Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Changes in species composition of water insects during 25-year monitoring of the Danube floodplains affected by the Gabčíkovo waterworks

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was based on the complex environmental monitoring of the Danube River in Slovakia. Out of 23 monitored sites, three were chosen for the aim of this study. The three sites were sampled regularly three times per year during a 25-year period, which started in 1990, 2 years before the Gabčíkovo waterworks became operational. Each site represented one of the main potamal types, which we recognised according to the habitat characteristics as eupotamal, parapotamal and plesiopotamal. In order to assess changes which occurred during the 25 years, we studied taxocoenoses of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera, which sensitively reflect anthropogenic impacts. The changes caused by the Gabčíkovo waterworks manifested in a decrease of the species diversity in eupotamal because of the disappearance of rheophilous taxa. In the parapotamal and plesiopotamal sites, the initial decrease was followed by a partial recovery of biodiversity due to the artificial floodings. After they were stopped, the decrease occurred again and until 2015, the insect taxa became rare. Conversely, in the eupotamal site, there was an increasing trend in biodiversity since 2011 until 2015. Overall increase in the floodplain index values indicated a loss of connectivity between the floodplain habitats and their fauna with the main channel during the last 25 years. In this paper, we also extended the floodplain index with data on habitat values and indication weight for several stonefly species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Balthasar, V. (1936). Limnologické výskumy v slovenských vodách. Bratislava: SUS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balthasar, V. (1938). Další příspěvek k entomologickému výskumu Slovenska. Entomologické listy, 2, 122–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beracko, P., Matečný, I., & Košel, V. (2016). Long-term changes in freshwater molluscan communities in the middle stretch of the Danube River (Slovakia) over a 23-year period. Fundamental and Applied Limnology, 187(4), 263–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berczik, A. (1998). Hydrobiological effects of a lowland river barrage system on the Danube. Verhandlungen - Internationale Vereinigung fur Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie, 26, 975–977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bournaud, M., Tachet, H., Usseglio-Polatera, P., & Cellot, B. (1990). Temporal coexistence in six species of Hydropsyche (Trichoptera) in the Rhône River (France). In C. Tomaszewski (Ed.), Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Trichoptera (pp. 30–39). Poznań: Adam Mickiewicz University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braasch, D. (2003). Rückkehr der Steinfliegen (Plecoptera) in der Oder und Lausnitzer Neiße. Lauterbornia, 46, 93–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brtek, J., & Rothschein, J. (1964). Ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Hydrofauna und des Reinheitszustandes des tschechoslowakischen Abschnittes der Donau. Biologické práce SAV, 10, 1–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buffagni, A., Armanini, D. G., Cazzola, M., Alba-Tercedor, J., López-Rodríguez, M. J., Murphy, et al. (2017). Dataset "Ephemeroptera". www.freshwaterecology.info - the taxa and autecology database for freshwater organisms, version 7.0 (accessed on 31.05.2017).

  • Bulánková, E., & Krno, I. (2006). Monitoring of aquatic insects in the area of the Gabčíkovo hydraulic. structures. In I. Mucha & M. Lisický (Eds.), Slovak - Hungarian environmental monitoring on the Danube (pp. 172–177). Bratislava: Ground Water Consulting Ltd..

    Google Scholar 

  • Capeková, Z., & Holubová, K. (2010). Vypracovanie matematického hydrodynamického modelu a výpočty, LIFE 07 NAT/SK/000707. Ochrana populácií ohrozených druhov vtáctva v prirodzených biotopoch vnútrozemskej delty Dunaja. Bratislava: Výskumný ústav vodného hospodárstva.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castella, E., Richardot-Coulet, M., Roux, C., & Richoux, P. (1984). Macroinvertebrates as describers of morphological and hydrological types of aquatic ecosystems abandoned by the Rhône River. Hydrobiologia, 119, 219–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castella, E., Béguin, O., Besacier-Monbertrand, A.-L., Hug Peter, D., Lamouroux, N., Mayor Siméant, H., McCrae, D., Olivier, J. M., & Paillex, A. (2015). Realised and predicted changes in the invertebrate benthos after restoration of connectivity to the floodplain of a large river. Freshwater Biology, 60(6), 1131–1146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chovanec, A., & Waringer, J. (2001). Ecological integrity of river-floodplain systems –assessment by dragonfly surveys (Insecta: Odonata). Regulated Rivers: Research & Management, 17(4–5), 493–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chovanec, A., Waringer, J., Straif, M., Graf, W., Reckendorfer, W., Waringer-Löschenkohl, A., et al. (2005). The Floodplain Index—A new approach for assessing the ecological status of river/floodplain-systems according to the EU Water Framework Directive. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Suppl. 155 Large. Rivers, 15, 169–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Csányi, B., & Paunovic, M. (2006). The aquatic macroinvertebrate community of the River Danube between Klostenburg (1942 rkm) and Calafat–Vidin (795 rkm). Acta Biologica Debrecina Supplementum Oecologica Hungarica, 14, 91–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Cáceres, M. (2013). How to use the indicspecies package (ver. 1.7.1). Catalonia: Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolédec, S., Forcellini, M., Olivier, J.-M., & Roset, N. (2015). Effects of large river restoration on currently used bioindicators and alternative metrics. Freshwater Biology, 60(6), 1221–1236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dub, O., & Szolgay, J. (1966). Hydrológia a hydrogeológia československého úseku Dunaja. In V. Mucha & O. Dub (Eds.), Limnológia československého úseku Dunaja (pp. 9–60). Bratislava: VSAV.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elexová, E. (1998). Interaction of the Danube river and its left side tributaries in Slovak stretch from benthic fauna point of view. Biologia (Slovak Republic), 53, 621–632.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ertlová, E. (1963). Zoobentos mŕtvych ramien Dunaja. Biologia (Slovak Republic), 18, 743–755.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fruget, J. F. (1991). The impact of river regulation on the lotic macroinvertebrate communities of the lower Rhône, France. Regulated Rivers, 6(4), 241–255

  • Fruget, J. F. (1992). Ecology of the lower Rhône after 200 years of human influence: A review. Regulated Rivers, 7(3), 233–246

  • Frutiger, A. (1991). Fliessgewässer sind Lebensräume. VSA-Fortbildungskurs 1991

  • Funk, A., Trauner, D., Reckendorfer, W., & Hein, T. (2017). The benthic invertebrates floodplain index—Extending the assessment approach. Ecological Indicators, 79, 303–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graf, W., Leitner, P., & Pletterbauer, F. (2015). Short overview on the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of the Danube River. In I. Liška (Ed.), The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 39, The Danube River Basin (pp. 287–315). Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.

  • Hein, T., Baranyi, C., Herndl, G. J., Wanek, W., & Schiemer, F. (2003). Allochthonous and autochthonous particular organic matter in the floodplains of the River Danube: The importance of hydrological connectivity. Freshwater Biology, 48(2), 220–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hein, T., Reckendorfer, W., Thorp, J. H., & Schiemer, F. (2005). The role of slackwater areas for biogeochemical processes in rehabilitated river corridors: Examples from the Danube. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Suppl, 155(Large Rivers, 15), 425–442.

    Google Scholar 

  • Humpesch, U. H. (1996). Case study—The river Danube in Austria. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Suppl, 113(Large Rivers, 10)), 239–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Illyová, M., & Matečný, I. (2014). Ecological validity of river-floodplain system assessment by planktonic crustacean survey (Branchiata: Branchiopoda). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 186(7), 4195−4208.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W. J., Bayley, P. B., & Sparks, R. E. (1989). The flood pulse concept in river-floodplain systems. Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 106(1), 110–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovács, T., Ambrus, A., & Juhász, P. (2002). Ephemeroptera, Odonata and Plecoptera larvae from the River Tisza in the year of cyanid pollution (2000). Folia historico-naturalia Musei matraensis, 26, 169–178.

  • Krno, I. (1984). Plecoptera des Einzugsgebietes des Flusses Belá. Práce Laboratória rybárstva a hydrobiológie, 4, 159–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krno, I. (1990). Investigations of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and stoneflies (Plecoptera) of the Danube in the region of the Gabčíkovo Barrage. Acta Facultatis Rerum Naturalium Universitatis Comenianae. Zoologia, 33, 19–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krno, I. (1995). The changes in the taxocoenoses structure of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and caddisflies (Trichoptera) of the river Danube and the surrounding stagnant waters. In J. Krcho, I. Mucha, & D. Kocinger (Eds.), Gabčíkovo part of the hydroelectric power project—Environmental impact review (pp. 301–306). Bratislava: Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krno, I. (2003). Degradácia spoločenstiev podeniek, pošvatiek a potočníkov v oblasti Dunajského vodného diela (Gabčíkovo). In P. Bitušík & M. Novikmec (Eds.), Proceedings of the 13th Conference of Slovak Limnological Society & Czech Limnological Society – Acta Facultatis Ecologiae, 10, Suppl. 1, 165−169.

  • Krno, I., Šporka, F., Matis, D., Tirjaková, E., Halgoš, J., Košel, V., et al. (1999). Development of zoobenthos in the Slovak Danube inundation area after the Gabčíkovo hydropower structures began operating. In I. Mucha (Ed.), Gabčíkovo part of the hydroelectric power project - Environmental impact review (pp. 175–200). Bratislava: Ground Water Consulting.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landa, V. (1969). Jepice - Ephemeroptera. Fauna ČSSR. Praha: Academia.

  • Lichardová, E. (1958). Príspevok k poznaniu jednodňoviek (Ephemeroptera) ramien Dunaja a periodických mlák na Žitnom ostrove. Biológia (Slovak Republic), 13, 129–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lisický, M., & Mucha, I. (Eds.), (2003). Optimalization of the water regime in the Danube river branch system in the stretch Dobrohošť—Sap from the viewpoint of natural environment. Bratislava: DC: DC: Comenius University. http://www.gabcikovo.gov.sk/.

  • Liška, I. (2015). Managing an international river basin towards water quality protection, the Danube case. In: I. Liška (Ed.), The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 39, The Danube River Basin (pp. 1−19). Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.

  • Málnás, K., Ambrus, A., Müller, Z., Tóth, A., & Kiss, B. (2016). Re-appearance of Palingenia longicauda (Olivier, 1791) (Ephemeroptera, Palingeniidae) on the Hungarian Danube section—Range recovery of the species at the Rába-district. Folia Historico-Naturalia Musei Matraensis, 40, 21–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez, A., Larrañaga, A., Basaguren, A., Pérez, J., Mendoza-Lera, C., & Pozo, J. (2013). Stream regulation by small dams affects benthic macroinvertebrate communities: From structural changes to functional implications. Hydrobiologia, 711(1), 31–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, K. (1935). Přispěvek k poznaní chrostíkú okolí Čilistova na Dunaji. Sborník Přírodovědného klubu v Brne, 17, 73–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mišíková Elexová, E., Haviar, M., Lešťáková, M., Ščerbáková, S., Bitušík, P., Bulánková, E., et al. (2010). Zoznam zistených taxónov na monitorovaných lokalitách vodných útvarov povrchových vôd Slovenska. Časť 1 – Bentické bezstavovce. Acta Environmentalica Universitatis Comenianae, 18, 1–−335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mišíková Elexová, E., Ščerbáková, S., Lešťáková, M., Kováč, V., Plachá, M., Bitušík, P., et al. (2015). Výsledky monitorovania vodných útvarov povrchových vôd Slovenska. Zoznam taxónov. Vodná Fauna Bentické bezstavovce, mihule a ryby. Bratislava: Výskumný ústav vodného hospodárstva.

  • Moog, O., Humpesch, U. H., & Konar, M. (1995). The distribution of benthic invertebrates along the Austrian stretch of the river Danube and its relevance as an indicator of zoogeographical and water quality patterns. Large Rivers, 9(2), 121–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mucha, I. (Ed.). (2004). Vodné dielo Gabčíkovo a prírodné prostredie. Bratislava: Konzultačná skupina Podzemná voda.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naiman, R. J., Magnuson, J. J., McKnight, D. M., & Stanford, J. A. (1995). The freshwater imperative: A research agenda. Washington: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksanen, J., Blanchet, F. G., Kindt, R., Legendre, R., Minchin, P. R., O'Hara, R. B., et al. (2012). Vegan: Community ecology package. R Package Version, 2, 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poff, N. L., & Zimmerman, J. K. (2010). Ecological responses to altered flow regimes: A literature review to inform the science and management of environmental flows. Freshwater Biology, 55(1), 194–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomichal, R. (1984). Príspevok k faune potočníkov Podunajskej nížiny. Spravodajca Žitno-ostrovského múzea, 8, 67–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team. (2014). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna: R foundation for statistical computing. URL http://www.R-project.org/.

  • Raušer, J. (1957). K poznání dunajských pošvatek (Plecoptera). Zoologické listy, 6, 257–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sládeček, V. (1964). Zur Ermittlung des Indikations-Gewichtes in der biologischen Gewässeruntersuchung. Archiv für Hydrobiologie, 60(2), 241–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sommerhäuser, M., Robert, S., Birk, S., Hering, D., Moog, O., Stubauer, I., & Ofenböck, T. (2003). UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project, Strengthening the implementation capacities for nutrient reduction and transboundary cooperation in the Danube river basic activity 1.1.6 developing the typology of surface waters and defining the relevant reference conditions. Final report. http://www.undp-drp.org/drp/en/activities_1-_eu_wfd_implementation_fr_phase1.html .

  • Šporka, F. (2006). Benthic fauna in monitoring of biota in the area of the Gabčíkovo hydraulic structures. In I. Mucha & M. Lisický (Eds.), Slovak - Hungarian environmental monitoring on the Danube (pp. 124–126). Bratislava: Ground Water Consulting Ltd..

    Google Scholar 

  • Šporka, F., Krno, I., Matečný, I., Beracko, P., & Kalaninová, D. (2016). The floodplain index, an effective tool for indicating landscape level hydrological changes in the Danube river inundation area. Fundamental and Applied Limnology, 188(4), 265–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorp, J. H., Thoms, M. C., & Delong, M. D. (2010). The riverine ecosystem synthesis. Amsterdam: Academic press Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tierno de Figueroa, J. M., Sánchez-Ortega, A., Membiela Iglesias, P., & Luzón-Ortega, J. M. (2003). Plecoptera. In M. A. Ramos et al. (Eds.), Fauna Ibérica (vol. 22). Madrid: Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC.

  • Tittizer, T., Schöll, F., & Schleuter, M. (1989). Beitrag zur Structur und Entwicklungsdynamik der Benthalfauna des Rheins von Basel bis Düsseldorf in den Jahren 1986 und 1987. Limnologie aktuell, 1, 293–323.

  • Tittizer, T., Leuchs, H., & Banning, M. (1995). The consequences of river impoundments for the macrozoobenthos—Demonstrated at the example of the River Danube in Germany. Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica, 10, 73–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tockner, K., Pennetzdorfer, D., Reiner, N., Schiemer, F., & Ward, J. V. (1999). Hydrological connectivity and the exchange of organic matter and nutrients in a dynamic river-floodplain system (Danube, Austria). Freshwater Biology, 41(3), 521–535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Usseglio-Polatera, P. (1994). Theoretical habitat templets, species traits, and species richness: Aquatic insects in the Upper Rhône River and its floodplain. Freshwater Biology, 31(3), 417–437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. V. (1997). An expansive perspective of riverine landscape: Pattern and process across scales. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 6(1), 52–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. V., & Stanford, J. A. (1995). The serial discontinuity concept: Extending the model to floodplain rivers. Regulated Rivers: Research &Management, 10(2–4), 159–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. V., & Wiens, J. A. (2001). Ecotones of riverine ecosystems: Role and typology, spatio-temporal dynamics, and river regulation. Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology, 1, 25–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waringer, J. A. (1989). The abundance and temporal distribution of caddisflies (Insecta, Trichoptera) caught by light traps on the Austrian Danube from 1986 to 1987. Freshwater Biology, 21(3), 387–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waringer, J., Chovanec, A., Straif, M., Graf, W., Reckendorfer, W., Waringer-Löschenkohl, A., et al. (2005). The floodplain index—Habitat values and indication weights for molluscs, dragonflies, caddisflies, amphibians and fish from Austrian Danube floodplain waterbodies. Lauterbornia, 54, 177–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitaker, D., & Christman, M. (2010). Clustsig: Significant cluster analysis. R package version 1.0. http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=clustsig.

  • Winkler, O. (1957). Plecoptera Slovenska. Biologické práce SAV, 3, 1–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zwick, P., & Sivec, I. (1980). Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Plecoptera des Himalaja. Entomologica Basiliensia, 5, 59–138.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the Slovak Grant Agency VEGA 1/0119/16. We would like to thank Dr. David Wildridge for reviewing the English of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 84215, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Iľja Krno & Pavel Beracko

  2. Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84506, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Tomáš Navara & Ferdinand Šporka

  3. Water Research Institute, Nábrežie L. Svobodu 5, 81249, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Emília Mišíková Elexová

Authors
  1. Iľja Krno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pavel Beracko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tomáš Navara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ferdinand Šporka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Emília Mišíková Elexová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tomáš Navara.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Krno, I., Beracko, P., Navara, T. et al. Changes in species composition of water insects during 25-year monitoring of the Danube floodplains affected by the Gabčíkovo waterworks. Environ Monit Assess 190, 412 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6773-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6773-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation