The adverse influence of fast flow on ciliates has been known for a long time (Chorik 1968). ... species of ciliates with a biomass of 0.1-3.4 mg/1 were found in the plankton of the quiet river Berezina ..... observed in real life (Table 7.). It is well ...
The Upper Tisa Valley Preparatory proposal for Ramsar site designation and an ecological background Hungarian, Romanian, Slovakian and Ukrainian co-operation
Editors Hamar, J. & A. Särkäny-Kiss
Szeged 1999
The Upper Tisa Valley P r e p a r a to r y p r o p o s a l f o r R a m s a r s i te d e s i g n a ti o n a n d a n e c o lo g i c a l b a c k g r o u n d H u n g a r ia n , R o m a n i a n , S lo v a k i a n a n d U k r a i n i a n c o - o p e r a t i o n
C o n tr i b u ti n g O r g a n iz a t io n s R a m s a r S m a ll G r a n ts F u n d f o r W e t l a n d C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d W i s e U s e , S w itz e r la n d R e g io n a l E n v ir o n m e n ta l C e n te r , B u d a p e s t , H u n g a r y R e g io n a l W a te r W o r k s , S z o ln o k , H u n g a r y E d ito r s : H a m a r , J. & A . S ä r k ä n y - K i s s C o v e r d e s i g n a n d la y o u t: M a r i a B o d o la i E x e c u ti v e m a n a g e r : J ö z s e f H a m a r , T i s z a K lu b P u b li s h e d b y T i s z a K lu b & L ig a P r o E u r o p a T i s z a K lu b f o r E n v i r o n m e n t a n d N a t u r e 5 0 0 1 S z o ln o k , P f. 1 4 8 , H u n g a r y
L ig a P ro E u ro p a 4 3 0 0 T ä r g u M u r e § , P .O . B o x 1 -1 5 4 , R o m a n i a
P r i n te d b y T i s z a N y o m d a K ft. 5 0 0 0 S z o ln o k H i m b a ü t 5. H u n g a ry IS S N 1 4 1 8 -0 4 4 8 IS B N 9 6 3 0 3 7 6 4 5 8
Free-living Ciliates of River Tisa and its tributaries
Andrey Kovalchuk Introduction
The largest left-side tributaries o f River Danube, being the largest ones anyway, are River Tisa (966 km) and River Prut (926 km). The former proceeds on the territory of Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia, while the latter in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania. Despite the great value o f these water courses, literature devoted to the study o f protozoans inhabiting them is poor. Some o f these papers (Pujin, Stanojevic 1979; Josa 1981; Kovalchuk, Kovalchuk 1984) deal with the ciliates of River Tisa. Data on ciliates o f River Prut have been published recently (Kovalchuk 1993). More comprehensive data on the species composition o f free-living ciliates o f occasional eco-groups (Kovalchuk 1997, 1997a) have not been published in any paper, instead they were presented at two international conferences held in 1997 in Transcarpathia. Keywords: free-living ciliates, species, abundance, biomass, saprobity
M aterial and methods
Time and location o f the examinations: The seasonal expeditions on River Tisa and basins in its region were undertaken in 1991-92. W hen allocating the basic sampling sites it was recognized that River Tisa flows alternately in Ukraine, Romania and Hungary, under the conditions o f a mountainous terrain, on lowland and in hilly lands. Accordingly, three sampling sites in the lower, middle and upper reaches o f the river were defined initially: above the village Vilok (area typical o f the hilly land of Berehovo), between the towns Hust and Tiachiv (at the village Veliatin: area typical of that adjoining River Tisa lowland) and on River Stohovets’ above the village Luhi in the Rahiv region (a typically mountainous area). Taking into consideration the fact that River Tisa is characterised by an extreme hydrological regime, three complex study journeys were made to these sites: the first one was dated for a freshet, the second took place in a stabilisation period after high water, and the third in a period o f low water level. In addition to the 15 basic sites on River Tisa (in its reach in U kraine’s Transcarpathian area), samplings were carried out on all o f the basic tributaries o f
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River Tisa (excluding the rivers Uzh and Latoritsa that had been investigated earlier: Kovalchuk 1993), on the Tereble-Rikske reservoir, and on lake Sinevir (Figure 1.). During the summer and autumn journeys the network o f sites at which the sampling was done was extended. When analysing the results, the sites were grouped in conditional zones (see below).
C ollecting m ethod
The planktonic samples were taken in 70-100 mm capacities at depths o f 10-15 cm. With respect to the small depths o f the investigated basins, the vertical distribution o f ciliates was not studied. Benthic samples were taken using a m icrobenthos sampler o f the type MB - TE (Babko 1989) with a 3,2 cm 2 area o f encroachment or throat banks by an area up to 6 cm“. The samples o f periphyton were derived from overgrow n stones by washing off. During the research a total o f 143 samples were taken and processed, with the following distribution: 45 planktonic, 46 benthic and 52 periphytonic.
Further m ethods
Sample processing was carried out in accordance with the procedure published earlier (Kovalchuk 1990; 1990a, 1993). The identification o f ciliate species was carried out based on the taxonom ic work o f Kahl (1930-1935). In a number o f cases complementary references were used. The taxonomical system o f Corliss (1977), with an independent Colpodea class (Foissner 1985), was applied. Saprobity was assessed with the help o f ciliate bioindicators and was calculated using the method o f Toderash (1980):
where N i , G j and S i , respectively, are the value describing the amount of specimens, an indicator value, and the mean index o f saprobity o f i species. The essential source o f information about saprobic valency and the indicator value o f ciliates were works by Bick (1972), M oravceva (1977), Ausgewahlte Methoden... (1979) and Foissner (1988).
362
Figure 1. The map o f sampling sites in the Upper Tisa region in 1991-1992
Results and Discussion
In the region o f River Prut 111 species and varieties o f ciliates had been revealed from the benthos, plankton and periphyton (Kovalchuk 1993). Considerably more species are now ascertained for basins and water courses o f the region o f River Tisa. A total o f 254 species and varieties o f ciliates were found with the following distribution: 113 species and varieties in the Kinetofragminophora class, 72 in the Oligohym enophora class, 63 in the Polyhym enophora class, and 6 Colpodea (Table 1.). As regards the taxonomic composition o f ciliates in River Tisa, the richest was the benthos with 187 species, followed by periphyton with 138, and plankton with 85 species. Formed cilioplankton was found to be practically absent from the water courses o f the Prut and River Tisa. Euplanktonic species o f ciliates occurred in the plankton only at the site at the town Chop. The greatest diversity o f ciliates was found in the summer (166 species), and in the autumn (164 species). One-hundred-and-six species occurred in the spring, while only 30 in the winter. Among different water courses it was River Uzh (115 species) that appeared to be the richest in the taxonomical structure o f ciliates. Thirty-four species o f ciliates were found in the high-mountainous lake Sinevir. The total number o f ciliate species discovered in River Tisa was 255. This figure testifies that species structure was sufficiently revealed. In the well-investigated River Kura (Azerbaïdjan) 45 species o f ciliates were revealed (Aliev 1986), and 54 were found in River Biala Pshem sha (Poland) (Czapic 1982). However, the true species-richness o f ciliates can be well over the revealed values in the investigated rivers. For example, in the
363
Hungarian area o f River Tisa 80 species o f ciliates (Josa 1981) were found, many of which are absent from our list. Among sections o f River Tisa and water courses o f its region, the middle reaches o f River Tisa appeared to be the richest where 122 species o f ciliates were ascertained. Accordingly, in the upper and lower reaches o f River Tisa (in Ukraine) 85 and 86 species were revealed, respectively. Among the tributaries o f River Tisa, River Rika is the most investigated. Thirty-nine species o f ciliates were found here, 31 species were discovered in River Kosivs’ka, and 26 were found in River Teresva. In the rivers M okrianka and Borzhava 23 and 24 species o f ciliates, respectively, were ascertained.
P lanktonic ciliates
The strong flow o f the rivers has an effect on the development o f planktonic ciliates. However, the availability o f organic substances is also important. The abundance o f ciliates in the plankton depends primarily on the level o f organic pollution. It is distinctly observable at sites along a flow (Kovalchuk 1993). In the presence o f large areas inhabited by humans such increase can be very sharp. Without them it is less appreciable. On River Hoverla we investigated a «standard» ecosystem in a Carpathian reserve area characterised by the lack o f human economic activity. At this site ciliates were completely absent from the plankton, which was probably caused by the high velocity o f the flow. The adverse influence o f fast flow on ciliates has been known for a long time (Chorik 1968). The negative effect o f this factor especially applies to planktonic ciliates. For River Kuban’ the velocity o f which is 0.2-1.7 m/sec, Kornienko (1972) reported not more than 14 species o f planktonic ciliates. In slow rivers the species-richness o f this eco-group is m uch higher. For example, 29 species o f ciliates with a biomass o f 0.1-3.4 mg/1 were found in the plankton o f the quiet river Berezina (Belarus) (Rassashko, M arkelova 1982). Values obtained by us at the majority o f sites in the mountain rivers are remarkably above those reported in both o f the above examples. In spring, during the first trip, the mean abundance o f planktonic ciliates naturally decreased towards the upper reaches. Abundance values there were by two orders less even during the second as well as the third (by two-three orders) sampling sessions (Table 2.). It is associated with the fact that ciliates are washed away from benthic depositions during high water.
364
Water course
Stohovets’ Tisa near Veliatin Tisa before Vilok Stohovets’ Tisa near Veliatin Tisa before Vilok Stohovets’ T isa near Veliatin Tisa before Vilok
Abundance thous. specim.
Biomass mg PLANKTON per m 3 30 (0 - 142) 0.5(0-2.3) 858(14-4000) 44(0.3-305) 2263(0-10700) 16 ( 0 - 6 9 ) PERIPHYTON per m2 500(200-5000) 6 (2- 20 ) 61 (3-202) 9611(1200-34476) 7000(2000-12000) 38 (8- 69 ) BENTHOS per m2 12 (10-23 ) 1500(1000-800) 20200(5000-33500) 310(40-570) 85 (9 -1 0 0 ) 7368(68-13500)
Destruction cal/day
Production cal/day
0.1(0 -0.9) 25(0.3-4.3) 1 8 (0 -7 9 )
0.0(0 -0.5) 8.2(0.2-41) 8 (0-27)
3 (1 -1 0 ) 49 (3 -167) 50 (10- 88)
2 (0.5-6) 3 0 (2 -1 0 2 ) 30 (6-54)
3 (1-6) 240(35-450) 8 7 (2 -1 2 0 )
2 (0.5-4) 95 (21-243) 25 (1 - 53)
Table 2. General characteristics o f ciliates o f the Upper Tisa region (April 1991) N otes: Figures outside parentheses are geom etric m eans, inside parentheses are m inim um and m axim um values.
The sum mer period was characterised by the maximal development ofplanktonic ciliates at the middle reaches o f River Tisa (Table 3.), where the values o f abundance approached those shown for the small rivers o f the Dnieper, and biomass was also considerably more. In contrast with the middle reaches, the levels o f the quantities o f ciliates in the lower reaches did not vary sharply from spring to summer, with biomass remaining on a low level. The sharp decrease o f the quantitative parameters o f planktonic ciliates was observed in the autumn (Table 4.). It appeared that the level o f cilioplankton quantities was more in the w inter (Table 5.), than in late autumn.
B enthic ciliates
In comparison with the significant oscillations o f all parameters o f planktonic ciliates, large density was characteristic for benthic ciliates (Table 2.). The average abundance o f bottom-dwelling ciliates at the investigated basins (including all) was 5.8 mln spec./m2, and biomass was 58.5 mg/m2 (disregarding results from 1991). The variation o f parameters from basin to basin was quite insignificant; even the remarkable diversity o f biotopes which ranged from peat sludge to sand did not cause sharp differences in the quantities o f these protozoans. The average parameters for benthic ciliates o f River Prut, obtained in 1987 by Kovalchuk (1993), are close to those for River Uzh in 1989, which accordance testifies the correctness o f the indicated average parameters for this group obtained for the middle rivers and occasional satellite basins in June 1989. The 1987 data from River Uzh should not be taken into consideration, for these samples were taken at highly
365
Water courses U pper Tisa
M iddle Tisa
Lower Tisa
Stohovets’, Hoverla, Black Tisza
Mokrianka, Teresul’ka
Teresva, Borzhava Rika, K osivs’ka
Sinevir
Para meter N B R P n N B R P n N B R P n
N B R P n
N B R P n
N B R P
N B R P n
Periphyton (on m2) 6653(8.8±1.4) 149.6(5.0±1.2) 137.2(4.9±1.2) 103.8(4.7±1.3') 3 5474(8.6± 1.1) 98.7(4.6±1.0) 132.2(4.9±0.9) 78.6(4.4±0.9) 6 2815(7.9±0.5) 56.3(4.1±0.5) 82.5(4.4±0.3) 46.9(3.9±0.2) 3 4192(8.3±0.4) 38.0(3.7±0.2) 23.8(3.2±0.5) 13.3(2.7±0.3) 3 10568(9.3±0.3) 111.5(4.7±0.8) 94.6(4.6±0.6) 19.0(3.O il.0) 2 28715(10.3±0.2) 297.3(5.7±0.5) 287.3(5.7±0.1) 132.9(4.9±0.5) -
Benthos (on m2) -
5115(8.5±0.4) 80.0(4.4±0.9) 106.9(4.7±0.7) 64.0(4.2±0.7) 6 2843(8.0±0.3) 45.1(3.8±0.8) 68.8(4.3±0.4) 39.2(3.7±0.3) 3 5554(8.6±0.1) 58.7(4.1±0.6) 50.0(3.9±0.5) 27.8(3.4±0.6) 2
Plankton (on m 3) 2249(7.7±2.3) 51.9(4.0±1.6) 64.2(4.2±1.6) 39.4(3.7±1.6) 2 12530(9.4±2.9) 107.7(4.7±2.1) 166.8(5.1±2.2) 89.1(4.5±2.3) 2 1414(7.3±3.4) 19.1(3.0±3.5) 37.4(3.4±3.5) 24.4(3.2±3.4) 2 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
54790(10.9±0.2) 1731.2(7.5±0.6) 1167.4(7.1±0.1) 707.4(6.6±0.1) 16787(9.7±0.1) 668.8(6.5±0.3) 352.0(5.9±0.1) 201.0(5.3±0.2) 2
-
Table 3. Average hydrobiological param eters describing com m unities o f ciliates from various eco-groups o f the River Tisa region in the sum m er season and the sum m er-autum n period (August - September) in 1991 Notes: N - abundance (thousand specim ens); B - biom ass (mg); R and P: breakdow n and production (cal/day)
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—
Water courses On all massif data
Upper Tisa
Middle Tisa
Lower Tisa
Shopurka, Rika, Teresva
Hoverla, Stohovets’, Chorna Tisa
Para meter N B R P n N B R P n N B R P n N B R P n N B R P n N B R P n
Periphyton (on m2) -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
904(6.8±0.6) 5.4(1.9±0.3) 1.8(1.0±0.3) 1.1(0.8±0.2) 3 1853(7.5±1.2) 9.7(2.4±0.4) 4.0(1.6±0.6) 2.5(1.3±0.5) 5 2046(7.6±0.5) 10.2(2.4±1.0) 4.5(1.7±0.7) 2.7(1.3±0.6) 2 340(5.8±2.4) 4.4(1.7±1.5) 1.9(1.1±1.0) 1.0(0.7±0.8) 3 356(5.9±1.2) 3.0(1.4±0.6) 0.9(0.7±0.4) 0.4(0.3±0.1) 3
----
Benthos (on m )
-
520(6.3±0.2) 2.1(1.3±0.1) 0.9(0.6±0.1) 0.6(0.4±0.1) 2 255(5.5±2.1) 6.7(2.0±1.5) 2.0(1.1±1.0) 1.4(0.9±0.9) 4
Plankton (on m3) 25(3.3±3.2) 2.0(1.1±1.3) 0.8(0.6±0.7) 0.5(0.4±0.6) 5 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
884(6.8±0.8) 4.3(1.7±0.4) 1.7(1.0±0.2) 0.7(0.6±0.5) 3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Table 4. Average hydrobiological param eters describing com m unities o f ciliates from various ecogroups o f River Tisa region in an autumn period (N ovem ber) 1991 For abbreviations see Table 3.
antropogenic sites (in places o f sewage disposal). It also has resulted in very low mean abundance (about 60 mln spec./m2) and biomass (0.8-0.9 g/m2) parameters. The seasonal study o f benthic ciliates was carried out in 1991. The distinct rise o f the abundance and biomass o f ciliates from the upper reaches to the middle section (Table 2.), and the subsequent decrease towards the lower reach (Table 3.) was observed.
W ater courses O n all m assif data
Para m eter
Periphyton (on m )
B enthos (on m )
P lankton (o n m 3)
N
2 278(7.8±1.7)
5833
1750
B
49.2(3.9± 1.5)
310.7
52.2
R
11.0(2.5±1.5)
42.5
9.0
P
6.7(2.0±1.5)
19.4
4.1
1
1
n
5
Table 5. Average hydrobiological param eters describing com m unities o f ciliates from various ecogroups o f River Tisa region in a w inter period (Fabruary) 1991 For abbreviations see Table 3, n - sam pling.
The repeated samplings executed in April before freshet, at the time o f the freshet and after freshet allowed to ascertain the influence o f a short-term high water on benthic ciliates. At the same time, a lasting flood has a sharp negative effect on the ciliates o f this eco-group. An example can be late autumn (November), when the average abundance o f benthic ciliates o f River Tisa and its tributaries was 200-900 th. sp./m2, and the biomass was 2-7 mg/m2 (Table 4.). This is essentially beneath the values both o f the other seasons. Apparently, probably related to the stabilisation o f the regime, the abundance o f ciliates in the benthos was higher even in the winter (Table 5.). It is essential to note that, although the seasonal abundance o f benthic ciliates of River Tisa and its tributaries did not exceed 2-6* 106 sp./m2 as a mass average, extremely high values were observed in occasional watercourses. Accordingly, the mean summer abundance o f bottom-dwelling ciliates for occasional tributaries o f the middle reach was 50-60* 106 sp./m2, which completely corresponds to the data obtained for Uzh in 1987 (Table 3, Kovalchuk 1993). Significant deviation (by 2-3 ranges) from the above-mentioned quantitative data o f benthic ciliates were found in the mountain tributaries o f River Danube (Kovalchuk 1993). The extremely unstable regime caused low values o f ciliate abundance and biomass (Table 2.). During the process o f seasonal vegetation fluctuation in these rivers, a sharp summer decrease in the quantities o f benthic ciliates was pointed out. Autumn parameters were found to be by 2 orders higher. The functional activity o f benthic ciliates at various reaches o f the River Tisa region is determined by a complex o f hydrophysical factors the cardinal ones o f which are the velocity and the temperature o f the flow. Fairly essential is the presence or absence o f everyday sewage. By virtue o f the above stated reasons, the maximal parameters o f the transformation o f organic substances (OS) by benthic ciliates are conventionally observed in the summer. On a site below M izhir’ia the level of breakdown was 1265 cal/(m2*day). Very high values 1076 cal/(m2*day) were reported from the river K osivs’ka inside the village K osivs’ka Poliana. These confirm the high level o f mineralisation o f OS by ciliates at mountain anthropogenic areas.
368
The average coefficient o f net production efficiency for the communities of benthic ciliates o f the investigated rivers was about 0.35, based on which we can assume an insignificant predatory component (niliovorous).
P erip hytic ciliates
Periphyton on stones is an important eco-group under the conditions o f the upper reaches o f River Tisa. As regards the quantities o f ciliates, figures obtained for periphyton approximated the values for benthos. In particular, we note the spring and autumn increase o f ciliate numbers in periphyton as well as in benthos, in transition from the upper to the middle reaches. Such difference between reaches was not observed in the sum m er (Tables. 2-5.). In the process o f the seasonal fluctuation o f cilioperiphyton an autumn quantitative minimum is noted conventionally. The mean abundance parameters for the reaches o f River Tisa varied between 1*106 - 9-106 sp./m2, and biomass between 30 - 150 mg/m 2. The biomass o f cilioperiphyton o f River Tisa, its value being more than in autumn (November), did not exceed 5-10 mg/m2, which fact refers to the fine size o f ciliates in this period o f the year. The average value o f cilioperiphyton quantities in the tributaries o f River Tisa is dependent on their geographical altitude. For the tributaries o f the upper sections in the Ukrainian reach (i.e. rivers Stohovets’, Hoverla, Chorna Tisa) lower parameters of periphytonic ciliates were characteristic than those mentioned above for River Tisa. Much higher values o f abundance and biomass were observed in the tributaries o f the middle and lower reaches (i.e. rivers Teresva, Borzhava, Rika) which is possibly caused by the more favourable trophic conditions o f these rivers. The importance o f the influence o f this factor on bottom -dwelling populations in small watercourses was emphasised by Baldock and Sleigh (1988). It is noted that the abundance o f ciliates falls sharply only in case o f the combined influence o f catarobic water and high velocity o f the flow.
E stim ation o f the d egree o f organ ic p ollution on ciliates as b ioin dicators
Attempts to evaluate the degree o f organic pollution on ciliate bioindicators has been formerly made by us on materials from 1987-1989 (Kovalchuk, 1993). The findings included indications o f the gradual improvement o f the saprobiological situation o f River Uzh, the largest tributary o f River Tisa, serving as the water supply o f Uzhgorod. The considerable amount o f material on ciliates o f River Tisa and it tributaries, w hich accumulated during a series o f expeditions in 1991-1992, allowed the seasonal evaluation o f the level o f pollution on ciliate bioindicators. Recommendations to use such approach in various types o f basins were also made. The influence o f freshets on the saprobiological situation o f the water was evaluated as well. Intense freshets were fairly frequent on the inspected rivers.
369
It is necessary to note that it is practically impossible to apply certain indices of saprobity for plankton. The reason is the negative influence o f a fast flow on ciliates, due to which fact no formed cilioplankton were found at the majority o f the sampling sites (except for site 1). The second reason for the low efficiency o f w ater quality estimation from planktonic organisms was the insufficient num ber o f indicator species. For example, neither o f the three samples taken in the period o f low w ater level at the site N 2 on 29 April 1991 yielded any ciliate bioindicators. A similar situation was observed on 25 April at site N 28 (River Stohovets’). As opposed to this, saprobiological estimation from benthic and periphytic organisms in the spring turned out to be impossible only in one instance, namely at site N 27. In April, as a result o f three journeys, data from sites N 2, N 5 and N 28 were obtained. As estimations specified, each sample appeared to indicate an alpha-mesosaprobic range o f organic pollution (Table 6.). In the presence o f parallel samples, indices obtained by estimating from cilioperiphyton were higher than those calculated from benthos. The period o f freshet was characterised by fairly similar saprobity indices (Figure 2.). The reason is the proportional increase o f water volume and contaminants which, as experience has shown, are the most actively dumped in the rivers just in the period o f freshets.
Figure 2. Saprobiological indices o f River Tisa in April 1991
During an after-freshet period o f stabilisation the decrease o f the index from the upper course towards the lower was observed. It is natural if we consider the OS-attenuating effect o f the still significant quantities o f water. During a period o f low water level the indices o f saprobity were characterised by a low alpha-mesosaprobic range on sites N 28 and N 5, and by an even lower alpha-mesosaprobic range at siteN 2 (Table 6.). Consequently, in a lower flow o f River Tisa the processes o f the self-purification o f water under normal conditions take place intensively enough. This allows the river to cope with pollution, despite the presence o f large cities and other inhabited sites. 370
Site
Ecogroup
S-index
n
S-index
19-20.04 N 28
Plank. Benth.
N5
S-index
25.04 1
n
29.04
—
3,48
1
2,94±0,11
2
Peryph.
2,88±0,04
2
3,18±0,53
3
3,21
1
Plank.
2,51±0,31
3
3,10±0,42
2
3,00±0,00
2
Benth.
2,81±0,08
3
Peryph. N2
3,00
n
—
—
—
—
3
—
2,69±0,14
3
3,21
1
Plank.
2,65±0,11
3
2,00
1
____
Benth.
2,90±0,98
3
2,52
1
2,43±0,61
2
2,61±0,21
2
3,15
1
Peryph.
—
Table 6. Saprobiological characteristic o f occasional sites on River Tisa in spring 1991
In the sum m er much attention was paid to the influence o f inhabited areas on the saprobiological condition o f River Tisa and its tributaries. At occasional points samples were taken repeatedly, which confirmed a disastrous state o f the water ecosystem below large cities. The largest contam inator with ordinary sewage is the city Rahiv. W ater quality, as suggested by ciliate bioindicators, was estimated here to be constantly upper alpha-mesosaprobic to polysaprobic (Table 7.). If we take into account the possibility o f the breakdown o f any o f the sewage treatment systems, we can quite obviously predict the increase o f saprobity indices in a cold season, as is observed in real life (Table 7.). It is well known that the functional activity o f hydrobionts falls with a decrease in temperature, which is reflected in their reduced ability to mineralise organic substances. Truly enough, when River Tisa is occasionally polluted on its reach above the cities, the effect is stronger in autumn than in summer. Unexpectedly, there was an indication o f pollution even in a state wildlife area, namely the high-mountainous lake Sinevir. While the main water body was oligotrophic and oligosaprobic, the beach showed mesosaprobic pollution. It is associated not only with the increase o f poorly supervised tourism, but also with the activity o f breeding domestic ducks by the local inspectors.
S ite
N 1 N2 N 2a N 3 N 4 N 5
N N N N N N
PI. 2,8 4 2,98
S u m m er S -in d e x Be. Pe.
Ad.
3,03
E arly A u tu m n S -index PI. Be. Pe. A d. 3,09 2,40
PI. 2 ,8 0
2,76 2 ,8 9
2,88 2,8 0
6 7 8 9 10 11
N 12 N 14 N 15 N 20 N 21 N 2 1 -1 N 21-2 N 21-3 N 22 N 2 2 -1 N 2 2 -2 N 23 N 2 3 -1 N 24 N 2 4 -1 N 2 4 -2 N 25 N 26 N 27 N 28
W in ter S-in.
A d.
U pper to N 2
3,30
2,41 2 0.08 2,4 7 2 ,2 7 2 7.08
2 ,3 7 3,00
20.08 2 ,9 0 27.08
2,87 2,8 5 2,6 8 3,00 2 ,7 0 2,8 0 2 ,6 0 3,78 3,04 3,24 2 ,7 9 2 ,7 9 2,8 6
L ate A u tu m n S -in d e x B e. Pe. A d.
2 ,9 4
2,64 PL 2,88 Pe. 2,27 Pe. on C arex
3,11 3 ,7 0 2,75
3,00 4 ,0 0 18.08 19.08
18.08 19.08
3 ,5 4 3,51 2,51 3,00 2,73
3,33 2,89 2,66
Pe. Be. P e.
3,40
Pe.
T rib u taries 2.95 2 ,5 0
2,98 3,07
2,92 3,01
3,59
2,95 3,00 2,80 3,16 2,54 3,04 3,03 2,66 2,63
2,28
2 ,8 0 2,84 2,50 2 ,8 2 2,57 2,34
1.09 3.09
2 ,8 4 3,97
Table 7. Saprobiological characteristic o f occasional sites on River Tisa in the sum m er (19 Aug. - 30 Aug.), early autum n (1 Sept. -13 Sept.), late autum n (2 N ov. -14 N ov. 1991), and winter (14 Feb. - 15 Feb. 1992) Notes: PI. - plankton, Be. - benthos, Pe. - periphyton, Ad. - additional inform ation, S-index - index o f saprobity
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T h e classification o f sam pling sites on R iver Tisa and basins in its region, based on occasion al stru cturally functional p aram eters o f ciliate com m unities
The growing anthropogenic influence on basins and watercourses, and the need for eco-m onitoring aquatic ecosystems call for fast m ethods o f assessing their conditions. One stage o f such assesment is their classification. Can the quantitative and functional parameters characterising different groups of hydrobionts be criteria for such classification? Using data from water courses and basins o f the River Tisa region I lead the classification along 7 parameters: quantity o f ciliate species, aggregate number, total breakdown o f organic substances, ratios o f algae-, bacterio- and ciliovores, saprobity on bioindicator ciliates. Evaluation was done by means o f three types o f cluster analysis: agglomerate-hierarchical, K-average and combined RQ-analysis. We received valid results for benthos and periphyton. The number o f significant clusters for the spring and summer-autumn periods varied between 3 and 4.
N 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Date, The name o f the site (river zone) 1991 18.08 Hoverla 16.08 Tisa after Yasinia 19.08 Tisa before Rahiv 18.08 Tisa after Rahiv 20.08 Tisa after Hust 20.08 Tisa before Hust 28.08 Tisa before Vilok 27.08 Tisa before Hust 29.08 Tisa after Solotvino 1.09 Stoho vets’ 5.09 Tisa before Vilok 3.09 Stoho vets’ 9.09 Tisa after Tiachiv 9.09 Borzhava 9.09 Rika near Lipcha 10.09 Rika near M izhir’ia 13.09 Lake Sinevir 13.09 Teresva 12.09 Teresul’ka 12.09 Mokrianka
Agglomerative - RQ hierarchical 1 l 1 l 1 l 3 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 1 3 3 2 1 3 3 2 2 2 2
K-average 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 3 1 2 2 2 1 3 3 3 2 3 1 1
Mean 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 1 3 2 3 2 3 2 2
Table 8. Results o f cluster analysis o f sum m er cilioperiphyton o f sites on River Tisa and basins o f its region, on seven variables
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In practice, results o f classification o f ciliobenthos are not assessed together with hydrological conditions and the characters o f the biotope. The occasional results o f the classification o f sampling sites are presented in Table 8. The results o f clusterisation using various parameters o f bioindication coincide w ith findings from the complex evaluation o f water quality with the help o f hydrochemical parameters (dissolved OS, heavy metals, biogenes, etc.). Polluted are River Rika in M izhir’ia, River Tisa below Rahiv, River Teresva in the lower region and River Borzhava near the village Dovhe. River Hoverla and lake Sinevir (though not at all sites) are considered to be completely catarobic. Moderately polluted are River Stohovets’, River Rika near the village Lipcha, River Tisa below the mouth o f River Vi§eu. The rest o f the sam pling sites with data from different periods appeared in neighbouring clusters. The same was observed when various procedures o f cluster analysis were used. Accordingly, the complex use o f a num ber o f parameters that characterise groups of ciliates appears a good perspective for the purposes o f classifying aquatic objects based on their degree o f influence on hydrobionts. Even the classification o f basins using parameters o f quantities and functional activity o f ciliates is possible.
Summ ary
In the plankton, benthos and periphyton o f the Upper Tisza region (in Ukraine) 85, 187 and 138 species o f free-living ciliates, respectively, were found. The total amount o f discovered species was 254. The distribution o f ciliates in different seasons and biotopes, changes in their quantities, biomass, and their production characteristics are ascertained. The saprobiological situation o f ciliates as bioindicators was evaluated and it appeared to be extremely unfavourable: alfa-mesosaprobic and polysaprobic range of pollution were revealed. The worst water quality was observed below the city o f Rahiv. The use o f cluster analysis allowed the classification o f sampling sites.
References
Aliev, A.R. (1986): Ekologicheskaya harakteristika infuzhoriy reki Kuri i prilegaushchih k nei vodoyomov (The ecological characteristic o f ciliates o f the River K ura and basins, adjacent to it) - 5 Congress o f All-Soviet Hydrobiol. Soc, Toliatti. - Kuibishev, Acad. Sei. SSSR, 2, 229-230 (in Russian) Ausgewahlte M ethoden der W asserunterrsuchung. Indicatoren fur die Analyse der okologischen Situation im G ewässer (1979). - Jena, Gustav Fischer, 1-5. Bick, H. (1972): Ciliated Protozoa. - Geneva, W HO, 193 p.
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Babko, R.V. (1989): M ikrobentom etr dlia protistologicheskih issledovaniy (M icrobenthos sam pler for protistological researches). - Hydrobiol. Jour, (Kiyiv), 25, N4, 78-91 (in Russian) Czapik, A. (1982): The effect o f waste on ciliate com m unities in the Biala Przem sza River. Acta Hydrobiol., 24, N1: 29-37. Chorik, F.P. (1968): Svobodnozhivushchiye infusorii vodoyom ov M oldavii (Free-living ciliates o f basins o f M oldova). - Kishinev, Acad. Sei. M old. SSR, 251 p. (in Russian) Corliss, J.O. (1977): A n annotated assignment o f fam ilies and genera to the orders and classes currently com prising the corlissian scheme o f higher classification for the phylum CILIO PHO RA .. - Trans. Amer. M icrosc. Soc., 96, N1, 104-140. Foissner, W. (1985): Classification and Phylogeny o f the C olpodea (Protozoa: Ciliophora). A rch.Protistenk, 129: 239-290. Foissner, W. (1988): Taxonom ic and nom enclatural revision o f Sladeceks list o f ciliates (Protozoa:Ciliophora) as indicators o f water quality. - H ydrobiologia, 166, 1-64. Josa, Z. (1981): Studies on the ciliata fauna o f sediment sam ples from the H ungarian reach o f River Tisa. - T iscia,16, 141-154. Kahl, A. (1930-35): Urtiere oder Protozoa. W im pertiere oder Ciliata (Infusoria). - In Dahl F. Die Tierw elt Deutschlands. - Jena.: G. Fischer 18, 21, 25, 30: 860 s. K ornienko, G.S. (1972): Infusorii nekotorih vodoyom ov Severnoho K avkasa i ih ro l’ v pitanii planktonnih rakoobrazriih i lichinok rib (Ciliates o f occasional basins o fN o rth em Caucasus and their role in the feeding o f drifting crustaceous and fish larvae). - A utor’s abstracts o f diss. candid, biol. sei., Leningrad, 38 p. (in Russian) Kovalchuk, A.A., K ovalchuk, N.Ye. (1984): Predvaritel’niye issledovaniya fauni i ecologii infusoriy reky Uzh (Zakarpatye province o f Ukr. SSR). (Prelim inary researches o fth e fauna and ecology o f ciliates o f River Uzh). - Lim nology o f mountain basins.-Y erevan, Acad. Sei. A rm enian SSR: 107-108 (in Russian) Kovalchuk, A.A., Kovalchuk, N.Ye. (1984): Lim nology o f mountain basins.-Y erevan, Acad. Sei. Armenian SSR, 107-108 (in Russian) Kovalchuk, A.A. (1990): Protistoplankton vodohranilishcha i yego roF v produktsionnodestruktsionnih protsessah (Protistoplankton o f reservoir and its role in productionalbreakdow n processes). - Bioproductivity and quality o f w ater o f the Sassyk reservoir in conditions o f it freshen. - Kiyiv, N aukova Dumka, 127-157 (in Russian) Kovalchuk, A.A.(1990a): Protisto-, microzoo- i mezozoobentos, ih bioproduktsionnaya roF i znacheniye v processah sam oochishcheniya (Protisto-, microzoo-, and mesozoobenthos, their bioproductional role and function in self purification). - Ibid., 127-157 (in Russian) Kovalchuk, A.A. (1993): Prosteishiye i m ikrofauna (Protozoans and microfauna). -H idroekologia ukrainskogo uchastka D unaya i sopredel’nih vodoyom ov (H ydroecology of the Ukrainian site o f the Danube and allied basins). - Kiyiv, N aukova Dumka, 119-148 (in Russian) Kovalchuk, A.A. (1997): Cilioperiphyton o f River Tisa (in Ukraine). Proceedings o fth e intern, scientific-practical conference - International aspects o f study and conservation o f the Carpathians biodiversity-, Septem ber 25-27, 1997. - Ukraine, Rakhiv, 94-98. Kovalchuk, A.A. (1997): Cilioplankton o f River Fisa (in Ukraine). Proceedings o f the intern, region, sem. - Environm ent protection: M odern studies in Ecology and M icrobiology-, May 13-16, 1997. - Uzhgorod,. - v .l, 441-446. M oravceva, V. (1977): Addenda to the list o f Protozoa as saprobic indicators. - Arch. Hydrobiol. 9, 161-168. Pujin, V., Stanojevic, M. (1979): Hydrobiologische Untersuchungen des unteren Theisslaufs. Tiscia 14, 131-138.
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Rassoshko, I.F., Markelova, H.H. (1989): Protozoyniy plankton m eliorirovannoho kanala i nizov’iev reki Berezini (Protozoic plankton o f a reclaim ed channel and the low er courses of River Berezina). Zhivotniy m ir Belorusskoho Poles’ia, yeho ohrana i ratsional’noye ispol’zovaniye (Fauna o f Byelorussian Polessye, its conservation and rational use): Thes. regional scient.-pract. conf. U IPS, Fauna Poles’ia 1982. - H om el’, 83-91. Toderash, I.K. (1980): Jspol’zovaniye usovershenstvovannoho varianta raschiota indeksa saprobnosti po Rotshainu dlia metoda saprobnoy valentnosti Zelinki i M arvana pri biologicheskom kontrole kachestva prirodnih vod (The use o f an advanced variant o f the index o f saprobity on Rotshine for assessing the saprobic valency o f Z elinka and M arvan, for the biological quality surveillance o f natural waters). - Resp. Sci.-theor. Conf. of scientists and young spec, o f Tadjik. SSR. - D ushanbe, 14-15 (in Russian)
Andrey A. Kovalchuk Institute o f Fishery 294000 Uzhgorod Dovzenka 4 ap. 6 Ukraine
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Table 1. Species list and the distribution o f free-living ciliates o f River Tisa
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Table 1. continue
378
Table 1. continue
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Table 1. continue Notes: PI - plankton, B - benthos, Pr - periphyton, W - winter, Sp - spring, Su - sum m er, A -autum n. 1, 2, 3 - lower, m iddle and upper reaches o f River Tisa, respectively, 4 - Tereble-R ikske reservoir, 5 - lake Sinevir; Rivers: 6 - Borzhava, 7 - Rika, 8 - M okrianka, 9 - T eresul’ka, 10 - Teresva, 11 - K osivs’ka, 12 - Hoverla, 13 - Shopurka, 14 - Stogovets’, 15 - Uzh, 16 - Latoritsa.
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