Biologische Station Neusiedler See

Mercury (Hg), as one of the most frequently and globally occurring pollutants, is of major public health concern. Aquatic environments are the key compartment for Hg methylation as well as for its consequent bioaccumulation and biomagnification. This mesocosm study investigated the differences in Hg turnover, Hg distribution and bioaccumulation in two contrasting waterbodies: Panozzalacke (PL), an “average”, oligotrophic European freshwater body and Lake Neusiedl (LN), an alkaline, saline, eutrophic, biologically highly productive lake. Mesocosm experiments were carried out with either water, water and sediment, and finally water, sediment and the macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum from the respective waterbody. Hg2+ was added to the water phase and the Hg distribution over time was monitored in the compartments air, water, suspended particles, sediment and plants. The results show a much faster Hg turnover in LN compared to PL. Most striking is the significantly higher mercury bioaccumulation in macrophytes from LN and the significantly lower sedimentation rates there. We conclude that the specific physico-chemical and biological conditions in LN, e.g., alkalinity, sulfate content, dissolved carbon and high amount of particulate matter, lead to a rapid conversion of incoming mercury, accelerating bioaccumulation and potentially leading to unexpected mercury biomagnification in this lake. This has implications for other comparable waterbodies around the globe.

ABSTRACTFor studies on magnetic compass orientation and navigation performance in small bird species, controlled experiments with orientation cages inside an electromagnetic coil system are the most prominent methodological paradigm. These are, however, not applicable when studying larger bird species and/or orientation behaviour during free flight. For this, researchers have followed a very different approach, attaching small magnets to birds, with the intention of depriving them of access to meaningful magnetic information. Unfortunately, results from studies using this approach appear rather inconsistent. As these are based on experiments with birds under free-flight conditions, which usually do not allow exclusion of other potential orientation cues, an assessment of the overall efficacy of this approach is difficult to conduct. Here, we directly tested the efficacy of small magnets for temporarily disrupting magnetic compass orientation in small migratory songbirds using orientation cages under controlled experimental conditions. We found that birds which have access to the Earth's magnetic field as their sole orientation cue show a general orientation towards their seasonally appropriate migratory direction. When carrying magnets on their forehead under these conditions, the same birds become disoriented. However, under changed conditions that allow birds access to other (i.e. celestial) orientation cues, any disruptive effect of the magnets they carry appears obscured. Our results provide clear evidence for the efficacy of the magnet approach for temporarily disrupting magnetic compass orientation in birds, but also reveal its limitations for application in experiments under free-flight conditions.

Abstract In Europe, the effects of global warming are expected to be particularly acute in areas exposed to a more extreme continental climate. The climate change scenarios summarized in Chapter 2, this volume, suggest that the average summer temperatures in some areas of Central Europe could increase by as much as 6°C by 2071–2100. The associated projections for the rainfall give even more cause for concern with the reductions in some areas approaching 50% in summer. In this chapter we analyse impacts of changing weather conditions on lakes in Central Europe. Long-term data sets from a number of lakes are used to link measured variables to climate signals. Particular attention is paid to the lakes in the perialpine region which are known to be very sensitive to short-term changes in the weather (Psenner, 2003; Thompson et al., 2005). Here, the topography and the steep orography enhance the water cycle, and result in flooding, debris flows, avalanches, vertical plant migration etc. The Alps also form a barrier to the mass movement of air and are responsible for the sharp climatic divide between Atlantic, Continental and Mediterranean influences.KeywordsDebris FlowNorth Atlantic OscillationThermal StratificationNorth Atlantic Oscillation IndexDeep LakeThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Abstract. To date, little is known about the pH-stimulated mineralization of organic matter in aquatic environments. In this study, we investigated biodegradation processes in alkaline waters. Study site is a large shallow soda lake in Central Europe (Neusiedler See/Ferto). The decomposition rate of plant litter was measured as a function of pH by incubating air-saturated lake-water samples in contact with Phragmites litter (leaves) from the littoral vegetation. All samples showed high decomposition rates (up to 32% mass loss within 35 days) and a characteristic two-step degradation mechanism. During the degradation process, the solid plant litter was dissolved forming humic colloids. Subsequently, the humic colloids were mineralized to CO2 in the water column. The decomposition rate was linearly related to pH. Increasing pH values accelerated significantly the leaching of humic colloids as well as the final degradation process. The observed two-step mechanism controls the wetland/lake/air carbon fluxes, since large quantities of humic colloids are currently produced in the reed belt, exported through wind-driven circulations and incorporated into the open lake foodweb. At present, the lake is rapidly shrinking due to peat deposition in the littoral zone, whereas it has been resistant to silting-up processes for thousands of years. In order to investigate the cause of this abrupt change, the chemical composition of the lake-water was measured during 1995–2007. A thorough analysis of these data revealed that major lake-water discharges through the lake's artificial outlet channel led to a decline in salinity and alkalinity. According to our estimates, the lake's original salinity and alkalinity was 70–90% higher compared to the present conditions, with the consequence of substantially lower pH values in the present lake. The observed pH dependence of reed litter biodegradation rates points to a causal connection between low pH values and accumulation of peat in the lake basin. Our results suggest that the pH stimulated remineralisation of organic matter plays a major role in maintaining the long-term integrity of saline lake/wetland systems.

AME Aquatic Microbial Ecology Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials AME 19:245-254 (1999) - doi:10.3354/ame019245 Dynamics in bacterioplankton production in a shallow, temperate lake (Lake Neusiedl, Austria): evidence for dependence on macrophyte production rather than on phytoplankton Bettina Reitner1, Alois Herzig2, Gerhard J. Herndl3,* 1Institute of Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria 2Biologische Station Neusiedler See, 7142 Illmitz, Austria 3Dept of Biological Oceanography, Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands *Addressee for correspondence. E-mail: herndl@nioz.nl ABSTRACT: The seasonal dynamics in bacterioplankton abundance and production were studied at 3 characteristic stations (open water, large pond within the reed belt and within the reed Phragmites australis) in the shallow Lake Neusiedl, Austria, and related to phytoplankton primary production and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). DOC concentrations ranged from about 1 to 2.5 mmol l-1 with humic DOC contributing between 40% during the winter and 55% during the summer. Phytoplankton production was highest in the pond within the reed belt, where the attenuation was lowest, reaching 110 mg C m-2 d-1 during a distinct phytoplankton bloom in August. Bacterial abundance ranged from 2 x106 cells ml-1 during winter to about 10 x 106 cells ml-1 during summer. Bacterial production calculated by thymidine (TdR) and leucine (leu) incorporation, respectively, were in good agreement at the stations in the reed belt, but bacterial production based on leu incorporation was significantly lower than bacterial production based on TdR incorporation at the open water station. Based on a bacterial growth yield of 16% determined in an earlier study, bacterioplankton carbon demand was always at least 1 order of magnitude higher than carbon production of phytoplankton, indicating that bacterioplankton metabolism in Lake Neusiedl is heavily dependent on non-phytoplankton sources of DOC. The bacterial carbon demand (ranging from 225 to 870 mg C m-2 d-1 depending on the sampling site and substrate used) could be matched by the production of the reed P. australis amounting to 750 to 4510 mg C m-2 d-1. Since there is no major allochthonous organic matter input from other sources, this macrophyte production is obviously channeled to the pelagic food web via the bacterioplankton. KEY WORDS: Shallow lake · Bacteria · Phytoplankton · Reed · Phragmites · Dissolved organic matter · Humic substances Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AME Vol. 19, No. 3. Publication date: October 27, 1999 Print ISSN: 0948-3055; Online ISSN: 1616-1564 Copyright © 1999 Inter-Research.

In Neusiedler See, a shallow alkaline lake with fluctuating water level and salinity, four species of Hexarthra occur: H. mira, H. fennica, H. jenkinae (occasional) and H. polyodonta. The analysis of longterm data reveals a general phenological pattern which does not change from year to year. They first occur in May, develop a maximum in June/July, sometimes a second one in August/September and disappear in October. But the species succession is different in the various years, occasionally only one species (H. mira or H. polyodonta) being present. There is a fairly consistent relation between the chemical conditions and the prevalent species; an increase in salinity favours the development of H. polyodonta. Low temperature and wind generated suspended particles have a negative influence on the development of the Hexarthra populations. Smaller populations of Hexarthra are in a relation to the occurrence of Leptodora indicating predation pressure of the latter species. In Neusiedler See the Hexarthra populations seem to be controlled to a great extent by abiotic factors, but predation by Leptodora and most probably by young fish seems to play an important role too.

Short-term species succession, and long-term community development, of planktonic rotifer populations of the temperate zone and factors influencing species’ abundance (ie., physical and chemical limitations, food and exploitative competition, mechanical interference competition, predation, parasitism) are described and discussed. The long-term development of plankton communities in three European lakes is described and the major events are discussed in relation to ecological interactions. Frequently, the shortcomings of our knowledge about population ecology and ecophysiology of rotifers prevent explanations of short-term and, especially, of long-term developments of these plankton organisms. The need for qualitative and quantitative observations in the field and in the laboratory over long periods becomes obvious.