Impact of long-term alternations of discharge and spate on the chironomid community in the lowland Widawka River (Central Poland)

Abstract

Spatial and temporal distribution, abundance and production of macroinvertebrate communities were estimated over two years in a fifth-order section of the Widawka River. Discharge of this river has been increased artificially by coal mine water inputs. Additionally, during the second year, one of the highest discharges of the current 20-year period was recorded. Chironomidae were co-dominant in macrobenthos, both in a straight reach (WIA) and in a meandering site (WIB). More mosaic habitats resulted in higher densities of midges, reaching 6215 ind.m⁻² in year 1 and 1141 ind.m⁻² in year 2 at WIA, while at WIB 896 densities were ind.m⁻² and 257 ind.m⁻², respectively. Flooding affected the distribution and abundance of the chironomid assemblages. Recolonization by psammophilous Polypedilum began after the various microhabitats were buried with sand. Chironomid production was estimated on a species-specific basis for the dominant taxa. In year 1 (mean annual water temperature 10.0° C) chironomid production was 12.4 g dry wt m⁻² yr⁻¹ 1 at WIA and 1.9 g dry wt m⁻² yr⁻¹ at WIB. These values sharply decreased in year 2 (mean annual water temperature 9.8° C) reaching 1.9 g dry wt m⁻² yr⁻¹ at WIA and 0.4 g dry wt m⁻² yr⁻¹ at WIB, as effects of the high spate.