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The impact of salinization on benthic macro-crustacean assemblages in a Mediterranean shallow lake

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Abstract

The shallow Vrana Lake in Dalmatia, Croatia, is directly connected to the Adriatic Sea by the Prosika canal (0.85 km), constructed in the eighteenth century. The aim of this research was to examine the impacts of salinization on long-term changes in littoral macro-crustacean (Malacostraca) populations and assemblages in Vrana Lake and connecting canals. Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled at seven sites during the period 2011–2020 (14 months) using a hand net (25 × 25 cm, 500 µm). During the study period, saltwater intrusions (strongest in 2012) through the Prosika Canal and site V4 caused increased salinization, resulting in a shift from normal oligohaline (0.5–5 PSU) to mesohaline (5–18 PSU) salinity. Out of a total of 18 macro-crustacean taxa identified, five widespread species—amphipods Echinogammarus stocki and Gammarus aequicauda, isopods Lekanesphaera hookeri and Proasellus coxalis, and decapod Palaemon antennarius constituted 91.6% of collected specimens (26,986). The first three brackish/marine species were significantly positively correlated with the average salinity 12 and 24 months before sampling. They disappeared or had very low abundance during the second low salinity phase (< 1–2 PSU), when freshwater/oligohaline P. coxalis and P. antennarius were the dominant macro-crustaceans. Two  years of low salinity were needed for a strong population decline or disappearance of three brackish/marine species. Salinization is a major stressor in the Vrana Lake basin, and measures for its active control are urgently needed. The use of tested macro-crustacean metrics is recommended for future ecological monitoring as it could provide fast information about the effects of water management on aquatic biodiversity.

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Data availability

The dataset is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all those that helped during the field and laboratory work, or with the logistic: Maja Ćuže Denona, Norma Fressel, Antonio Karaga, Petar Crnčan, Nikolina Knežević, Tomislav Kralj, Andreja Lucić, Ivana Pusić, Antonio Svorenji, Ivana Zrinščak. This research was funded by the Natural Park “Vransko jezero” within four separate expert projects for mollusca fauna (lead by JL, author of this study), crustacean fauna (KŽ) and two projects for littoral macroinvertebrates assemblages (KŽ).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Teacher Education Studies in Gospić, University of Zadar, Dr. Ante Starčevića 12, 53000, Gospić, Croatia

    Krešimir Žganec

  2. Department of Earth, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences, Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC, USA

    C. Brannon Andersen

  3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov Trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia

    Jasna Lajtner

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  1. Krešimir Žganec
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  3. Jasna Lajtner
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by Krešimir Žganec and Jasna Lajtner, and data analysis by Krešimir Žganec and C. Brannon Andersen. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Krešimir Žganec and C. Brannon Andersen, while all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Žganec, K., Andersen, C.B. & Lajtner, J. The impact of salinization on benthic macro-crustacean assemblages in a Mediterranean shallow lake. Aquat Ecol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-024-10099-1

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