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Zelnik I, Germ M, Golob A, Krivograd Klemenčič A. Differences in Phytobenthic Diatom Community between Natural and Channelized River Sections. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12112191. [PMID: 37299170 DOI: 10.3390/plants12112191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The structure of phytobenthic diatom communities was studied to reveal differences between natural and channelized river sections in Slovenia. As part of the national monitoring of surface waters, samples of phytobenthos were collected at 85 sites throughout the country according to standard protocols. At the same time, basic environmental parameters were also assessed. Trophic (TI) and saprobic (SI) indices were calculated based on diatoms and other algae, while diversity indices and gradient analyses were performed only for the diatom community. The results showed that channelized rivers harbor significantly more diverse benthic diatom communities than natural sections, mainly due to the significantly higher number of motile diatom taxa that are able to take advantage of more nutrient-rich and less-shaded river sections because of their high adaptability. Selected environmental parameters explained 34% of the variability in diatom community structure when taxa were classified into ecological types. The removal of Achnanthidium minutissimum yielded clearer results (24.1%) than the total species matrix (22.6%). Therefore, we suggest excluding this taxon from calculations of TI, SI, or other indices when it is determined as A. minutissimum complex, because A. minutissimum complex was most abundant in both types of reaches in our study and has a wide ecological amplitude, which reduces the indicative power of the diatom community in the evaluation of environmental conditions and ecological status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Zelnik
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mateja Germ
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleksandra Golob
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Žuna Pfeiffer T, Špoljarić Maronić D, Stević F, Galir Balkić A, Bek N, Martinović A, Mandir T, Nikolašević R, Janjić D. Plastisphere development in relation to the surrounding biotic communities. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 306:119380. [PMID: 35500716 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To study the early colonization processes, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microfragments were immersed in Lake Sakadaš and the Drava River and sampled weekly together with the surrounding biotic communities - phytoplankton, zooplankton, epixylon in the lake and epilithon in the river. At the end of the study, a rise in water level occurred in the river, which altered the environmental conditions and plankton communities. In studied environments, all of the sampled biotic communities were diverse and abundant. Plastispheres formed in both waters by the seventh day of incubation and developed rapidly, reaching a peak in abundance on the last day of the study. Initial colonization was supported equally by planktonic and periphytic taxa in both environments, but after initial settlement, plastisphere assemblages were affected differently in the river and lake. This study suggests that PET microfragments are a suitable substrate for microphyte settlement and may provide an important pathway for their transport in dynamic freshwater floodplains and river systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Žuna Pfeiffer
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Dubravka Špoljarić Maronić
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Filip Stević
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia.
| | - Anita Galir Balkić
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Nikolina Bek
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Ana Martinović
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Tomislav Mandir
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Rahela Nikolašević
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Doris Janjić
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
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