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Phyto- and zooplankton in fishponds contaminated with heavy metal runoff from a lead-zinc mine

  • Original Research Paper
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Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

Abstract

This investigation focused on plankton inhabiting fishponds, which previously received mine waters from the lead-zinc mine ‘Matylda’, located in southern Poland (Upper Silesia). The purpose of the investigation was to study the effects of chronic and persistent contamination of fishpond bottom sediments with heavy metals originated from the lead and zinc mine. The phyto-and zooplankton in the four fishponds were dominated by diatoms, green algae and rotifers. Plankton composition of the reference non-contaminated pond was different, since Chrysophytes dominated, and Copepoda were the most numerous among zooplankton. In the contaminated fishponds, we observed teratological forms, both for phyto-and zooplankton species, but only as individuals. Our results showed that planktonic communities had adapted to chronic and persistent heavy metal contamination.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland

    Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak, Agnieszka Pociecha & Edward Walusiak

  2. Department of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection AGH, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059, Kraków, Poland

    Dariusz Ciszewski & Urszula Aleksander-Kwaterczak

Authors
  1. Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak
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  2. Agnieszka Pociecha
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  3. Dariusz Ciszewski
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  4. Urszula Aleksander-Kwaterczak
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  5. Edward Walusiak
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Correspondence to Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak.

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Wilk-Woźniak, E., Pociecha, A., Ciszewski, D. et al. Phyto- and zooplankton in fishponds contaminated with heavy metal runoff from a lead-zinc mine. Ocean and Hydro 40, 77–85 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-011-0044-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-011-0044-1

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