded at a station polluted by rubber effluent, followed by the stations unpolluted from point sources. Lowest diversity was recorded at a station polluted with urban sewage. At Kundor River, highest diversity was recorded at stations located downstream of rubber and palm oil waste discharges. On the whole, diversity values at unpolluted stations were always lower than at mildly polluted stations. Severe organic loadings caused low diversity by reducing the number of species (species richness) but did not increase the evenness (equitability) as expected when compared with unpolluted or mildly polluted stations. The changes in species diversity can be related to changes in diatom community structure and thereby changes in water quality, but cannot be used as an index of water quality.     

Rapid range expansion of the invasive quagga mussel in relation to zebra mussel presence in The Netherlands and Western Europe

Since its appearance in 2006 in a freshwater section of the Rhine–Meuse estuary (Hollandsch Diep, The Netherlands), the non-indigenous quagga mussel has displayed a rapid range expansion in Western Europe. However, an overview characterising the spread and impacts of the quagga mussel in this area is currently lacking. A literature study, supplemented with field data, was performed to gather all available data and information relating to quagga mussel dispersal. Dispersal characteristics were analysed for rate and direction and in relation to hydrological connectivity and dispersal vectors. To determine ranges of conditions suitable for quagga mussel colonisation, physico-chemical characteristics of their habitats were analysed. After its initial arrival in the freshwater section of the Rhine-Meuse estuary and River Danube, the quagga mussel demonstrated a rapid and continued range expansion in Western Europe. Quagga mussels have extended their non-native range to the network of major waterways in The Netherlands and in an upstream direction in the River Rhine (Germany), its tributaries (rivers Main and Moselle) and the River Meuse (Belgium and France). The calculated average quagga mussel dispersal rate in Europe was 120 km year^?1 (range 23–383 km year^?1). Hydrological connectivity is important in determining the speed with which colonisation occurs. Dispersal to water bodies disconnected from the freshwater network requires the presence of a suitable vector e.g. pleasure boats transferred over land. Upstream dispersal is primarily human mediated through the attachment of mussels to watercraft. The relative abundance of quagga mussel to zebra mussel has greatly increased in a number of areas sampled in the major Dutch rivers and lakes and the rivers Main and Rhine and the Rhine–Danube Canal leading to a dominance shift from zebra mussels to quagga mussels. However, evidence for displacement of the zebra mussel is limited due to the lack of temporal trends relating to the overall density of zebra and quagga mussel.     

Biology ofChironomus piger Str. (Diptera: Chironomidae) and its role in the self-purification of a river

Chironomus piger larvae are widespread in small rivers and canals strongly polluted with domestic sewage. Despite this, almost nothing is known concerning the biology of the species under natural conditions and its role in the process of river self-purification. For two years, benthic samples were collected in the Sestra River at a site about 250 m downstream of the effluent discharge drains of a sewage treatment installation where the greatest concentrations of the larvae occurred. The number and biomass ofC. piger larvae were subject to marked fluctuations,viz. 96,000–348,000 ind m^–2 and 420–1,800 g m^–2. 460 degreedays (on average) was required for development of one generation.C. piger has 5 or 6 generations per year depending on the hydrometeorological conditions during the growing season.C. piger larvae play an important role in self-purification of the river. They utilize precipitating seston for food and for building their dwelling tubes. According to our calculations the amount of organic matter assimilated in the area of maximum larval concentration ranged 80–177 g wet weight m^–2 day^–1, and 32–71 g wet weight m^–2day^–1 was mineralized.     

上海市内不同水质的河道春季浮游细菌群落结构分析

2008年4月采集上海市城郊结合地区的4条河道午潮港、横港、朝阳河和曹杨环浜的水样, 测定水样的相关理化数据, 计算水环境质量综合指数; 提取水样中浮游细菌的总DNA, 进行变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)分析; 并对水体中的可培养浮游细菌的数量进行测定。结果表明, 污染严重的河道浮游细菌的生物量较高, 而多样性明显偏低, 河道不同采样点的微环境影响浮游细菌的组成, 河道中浮游细菌的组成与生物量的变化与水环境质量密切相关。     

Evaluation of formation potential of trihalomethanes and mutagens due to chlorination of river water along the Kizu River in the Yodo River system in Japan

The chlorination of river water in purification plants is known to produce carcinogens and genotoxins. The Yodo River system was studied in regard to the trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) and mutagen formation potential (MFP) by the chlorination of river water and the discharge of sewage effluent. Overall, both THMFP and MFP are higher in the downstream region of the Yodo River system than in the upstream Uji and Katsura River region, whereas the formation potentials are high in the upstream part of the Kizu River. Detailed surveys were carried out on the Nabari River and other tributaries to the Kizu River. It was revealed that the Nabari and the upper Kizu rivers contribute 49.9% and 41.9% of the THMFP and 47.9% and 44.7% of the MFP pollution load to the main stream of the Kizu River, respectively. The contribution rates of the upper Kizu River could be attributed to three rivers, the uppermost Kizu, Hattori, and Kume rivers, and household sewage waterways at 10.6%, 17.3%, 10.9%, and 3.1% for THMFP and at 9.5%, 17.3%, 12.5%, and 5.5% for MFP, respectively. The main cause of water pollution in the upper reaches of the Kizu River may be attributable to both sewage effluent discharged directly into the Kume River and the polluted water of the Tsuge and Yatani rivers, tributaries of the Hattori River. When we examined whether THMFP and MFP depended on the concentrations of organic substances in water, both potentials highly correlated with chemical oxygen demand (COD) in all water samples surveyed. The correlation coefficients between COD and THMFP and between COD and MFP were 0.957 (n = 76, P < 0.01) and 0.804 (n = 76, P < 0.01), respectively. Received: November 29, 2000 / Accepted: July 3, 2001     

Nitrogen Behaviour and Nitrous Oxide Emission in the Tidal Seine River Estuary (France) as Influenced by Human Activities in the Upstream Watershed

The Seine River estuary (France) is the receptacle of a drainage basin characterised by high population density, heavy industrial activity and intensive agriculture. Whereas nitrate concentrations are high due to diffuse sources in the upstream drainage basin, ammonium mainly originates from the effluents of the Achères wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) downstream from Paris and its suburbs (6.5 million equivalent-inhabitants). Ammonium is mostly nitrified in the tidal freshwater estuary and nitrification causes a strong summer oxygen deficit. Average longitudinal summer profiles of oxygen and nitrogen concentrations for two periods, between 1993–1997 and 1998–2003 in dry hydrological conditions (excluding the wet years 2000 and 2001) clearly reflect the changes due to the improved treatment of wastewater from Paris and its suburbs. On the basis of daily water flux data and twice monthly nitrogen measurements at the boundaries of the upstream freshwater estuarine section (108 km), we calculated nitrification and denitrification fluxes, whose annual averages were 43 and 71 × 10³ kg N d⁻¹ respectively from 1993 to 2003, with summer values (July–September) representing 73 and 57% of the annual fluxes, respectively. The degree of denitrification in the upper estuary appears to be closely related to the nitrification, itself more loosely related to the amount of reduced nitrogen (Kjeldahl) brought by the treated effluents from the Achères WWTP. We estimated the total N₂O emissions to about 40 kg N d⁻¹ (25–60 kg N d⁻¹) in the same sector.     

Measurement of denitrification in rivers: an integrated, whole reach approach

Rivers are believed to play an important role in nitrogen removal via denitrification. Unfortunately, there are few data quantifying these processes in situ, primarily due to methodological constraints. We have developed a new approach for estimating denitrification in rivers at the whole reach scale and have applied this approach to three small rivers, the Millstone River in central New Jersey, and the Iroquois River and Sugar Creek in northwest Indiana–northeast Illinois (USA). The approach is based on measuring the change in dissolved N₂ concentration as a parcel of water moves downstream. Two volatile, non-reactive tracers (propane and isobutane) were co-injected, and the rate of change in the ratio of these gases was used to calculate a first-order transfer rate of N₂ (K_N2) to correct for loss of the gas to the atmosphere. Nitrogen removal via denitrification ranged between 0.27 ± 1.21 mmol N m^–2 h^–1 in Sugar Creek during May 2000 and 15.81 ± 2.51 mmol N m^–2 h^–1 in the Millstone River during March 2001. This approach could permit testing of factors that are believed to control denitrification at the reach scale, such as nitrate concentration, discharge, temperature, and water residence time, and could provide a clearer picture of nitrogen transformations in rivers.     

Comparing latitudinal and upstream–downstream gradients: life history traits of invasive mosquitofish

Aim Variation of life history traits along spatial gradients is poorly understood in invasive species and particularly in freshwater fish. We aimed to examine life history variation in a highly invasive fish (Gambusia holbrooki) along latitudinal and upstream–downstream river gradients and to assess the effects of age on this variation. We hypothesized similar responses in populations inhabiting environments more favourable to this species (lower latitudes and lower reaches of rivers). Location European rivers from southern Spain to southern France. Methods We sampled mosquitofish from the lowest reaches of ten river basins along 6° of latitude in the Mediterranean region and seven sites along the upstream–downstream gradient in three of the rivers. We examined abundance, population structure, size‐at‐age and other life history traits along these gradients. Results As hypothesized, lower reaches and lower latitudes both resulted in higher reproductive effort and lower body condition of mosquitofish. However, these patterns explained low per cent variation, were nonlinear and strongly depended on fish age. Independently of fish size, age groups differed in reproductive effort, in the gonadal weight–size relationship and its variation along spatial gradients. Mean size‐at‐age (or overall body size) did not vary with latitude (so the intra‐specific version of Bergmann’s rule or its converse does not apply) and in contrast increased upstream in rivers. Main conclusions Our findings suggest that for life history traits of freshwater organisms, river longitudinal variation plays a role as important as climate, with often differential effects. Our results also illustrate the poor knowledge of spatial variation of many life history traits, which precludes the understanding and prediction of biological invasions in a rapidly changing world.     

Impact of an urban effluent on the bacterial community structure in the Arga River (Spain), with special reference to culturable gram-negative rods

The Arga River is an interesting system in which to study the impact of urban effluent pollution because it receives a single effluent in the form of wastewater discharge from the city of Pamplona. To analyze the extent of this discharge, total bacteria, culturable heterotrophic bacteria, and Gram-negative heterotrophic bacteria were enumerated and 409 isolates of the latter were identified. One sampling station was located upstream from the inflow, while five were located up to 30 km downstream. Bacterial counts increased drastically downstream from the wastewater inflow. Total bacterial numbers decreased along the 30 km downstream, the last station attaining similar values to those recorded upstream from the discharge. However, culturable heterotrophic and Gram-negative heterotrophic bacteria levels generally remained significantly higher within the 30 km zone investigated. Among the 409 isolates identified, Aeromonas spp. were the most frequent both upstream and downstream from the discharge. In contrast, although strains belonging to different genera of Enterobacteriaceae were found in all stations, their occurrence was significantly higher just downstream from the polluted discharge. Acinetobacter spp., which were never found upstream, were detected in all stations below the discharge. Our results clearly show that the bacterial community structure changes definitively downstream from the discharge and that Aeromonas were common throughout the sampling zone. Thus they cannot be considered good indicators of pollution in this setting compared to some genera of Enterobacteriaceae or some species of Acinetobacter, the distribution of which correlated better with the distance from the wastewater discharge.