The accumulation of heavy metals in Typha latifolia L. grown in a stream carrying secondary effluent

Typha latifolia L. from aquatic plants is widely found throughout Kehli Stream (Elazig, Turkey). This study examined the uptake of some metals by T. latifolia and the transfer from roots to other plant parts. The accumulation of Mn in T. latifolia L. can be suggested as a tolerance strategy due to its transfer factor higher than 1.0. The enrichment coefficients in the leaves of T. latifolia L. were higher than 1.0 for Zn and Mn and often lower than 1.0 for other metals. Similarly, the enrichment coefficients of all metals, except for Cr, in roots of T. latifolia L. were higher than 1.0. This study demonstrated that T. latifolia L. could be considered as either a bio-indicator or a bio-accumulator for sediments and water polluted by metals.     

Stoichiometry of aerobic mineralization (O/C) of aquatic macrophytes leachate from a tropical lagoon (São Paulo –Brazil)

The temporal variation of stoichiometry between consumed oxygen and oxidized carbon was investigated for the aerobic mineralization of leachates from aquatic macrophytes. Seven species of aquatic plants, viz. Cabomba piauhyensis, Cyperus giganteus, Egeria najas, Eichhornia azurea, Salvinia auriculata, Scirpus cubensisand Utricularia breviscapa, were collected from Òleo lagoon located in the floodplain of Mogi-Guacu river (São Paulo State, Brazil). After being collected, the plants were washed, oven-dried and triturated. In order to obtain the leachate, the fragments were submitted to an aqueous extraction (cold). Mineralization chambers were incubated at 20 °C containing leachates dissolved in water samples from Òleo lagoon to a final concentration of ca. 200 mg l^–1on carbon basis. The chambers were maintained under aerobic conditions; the concentrations of the organic carbon (particulate and dissolved) and the dissolved oxygen were measured during approximately 80 days. Elemental analysis of the detritus and the concentrations of the remaining material (DOC and POC) were used to determine the amounts of mineralized organic carbon. The data were analyzed with first-order kinetics models, from which the daily rates of consumption (carbon and oxygen) and the stoichiometry (O/C) were determined. In the early phase of mineralization the O/C rates increased before reaching a maximum, after which they tended to decrease. For the mineralization of leachates from C. giganteus, S. auriculata and U. breviscapa, the decrease was relatively slow. For all substrata the initial values were smaller than 1, and ranged from 0.42 (S. cubensis) to 0.81 (C. piauhyensis). The maximum values were within the range from 0.58 (U. breviscapa) to 23.1 (E. najas) and at their highest 26th (C. piauhyensis) and 106th (C. giganteus) days. These variations are believed to be associated with the chemical composition of the leachates, with their transformations and alterations of metabolic pathways involved in the mineralization.     

Lipid changes during development of Blastocladiella emersonii

The lipid composition of swimming spores, cysts and five hour germlings was established. Spores utilized triglycerides first, then phospholipids. Upon encystment all glycolipid components decreased, while in germlings the phospholipids, monoglycerides and sterol esters exhibited a marked increase.     

Accuracies in Po-210 determination for lead-210 dating

Various laboratory techniques have been utilized worldwide for measuring lead-210 in sub-recent deposits through its grand-daughter product polonium-210. Isotope dilution alpha spectrometry proved a suitable tool for absolute determination of lead-210 for the dating of aquatic deposits. Moreover, isotope dilution alpha spectrometry along with speciation experiments can be used to resolve depositional anomalies arising from supported lead-210/Ra-226 disequilibrium levels and unsupported lead-210 mobile fractions. Isotope dilution alpha spectrometry of sub-recent sediment and peat deposits has been critically evaluated for more than ten years. Our results show that type, size and composition of deposits analyzed as well as radiochemical procedures used, together with alpha counting techniques, are important factors influencing lead-210 determinations and tailing corrections using its granddaughter product polonium-210. Optimization of these parameters is of prime importance to achieve economic and accurate analyses, especially at low lead-210 concentrations and small sample sizes.     

Development of an epiphyte indicator of nutrient enrichment: A critical evaluation of observational and experimental studies

An extensive review of the literature describing epiphytes on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), especially seagrasses, was conducted in order to evaluate the evidence for response of epiphyte metrics to increased nutrients. Evidence from field observational studies, together with laboratory and field mesocosm experiments, was assembled from the literature and evaluated for a hypothesized positive response to nutrient addition. There was general consistency in the results to confirm that elevated nutrients tended to increase the load of epiphytes on the surface of SAV, in the absence of other limiting factors. In spite of multiple sources of uncontrolled variation, positive relationships of epiphyte load to nutrient concentration or load (either nitrogen or phosphorus) often were observed along strong anthropogenic or natural nutrient gradients in coastal regions. Such response patterns may only be evident for parts of the year. Results from both mesocosm and field experiments also generally support the increase of epiphytes with increased nutrients, although outcomes from field experiments tended to be more variable. Relatively few studies with nutrient addition in mesocosms have been done with tropical or subtropical species, and more such controlled experiments would be helpful. Experimental duration influenced results, with more positive responses of epiphytes to nutrients at shorter durations in mesocosm experiments versus more positive responses at longer durations in field experiments. In the field, response of epiphyte biomass to nutrient additions was independent of climate zone. Mesograzer activity was a critical covariate for epiphyte response under experimental nutrient elevation, but the epiphyte response was highly dependent on factors such as grazer identity and density, as well as nutrient and ambient light levels. The balance of evidence suggests that epiphytes on SAV will be a useful indicator of persistent nutrient enhancement in many situations. Careful selection of appropriate temporal and spatial constraints for data collection, and concurrent evaluation of confounding factors will help increase the signal to noise ratio for this indicator.     

Alien aquatic vascular plants in Hungary (Pannonian ecoregion): Historical aspects,data set and trends

Estimating the extent of biological invasions is critical in predicting the effect of exotic species. We investigated the occurrence and number of alien freshwater plants and give information on the composition of alien aquatic flora, their trend in time, invasion pathway, and their invasive character.     

Diet partitioning in sympatric Atlantic salmon and brown trout in streams with contrasting riparian vegetation

Prey intake by Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and brown trout Salmo trutta was measured across different riparian vegetation types: grassland, open canopy deciduous and closed canopy deciduous, in upland streams in County Mayo, Western Ireland. Fishes were collected by electrofishing while invertebrates were sampled from the benthos using a Surber sampler and drifting invertebrates collected in drift traps. Aquatic invertebrates dominated prey numbers in the diets of 0+ year Atlantic salmon and brown trout and 1+ year Atlantic salmon, whereas terrestrial invertebrates were of greater importance for diets of 1+ and 2+ year brown trout. Terrestrial prey biomass was generally greater than aquatic prey for 1+ and 2+ year brown trout across seasons and riparian types. Prey intake was greatest in spring and summer and least in autumn apart from 2+ year brown trout that sustained feeding into autumn. Total prey numbers captured tended to be greater for all age classes in streams with deciduous riparian canopy. Atlantic salmon consumed more aquatic prey and brown trout more terrestrial prey with an ontogenetic increase in prey species richness and diversity. Atlantic salmon and brown trout diets were most similar in summer. Terrestrial invertebrates provided an important energy subsidy particularly for brown trout. In grassland streams, each fish age class was strongly associated with aquatic, mainly benthic invertebrates. In streams with deciduous riparian canopy cover, diet composition partitioned between conspecifics with older brown trout associated with surface drifting terrestrial invertebrates and older Atlantic salmon associated with aquatic invertebrates with a high drift propensity in the water column and 0+ year fish feeding on benthic aquatic invertebrates. Deciduous riparian canopy cover may therefore facilitate vertical partitioning of feeding position within the water column between sympatric Atlantic salmon and brown trout. Implications for riparian management are discussed.     

Aquatic Oligochaeta in some tributaries of the Río de La Plata,Buenos Aires,Argentina

The Oligochaeta of some streams flowing into the Rio de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, were investigated. Twenty nine taxa (twenty four naidids, five tubificids) were identified. Most species are cosmopolitan, but Dero evelinae, Pristina leidyi, Slavina isochaeta and Bothrioneurum sp. are neotropical. Bratislavia unidentata, Haemonais waldvogeli and Nais pardalis are reported for the first time in Argentina. Variants occurr in the shape of the distal end of the penial sheaths of Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri. The dominant Naidid genera are Dero and Pristina. In the polluted El Gato stream only L. hoffmeisteri and L. claparedeianus were found.