The WISER way of organising ecological data from European rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters

The implementation of the Water Framework Directive has required intense research in applied aquatic ecology in Europe, and thus created challenges for data management in international research projects. In the project Waterbodies in Europe: Integrative Systems to assess Ecological status and Recovery (WISER), biological and environmental data from rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters in 26 European countries were collated. More than one million records of biological observations were stored in the project’s central database, representing phytoplankton, macrophytes, macroalgae, angiosperms, phytobenthos, invertebrates and fish. The central database includes new data from the WISER field campaign in lakes and transitional/coastal waters during 2009–2010 (more than 6,000 biological samples from 58 waterbodies in 14 countries). The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the data collated within WISER, in order to facilitate future re-use of these data by other scientists. More specifically, the objectives are to (1) describe the data management in WISER, (2) describe the structure and content of the WISER central database and (3) share experiences and give recommendations for data management in large ecological research projects.     

GEM: a generic ecological model for estuaries and coastal waters

The set-up, application and validation of a generic ecological model (GEM) for estuaries and coastal waters is presented. This model is a comprehensive ecological model of the bottom of the foodweb, consisting of a set of modules, representing specific water quality processes and primary production that can be combined with any transport model to create a dedicated model for a specific ecosystem. GEM links different physical, chemical and ecological model components into one generic and flexible modelling tool that allows for variable sized, curvilinear grids to accomodate both the requirements for local accuracy while maintaining a relatively short model run-time. The GEM model describes the behaviour of nutrients, organic matter and primary producers in estuaries and coastal waters, incorporating dynamic process modules for dissolved oxygen, nutrients and phytoplankton. GEM integrates the best aspects of existing Dutch estuarine models that were mostly dedicated to only one type of ecosystem, geographic area or subset of processes. Particular strengths of GEM include its generic applicability and the integration and interaction of biological, chemical and physical processes into one predictive tool. The model offers flexibility in choosing which processes to include, and the ability to integrate results from different processes modelled simultaneously with different temporal resolutions. The generic applicability of the model is illustrated using a number of representative examples from case studies in which the GEM model was successfully applied. Validation of these examples was carried out using the ‘cost function’ to compare model results with field observations. The validation results demonstrated consistent accuracy of the GEM model for various key parameters in both spatial dimensions (horizontally and vertically) as well as temporal dimensions (seasonally and across years) for a variety of water systems without the need for major reparameterisation.

Species of Anguilla as indicators of mercury in the coastal rivers and lakes of Victoria, Australia

Mercury concentrations in the axial muscle tissue of most (243) of the 254 Anguilla australis and most (20) of the 27 A. reinhardtii collected from 30 sites in coastal rivers and lakes in Victoria, Australia, during 1975–78 were well below the Australian statutory health limit (0.5 μg g⁻¹ wet weight). For A. australis the mean mercury concentration was 0.17 μg g⁻¹ (±0.16 s.d. , range 0.01–1.60 μg g⁻¹); for A. reinhardtii the values were 0.37 ± 0.23 μg g⁻¹ (range 0.12–1.10 μg g⁻¹). Statistical analyses showed that variation in mercury concentration due to total length accounted for only 13% of the total variation in A. australis and 2% in A. reinhardtii whereas locality accounted for 54 and 68%, respectively. Both species are thus considered suitable as indicators of mercury pollution.     

Using aquatic macrophyte community indices to define the ecological status of European lakes

Defining the overall ecological status of lakes according to the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is to be partially based on the species composition of the aquatic macrophyte community. We tested three assessment methods to define the ecological status of the macrophyte community in response to a eutrophication pressure as reflected by total phosphorus concentrations in lake water. An absolute species richness, a trophic index (TI) and a lake trophic ranking (LTR) method were tested at Europe-wide, regional and national scales as well as by alkalinity category, using data from 1,147 lakes from 12 European states. Total phosphorus data were used to represent the trophic status of individual samples and were plotted against the calculated TI and LTR values. Additionally, the LTR method was tested in some individual lakes with a relatively long time series of monitoring data. The TI correlated well with total P in the Northern European lake types, whereas the relationship in the Central European lake types was less clear. The relationship between total P and light extinction is often very good in the Northern European lake types compared to the Central European lake types. This can be one of the reasons for a better agreement between the indices and eutrophication pressure in the Northern European lake types. The response of individual lakes to changes in the abiotic environment was sometimes represented incorrectly by the indices used, which is a cause of concern for the use of single indices in status assessments in practice.     

A new transparent handy sampler for collecting water from lakes,rivers and seas

A handy sampler for collecting water from lakes, rivers and seas is described. The sampler consists of an exchangeable sample tube and a new sample-holding system. The system comprises an upper disk, a lower disk, a pair of arms with a guide pin and a semicircular arm guide with a groove. The water sample collected into the acryl tube is held without flow by a tight tube-closing system. Contamination of the sample by chemical and biological materials from the sample tube is minimized by exchanging the tube with a clean one at each sampling station. This new sampler is light, simple and useful for sampling of water from surface to bottom.     

The icthyofauna of the Mhlathuze coastal lakes: some preliminary results

The fish faunas of the four Mhlathuze coastal lakes and the lower river comprise a diverse assortment of over fifty marine, estuarine and freshwater species. Three freshwater species are endemic to KwaZulu-Natal and nine estuarine species are endemic to southern Africa. Five species are of conservation significance. Species numbers in Lakes Mzingazi and Cubhu are similar historically and both lakes served as secondary nursery habitats for estuarine associated fishes. This role has been impacted by the construction of weirs at their outlets which prevent successful recruitment of estuarine species, especially during drought years when lake water levels are low. The fish faunas of Lakes Nsezi and Mangeza are depauperate and lack marine or estuarine components. In order that these systems fulfil their potential function as secondary nursery habitats to many estuarine fish species, minimum lake water levels must be set to ensure sufficient outflows at proposed fish ladders during critical spawning and migration times.     

Selective recruitment and resurgence of tropical river phytoplankton: evidence from the Nile system of lakes,rivers, reservoirs and ponds

The recruitment of major species-components of phytoplankton is considered with reference to diverse water-bodies—rivers, headwater lakes, reservoirs and lateral waters—of the Nile system. The importance of massive ‘inocula’, carried in flowing and inter-communicating waters, is emphasised; the most direct evidence is from quantitative population dynamics in longitudinally sampled river-reservoir systems. Other indications of extraneous derivation are taken from geographical distribution and apparent invasions of newly recorded species. For five reservoirs, there are records of initial colonisation (in two) and of the annual colonisation of seasonally impounded water (in three). There was a selective recruitment of reservoir/river major species over 1 year to newly created ponds, from a massive inoculum of added river water, studied in relation to the novel and changing physical and chemical environment. Periods of predominant decomposition were there linked with the abundance of other species not observed in the original river water. Reservoir species can be carried to extend abundance far downstream, as observed in the Blue Nile where normal succession was altered by a new reservoir upstream; also in Egypt below the former Aswan Reservoir and the later High Dam Lake. The different and distinctive compositions of the phytoplankton communities in headwater lakes reflect large environmental differences that, with high downstream turbulence, probably make them insignificant for recruitment of most species typical of the downstream waters. There is evidence from hydrology and floristic similarities for recruitment from lateral standing waters along the river, especially those of one major swamp area.     

Description of diatoms from the Southwest to West Greenland coastal and open marine waters

Detailed studies on sub-Arctic and Arctic marine diatom assemblages contribute to the understanding of spatial distribution patterns and their physical drivers. In this study, diatom species were analyzed from water samples collected with a Niskin bottle rosette combined with a CTD along the West Greenland coast (63°58′N–71°08′N and 50°49′W–59°06′W) during summer 2007. Diatom community was represented mainly by three genera Thalassiosira, Fragilariopsis, and Chaetoceros and linked to observed hydrographic and environmental conditions. Thalassiosira spp. were common in coastal waters (particularly Godthåbsfjord) and linked to increased surface water temperature, typical of summer water stratification in West Greenland. Fragilariopsis spp., along with other dominant species associated with higher geographic latitudes, dominated in Arctic fjords (Uummannaq Fjord-Qaumarujuk Fjord). These species generally characterized coastal waters influenced by melting sea ice and/or glacial ice. Chaetoceros spp. were linked to more saline open marine waters, particularly in the Davis Strait south of 70°N, probably corresponding to weaker water stratification and the influence of the West Greenland Current. The present paper provides new knowledge on diatom assemblages along a south–north climate gradient in West Greenland, which is necessary in order to understand how observed ocean-climate changes influence Arctic marine ecosystems. This study provides a reference for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions using diatom microfossils deposited in the West Greenland marine sediments.     

The macroecology of animal versus wind pollination: ecological factors are more important than historical climate stability

Background: The relative frequency of wind- and animal-pollinated plants a non-randomly distributed across the globe and numerous hypotheses have been raised for the greater occurrence of wind pollination in some habitats and towards higher latitudes. To date, however, there has been no comprehensive global investigation of these hypotheses.

Aims: Investigating a range of hypotheses for the role of biotic and abiotic factors as determinants of the global variation in animal vs. wind pollination.

Methods: We analysed 67 plant communities ranging from 70º north to 34º south. For these we determined habitat type, species richness, insularity, topographic heterogeneity, current climate and late-quaternary climate change. The predictive effects of these factors on the proportion of wind- and animal-pollinated plants were tested using correlations, ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regression analyses with information-theoretic model selection.

Results: The proportion of animal-pollinated plant species was positively associated with plant species richness and current temperature. Furthermore, in forest, animal pollination was positively related to precipitation. Historical climate was only weakly and idiosyncratically correlated with animal pollination.

Conclusion: Results were consistent with the hypothesised reduced chance for wind-transported pollen reaching conspecific flowers in species-rich communities, fewer constraints on nectar production in warm and wet habitats, and reduced relative effectiveness of wind dispersal in humid areas. There was little evidence of a legacy of historical climate change affecting these patterns.     

Assessing the ecological values of rivers: an application of a multi-criteria approach to rivers of the South Coast Region,Western Australia

There is a growing awareness that in the light of increased threats, Australia’s freshwater ecosystems of highest value need to be protected. This implies that a consistent and comprehensive system for the classification of freshwater systems in terms of their ecological values is required for conservation planning. Despite earlier steps taken to develop appropriate methodologies for prioritising Australian waterways for protection, there is, as yet, no nationally agreed method for prioritising waterways in Australia based on their ecological values. Using the core criteria of naturalness, representativeness, diversity, rarity and special features, this paper describes the development of a framework of criteria, indicators and measures for the identification of high conservation value aquatic ecosystems, and trials this system by undertaking a comparative assessment of the ecological values of river systems in the South Coast region, Western Australia. A total of 33 river systems located in two aquatic bioregions were successfully ranked according to their ecological value, confirming that the development and implementation of a relatively simple system for assessing ecological values of Australian rivers shows promise, and that core criteria identified previously in the literature provide a good starting point for assessing ecological values of Australian aquatic ecosystems.     

Environmental chemistry of rivers and lakes, part v: a comparative study of the chemical and physicochemical characteristics of organic carbon dissolved in river and lake waters

To determine the chemical and physicochemical characteristics of dissolved organic carbon in the Ado River and the Yasu River, the main rivers flowing into Lake Biwa, the adsorption behavior onto hydrous iron oxide (HIO) and the reactivity to KMnO₄ oxidant were investigated in parallel with measurement of the distribution profiles of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) along the rivers. In one year of observation at the mouths of the two rivers, DOC concentrations were found to vary in the Ado over the range 0.28–1.21 mg C l⁻¹ and in the Yasu over the range 1.01–2.68 mg C l⁻¹. Act-DOC, one of the fractions separated from the total DOC by its adsorption-active character onto HIO at pH 4, was thought primarily to control the variation of total DOC, as in Lake Biwa. The int-DOC, another fraction separated by its adsorption-inert or -inactive character onto HIO, remained at almost a steady value around 0.18 ± 0.07 mg C l⁻¹ in the Ado, which was lower than that (0.35 ± 0.05 mg C l⁻¹) in Lake Biwa. The act-DOC in river waters was reactive to KMnO₄ oxidant, showing a linear relation with the amount of permanganate consumed for the reaction (chemical oxygen demand: COD). In river waters, the relation can be approximated by a straight line expressed as COD (mg O₂ l⁻¹) = 0.64 × act-DOC (mg C l⁻¹) − 0.02. In contrast, in the lake water the relation was COD (mg O₂ l⁻¹) = 0.97 × act-DOC (mg C l⁻¹) − 0.50. Received: March 3, 1999 / Accepted: December 2, 1999     

The S100B protein in biological fluids: more than a lifelong biomarker of brain distress

S100B is a calcium-binding protein concentrated in glial cells, although it has also been detected in definite extra-neural cell types. Its biological role is still debated. When secreted, S100B is believed to have paracrine/autocrine trophic effects at physiological concentrations, but toxic effects at higher concentrations. Elevated S100B levels in biological fluids (CSF, blood, urine, saliva, amniotic fluid) are thus regarded as a biomarker of pathological conditions, including perinatal brain distress, acute brain injury, brain tumors, neuroinflammatory/neurodegenerative disorders, psychiatric disorders. In the majority of these conditions, high S100B levels offer an indicator of cell damage when standard diagnostic procedures are still silent. The key question remains as to whether S100B is merely leaked from injured cells or is released in concomitance with both physiological and pathological conditions, participating at high concentrations in the events leading to cell injury. In this respect, S100B levels in biological fluids have been shown to increase in physiological conditions characterized by stressful physical and mental activity, suggesting that it may be physiologically regulated and raised during conditions of stress, with a putatively active role. This possibility makes this protein a candidate not only for a biomarker but also for a potential therapeutic target.     

BRCT domains: A little more than kin, and less than kind

BRCT domains are versatile protein modular domains found as single units or as multiple copies in more than 20 different proteins in the human genome. Interestingly, most BRCT-containing proteins function in the same biological process, the DNA damage response network, but show specificity in their molecular interactions. BRCT domains have been found to bind a wide array of ligands from proteins, phosphorylated linear motifs, and DNA. Here we discuss the biology of BRCT domains and how a domain-centric analysis can aid in the understanding of signal transduction events in the DNA damage response network.     

A new lophiid anglerfish,Lophiodes fimbriatus from the coastal waters of Japan

A new species of lophiid anglerfish,Lophiodes fimbriatus, Is described. The holotype was captured from Wakayama and the paratype from Kuba-jima, Okinawa Prefecture, The present species is distinguished from its congeners by the combinations of the following characters: slender and branched tendrils present on both dorsal and ventral surfaces of the body, lightly pigmented illicium, simple vestigial esca, and paired tendrils on the third dorsal spine.     

Antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella from coastal waters of the Caspian and Baltic seas

Antibiotic resistant Klebsiella spp. were found to be widely distributed in coastal waters of seas to which sewage was discharged: 69.9 and 85.9%, in the waters of the Baltic and Caspian seas, respectively, the number of the strains with multiple resistance was 18.1 and 19.9%, respectively. Among the Klebsiella spp. with multiple resistance, 40% from the Baltic sea and 58.1% from the Caspian sea had conjugative R plasmids. Statistically significant regional differences in the content of antibiotic resistant Klebsiella spp. and the pattern of their antibiotic resistance were shown.     

The long,the short and the stalled: on the attributes of phytoplankton selected by physical mixing in lakes and rivers

Paradoxically, although turbulence characterises the open water environments of planktonic organisms in lakes, rivers and seas, most species of phytoplankton are smaller than the size of the smallest eddies dissipating the energy and, so, must function in an immediate medium which is inherently viscous. Intensively mixed systems, such as wind-stirred shallow lakes, rivers and estuaries, however, constantly readjust the vertical position of suspended algae and, often, other non-living, light-absorbing particles with the effect that the light field to which the algae are subject is erratic and the received day-time light dose is aggregately depressed: cells need to photoadapt accordingly. In fluvial environments the additional constraint of rapid, horizontal, supposedly unidirectional, transport is applied, requiring the attribute of rapid processing of primary products and cell replication. Significant downstream recruitment, however, is benefitted by the presence of so-called dead-zones which retain water (and suspended plankton) sufficiently to accommodate additional cell divisions.     

An all-conquering ecological journey: from the sea,calanoid copepods mastered brackish,fresh, and athalassic saline waters

Although it is commonly acknowledged that calanoid copepods inhabiting fresh water evolved from marine ancestors via the brackish water of estuaries, it is less well appreciated that a restricted number of species with freshwater affinities have conquered athalassic saline waters. The global importance of the latter habitat has been under-estimated and, with climate change and human population growth, it is expanding at the expense of fresh waters. Considering Australia, South America and the Holarctic, at least seven halobiontic calanoid species occur in athalassic saline waters (the situation in Africa is not visited). In Australian inland-water Centropagidae, there is a high degree of congruence between the ecological trend in habitat occupancy (marine through brackish and fresh to athalassic saline waters) and the assumed evolutionary trend towards reduction in the setation and segmentation of swimming legs. The validity of the inference by Adamowicz et al. (Biological Journal of the Linnean Society of London 90: 279–292, 2007a) that a hypothesis of oligomerization was not supported as the mode of evolution of South American non-marine Centropagidae is criticized for reasons of inadequate character sampling. The phylogeny, biogeography and osmo-regulatory physiology of Southern Hemisphere inland-water centropagids are reviewed in some detail. Calanoids have mastered a significant portion of the total salinity range for athalassic saline waters (3 to 300+ g l⁻¹) but, unlike brine shrimps, they have not evolved a mechanism for hypo-osmotic regulation and do not tolerate saturated or near-saturated brines.