Transcript Document

Those rivers are located in the North-West of Greece
Voidomatis river:
Its spring is near Vicos village
It ends in Aoos river
Its length is on average 31 km
Aoos river:
Its spring is located in valakalita (Mavrovouni mountain)
This river continues in Albania
The main flow’s length is about 75 km (without taking in account the two
tributaries at the spring )
Voidomatis river:
Two main kinds of geological formations
Calcarous rock
Sediment (“alluvions”)
Altitude
The river’s spring is at a high of 950m and joins Aoos river at 600m
(0 m is the ocean level)
Aoos river:
Three main kinds of geological formations
•Ultrabasic and basic ophiolitic rocks (diabasic composition)
•Flysch (includes sand and limestone)
•Virgla formation (limestone)
Altitude
The river’s spring is at 800m high and at the Greek border, the altitude is 500m
Sampling sites
Voidomatis river:
The samples have been made just before the river reach Aoos river, at an altitude of
on average 600m
Samples
Aoos river:
Here samples have been made near Konitsa at an altitude of 500m
Samples
- The plants samples in the two areas are characteristic of the Riparian vegetation
- The most important factor for the vegetation is the river and not the
altitude, so that no furs or pines could be found.
-We generally found the same plant species in the two rivers – except:
In Voidomatis river: Equisetum arvense, Juncus effusus and Corylus avellana
In Aoos river: We have found an algae: Cladophora
-Cladophora prefers sheltered areas (without a big current), and is an algae
growing in nutrient-rich waters (personal communication). Therefore the presence
of this algae indicates that Aoos river is slower flowing with greater nutrient
enrichment than Voidomatis where Cladophora was absent.
- This must not only be related to the river quality since we have made our
samples on 50 m on average, and we could have missed other species that
were farther.
Profile of the Viodomatis river
3
2
2
1
1 – In the water
2 – On the edge
3 – On the bankment
Profile of the Aoos river
3
2
1
1 – In the water
2 – On the edge
3 – On the bankment
In the water (1)
On the edge (2)
On the
bankment (3)
Platanus orientalis Salix fragilis
Platanus orientalis
Cladophona
Agrostis
Salix fragilis
Agrostis stolonifera
Berula erecta
Mentha longifolia
Clemati flammula
Bromus sp.
Calamagostis
arundinacea
Alnus glutinosa
Platanus orientalis
Alnus
Equisetum arvense
Mentha longifola
Leucanthemum sp.
Agrostis sp.
Salix triandra
Corylus sp.
Juncus effusus
Distributed throughout
Platanus orientalis
Platanus o. is mostly found in moist and rich-soil areas
The trees’ roots may be down in the water but despite the fluctuations of
water, the plant should not be affected.
Juncus sp.
All Juncus species are almost always
found in wet areas
Alnus sp.
Alnus has a tolerance to moist soils and
grows rapidly
Salix fragilis
Salix is generally found near
stretches of water, and is also a
riparian plant
Equisetum arvense
It very often forms dense
colonies and grows mostly on
sand or loam. We have found
them near the water but it can
also be present inside.
It likes sunny places.
Calamagostis arundinacea
This herb performs best in rich, well
drained soils
Berula erecta
It is also a wet land plant that
prefers sunny, marshy areas like
steam sides
Sampling of benthic invertebrates
* The 3-minute kick-sweep method was used in both rivers
* In Voidomatis three samples were taken
-One from the edge to edge
-One from the edge to the middle
-One around the shore
* In Aoos river were two samples taken
- Both from the edge to the middle
* Samples collected were stored in bottles
and preserved using formalin
Sorting out the benthic invertebrates
* In the laboratory each sample was sorted separately
* A sieve was used to wash the sample
* The invertebrates were collected in Petri dishes
Identifying the benthic invertebrates
* A stereoscope was used
•Keys were used to determine them to the level of family
This because the index calculated (BMWP, Lincoln and
the Greek value system) works with families.
Substrate
60
50
40
Aoos
Voidomatis
30
20
10
0
Bould Cobbl Pebb Grov
Silt
Aoos
Voidomatis
Conductivity (µ Siemens) 207
252
TDS (mg/l)
106
130
pH
8,43
8.11
DO2 (mg/l)
10,54
11,5
DO (%)
100
98,8
Temp (ºC)
14,1
10,2
Comparison of the physical parameters in the two rivers
0m
3m
0 m/s
6m
9m
12 m 13,5 m
0,33 m
0,44 m
0,61 m
0,41 m/s
Physical structure
Voidomatis river
0,77 m/s
0,93 m
0,44 m/s
1,5 m
2,49 m/s
Discharge (Area*current)  13,95 m3/s
0,44 m/s
Physical structure of the
Aoos river
Discharge
(Area*current)
 10,63 m3/s
The use of changes in community structure to monitor
pollution commonly involve invertebrates and this
group is considered the most appropriate biotic
indicators of water quality in E.U. countries (Metcalfe
1989), including Greece (Anagnostopoulou et al,1994).
The biotic indices are based on the tolerance of benthic
macroinvertebrates or other organisms to low oxygen
conditions.
PERCENTANGE ABUNDANCE OF BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES.
ORDERS
FAMILIES
GLOSSOSOMATIDAE
BRACHYCENTRIDAE
PHRYGANCEIDAE
SERICOSTOMATIDAE
TRICHOPTERA
HYDROPSYCHIDAE
GOERIDAE
RHYACOPHILIDAE
LIMNOPHILIDAE
BLEPHARICERIDAE
DIPTERA
TIPULIDAE
ATHERICIDAE
EPHEMERELLIDAE
EPHEMEROPTERA
HEPTAGENIIDAE
BAETIDAE
OLIGOCHAETA
PERLIDAE
PLECOPTERA
NEMOURIDAE
COLEOPTERA
DYTISCIDAE
TOTAL
TOTAL
NUMBER OF
INDIVIDUALS
190
25
93
48
6
11
1
8
9
9
70
20
188
7
34
7
6
1
733
%
25.92
3.41
12.69
6.55
0.82
1.50
0.14
1.09
1.23
1.23
9.55
2.73
25.65
0.95
4.64
0.95
0.82
0.14
100
RESULTS OF VOIDOMATIS RIVER
Sampling sites
BMWP
GREEK
INDEX
LINCOLN
INDEX
Across the river
110
6
Excellent
6
Excellent
From the edge to
the middle of the
river
Close along the
shore
92
6
Excellent
6
Excellent
45
5
Excellent
5
Excellent
Mean
82
5.5
Excellent
5.5
Excellent
Piecharts showing the percentage abundance of benthic invertebrates
for 3 samples in the river Voidomatis.
Across the river
Close along the shore
2.7%
0.6%
6.8%
10.0%
5.5%
29.9%
43.0%
16.5%
84.9%
0.3%
From
the edge to the middle of the river
3.0%
0.0%
Trichoptera
Diptera
19.9%
Ephemeroptera
8.6%
Oligochetae
68.2%
Plecoptera
Coleoptera
Piechart of total percentage of zoobenthos’ presence in the samples
Voidomatis river
1.8%
5.9%
29.2%
11.5%
Trichoptera
0.1%
Diptera
51.5%
Ephemeroptera
Oligochetae
Plecoptera
Coleoptera
PERCENTANGE ABUNDANCE OF BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES.
ORDERS
EPHEMEROPTERA
PLECOPTERA
TRICHOPTERA
DIPTERA
TOTAL
NUMBER OF
INDIVIDUALS
BAETIDAE
23
HEPTAGENIDAE
141
EPHYMERILLIDAE
15
PERLIDAE
5
LEUCTRIDAE
1
HYDROPSYCHIDAE
57
HYDROPTILIDAE
7
SERICOSTOMATIDAE
1
CHIRONOMIDAE
1
LICHOPODIDAE
1
252
FAMILIES
%
9.13
55.95
5.95
1.98
0.40
22.62
2.78
0.40
0.40
0.40
100%
RESULTS FROM AOOS RIVER
SAMPLING BMWP
SITE
GREEK
INDEX
LINCOLN
INDEX
FROM THE 64
EDGE TO
THE
MIDDLE
OF THE
RIVER
4.5
5.5
AOOS RIVER: PIECHARTS OF THE ORDERS OF THE BENTHIC
INVERTEBRATES
DIPTERA
1%
TRICHOPTERA
26%
EPHEMEROPTERA
PLEKOPTERA
TRICHOPTERA
PLEKOPTERA
2%
DIPTERA
EPHEMEROPTERA
71%
Biotic Indices
According to both the Greek and English Biotic Indices used the water
quality of the Voidomatis river is excellent , whereas the Aoos river
water quality scores excellent with the English Index and good with
the Greek.
The difference in performance of both indices for the Aoos river may be
explained by the fact that the English Biotic Index is a qualitative
test only and ignores the relative abundance of different groups in the
sample. The Greek Index however is both qualitative and accounts
for relative abundance and therefore gives a more accurate
representation of the water quality based on the invertebrate
community structure.
In the Voidomatis river sample, the absence of a difference between the
Indices may be related to the very high scores obtained.
Both rivers are located in the National Park of Vikos – Aoos. Voidomatis
is in the core of the N.P. where all the human activities are forbidden,
whereas Aoos is in the peripheral zone where some activities such as
agriculture are allowed.
Because of this one can observe a slightly better water quality in
Voidomatis river.
Benthic Invertebrates
The high water quality is reflected in the benthic invertebrates present. In
both rivers the greatest percentage of invertebrate families are
high scoring in the biotic indices. The lower scoring families
contribute only a small percentage of the total families sampled.
The differences in the orders found, e.g. the inverse abundance of
Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera between both rivers, is probably
related more to sampling error i.e. small sampling sizes, only one
station etc. and so chance sampling of concentrated populations of
these orders, than to water quality.
However the higher percentage of Trichoptera found in Voidomatis river
may be due to the fact that the case bearing families are generally
intolerant to moderate enrichment. Also Trichoptera prefer stronger
current environment..
In Voidomatis Diptera represent 11.5% of the total sample and in Aoos 1%
however no Chironomidae larvae were present. These larvae are
usually the most abundant Diptera in aquatic ecosystems, occuring in a
wide range of ecological conditions.
The association between filamentous algae and the Chironomidae larvae is
often stated in the literature therefore the very low level of these algae
in both rivers may explain the absence of Chironomidae.
Physical Parameters
The physical parameters measured during this study are generally of the
same range of those recorded in other studies e.g. Bobori et al 1999. This
study of the Aliakmon river showed generally the same physical
parameter levels and the water quality of this river was scored as
excellent/good using biotic indices (M. Lazaridou – Dimitriadou et al
2000).
Between the two rivers in this study a negligible difference is observed
for pH, DO2 content and percentage, and substrate (small percentage
of boulders and silt were present only in Aoos river).
The temperature,conductivity and TDS differences observed in both
rivers are very difficult to explain but may be attributed to the higher
discharge recorded in Voidomatis river. Larger discharge may be due
to the inclination of this river from source (900m altitude ) to sample site
which was greater than in Aoos river and also there was a greater depth (at
the sample site) in Voidomatis river.
Sampling problems
• Sampling was carried out at only one station with no spatial or
temporal repetition.One random sample may by chance target a large
population of one species and so distort the results.
• Sampling should be carried out by just one individual otherwise,
with the three minute kick method, different kicking technique and
strength may (the effort) effect the size and quality of the sample
taken.
• The number and position of the samples taken was not consistent
for both rivers and so is not comparable. For example the time may not
have been 3 minutes in Aoos river because it was very difficult to walk
in the river and a lot of time were lost. Also sampling time for
Voidomatis river was 9 minutes, whereas Aoos river was sampled only
for 6 minutes.
• No attempt was made to measure chemical parameters ( nutrients,
nitrogen, phosphorus etc). The application of biotic indices provides a
more integrated result concerning water pollution when combined with
measurements of physical and chemical parameters.
• Lack of specialist knowledge about the ecology and
biology of macroinvertebrates with in the study group
-http://www.ellada.com
-Photos of rivers: Kapfer Geraldine
-http://www.wisc.edu/botit/img/bot/401/
-Drawing : Schneider Christine
-http://www.terra.ecol.ktle.hu/haznod/htm/Calamagrostis arundinacea.htm
-http://www.euronet.nl/users/mbleeker/folis/bsmain-e.html
- D.C. Bobori & S.D. Mourelatos – Physical parameters and nutrient content of
the surface waters of the river Aliakmon (Greece) – Editors FreisingWeihenstephan/FRG, 1999
-M. Anagnostopoulou – The relationship between the macroinvertebrate
community and water quality, and the applicability of biotic indices in the river
Almopeos system (Greece), University of Manchester, 1992
-R. Wellinghorst – Wirbellose Tiere des Susswasser, Friedrich Verlag, Seetze,
1993
-http://www.apr.ethz.ch/CD-ROM/Familien/Equicetaceae/Equisetum
-http://www.terra.hu/haznod/jpg/Calamagrostis.arundinacea.1.html
-http://www.puc.edu/Faculty/Gilbert_Muth/Berula#erecta
This presentation on Voidomatis and Aoos rivers has been
made with the cooperation of all the following European
students:
Stevenson Joan
Bousiaki Elena
Patoux Clothilde
Sarris Marcos
Schneider Christine
Nordstrom Kerstin
Nehrwein Birgit
Svensson Jessica
Kapfer Geraldine
Ringsbo Jens
von Schantz Mattias
Francis Nikki