Ekosystemy wodne Białowieskiego Parku Narodowego Pod redakcją Renaty Krzyściak-Kosińskiej i Elżbiety Wilk-Woźniak 2 Authors: Mikołaj Adamczyk, Eugeniusz Biesiadka, Maciej Bonk, Irena Borzęcka, Paweł Buras, Elżbieta Dumnicka, Monika Eliasz-Kowalska, Anna Godlewska, Dorota Gusta, Małgorzata Kłonowska-Olejnik, Alicja Konopacka, Paweł Koperski, Renata Krzyściak-Kosińska, Janusz Ligięza, Tadeusz Namiotko, Mirosława Orłowska, Mariusz Pełechaty, Agnieszka Pociecha, Paweł Prus, Bronisław Szczęsny, Jacek Szlakowski, Grzegorz Tończyk, Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak, Wiesław Wiśniewolski, Agata Z. Wojtal, Katarzyna Zając Reviewers: Antoni Amirowicz, PhD, Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków Associate Professor Ryszard Gołdyn, PhD, Department of Water Protection, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań Translator: James R. A. Richards, PhD Scientifi c editors: Renata Krzyściak-Kosińska, PhD Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak, PhD Proofreading: Lynn Holmes, PhD ? Cover and typographic layout design: Wioletta Kowalska Typesetting and text make-up: Wioletta Kowalska Cover photography: Front: Agata Z. Wojtal (the Hwoźna river). Back: R. and M. Kosińscy (moor frog, beaver); M. Pełechaty (aquatic macrophytes) Shutterstock: Martin Prochazkacz (northern pike), Lyudmyla Kharlamova (yellow water-lily, great diving beetle), Emjay Smith (caddisfl y). Photography edition: Mariusz Bieniek Print preparation: Paulina Kielan, PRE-TEKST, www.pre-tekst.com Publisher: Białowieża National Park/Białowieski Park Narodowy Park Pałacowy 11 17-230 Białowieża www.bpn.com.pl Contractor: Wydawnictwo DRAGON Sp. z o.o. © Copyright by Białowieża National Park 2016 All rights reserved ISBN 978-83-64513-17-6 Project The harmonization of data on natural resources in the Białowieża National Park in order to improve the effi ciency of the National Park management is partially funded by the EEA grants from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway in the amount of 2 565 781 zł Spis treści Spis treści 3 Renata Krzyściak-Kosińska, Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak Introduction 7 Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak, Renata Krzyściak-Kosińska, Agnieszka Pociecha A review of the aquatic ecosystems 13 Bronisław Szczęsny, Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak A characterisation of abiotic factors in the Park’s waters 23 Mariusz Pełechaty Aquatic vegetation of Białowieża National Park. Phytocoenotic diversity 31 Agata Z. Wojtal, Monika Eliasz-Kowalska Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) 55 Maciej Bonk Amphibians (Amphibia) 79 Wiesław Wiśniewolski, Mikołaj Adamczyk, Paweł Buras, Janusz Ligięza, Paweł Prus, Jacek Szlakowski, Irena Borzęcka Fish (Pisces) 95 Katarzyna Zając Bivalves and snails (Mollusca – Bivalvia and Gastropoda) 113 Alicja Konopacka Crustaceans of surface waters 125 Bronisław Szczęsny Caddisfl ies (Trichoptera) 135 4 Spis treści Grzegorz Tończyk, Dorota Gusta Water beetles (Coleoptera aquatica) 153 Małgorzata Kłonowska-Olejnik Mayfl ies (Ephemeroptera) 161 Grzegorz Tończyk, Dorota Gusta Water bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) 173 Grzegorz Tończyk, Dorota Gusta Dragonfl ies (Odonata) 181 Grzegorz Tończyk, Dorota Gusta Stonefl ies (Plecoptera) 191 Grzegorz Tończyk, Dorota Gusta Alderfl ies (Megaloptera) 197 Grzegorz Tończyk, Dorota Gusta Lacewings – spongillafl ies and osmylids (Neuroptera: Sisyridae, Osmylidae) 201 Paweł Koperski Leeches (Euhirudinea) 207 Elżbieta Dumnicka, Eugeniusz Biesiadka, Tadeusz Namiotko Zoobentos (selected groups) 213 Mirosława Orłowska, Anna Godlewska Fungi and fungus-like organisms 233 Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak, Renata Krzyściak-Kosińska Species of particular importance 251 Literatura 260 Spis treści 5 Indeks taksonów 281 Wykaz tabel 295 Wykaz rycin 297 Wykaz fotografi i 298 Autorzy 302 6 Introduction 7 Renata Krzyściak-Kosińska Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak Introduction PPhotographhotograph by R. Kosińskaby R. Kosińska & MM. Kosiński. Kosiński 8 R. Krzyściak-Kosińska, E. Wilk-Woźniak Introduction Białowieża (Białowieski) National Park (hereinafter BNP) is known for its status as Europe’s best-preserved fragment of natural forest, recalling in many ways the orig- inal plant cover present over most of the continent centuries ago. The area’s uniquely valuable natural features have, in consequence, gained presentation in a large num- ber of monograph publications, scientifi c papers, popular-science works and press articles. Needless to say, scientists and naturalists from around the world have been drawn to BNP by the nature of the place (in both senses of the term), and by a level of biodiversity that is quite exceptional in the European temperate zone context. Many new fi ndings concerning the specifi cs of natural ecological processes have been made in the Park, and a large number of species new to science described. In the face of all of the above, it is a surprising but true fact that knowledge of this Forest remains inadequate. And one area of relative neglect readily identifi able has concerned the insuffi cient research carried out on BNP’s aquatic ecosystems, in part as a refl ection of their occupying such a relatively small percentage of the overall area. In consequence, the work presented refl ects a project implemented by the Park with the specifi c task of inventorying aquatic habitats, and their associated organisms. In the case of many groups, this was, in fact, the fi rst reconnaissance and inventorial work to have been carried out within the boundaries of BNP. In search of the full con- text, the authors of this book’s various chapters have made every effort to track down all relevant scientifi c publications and studies, past and present. The effect of that is to ensure that the present publication offers the widest possible depiction of what we know about the different systematic groups which inhabit waters in this area. Nevertheless, if there are readers able to fi ll in some of the many gaps still to be found here with supplementary information, they are both welcomed and encouraged to contact the Editors. More generally, we extend an invitation to our readers to join us in our research on the nature to be found within BNP, in order that we may gain as full a knowledge as possible of the interdependences and diversity characterising this exceptionally rich ecosystem. Białowieża (Białowieski) National Park is famous for its forest, with forest stands which cover almost its entire area. In the oldest part of the Park, such habitats have now been under strict (conservatorial) protection for over 90 years. Human interfer- ence is not permissible here, with the result that the only activities engaged in are scientifi c research, as well as limited provision of access to the area for the purposes Introduction 9 The Białowieża National Park – the area has been under strict protection for almost a hundred years Photograph by R. Kosińska & M. Kosiński 10 R. Krzyściak-Kosińska, E. Wilk-Woźniak of education and tourism. The Park area was increased to 10,512 ha in 1996, and today the aforesaid strict protection is extended to 6,061 ha, while there is partial protection over 4,103 ha, and the so-called “landscape protection” over a further 303 ha. The lack of human interference in ongoing natural processes ensures the area’s excep- tional value for nature-lovers as well as for scientists seeking to understand those processes, and in general the meaning of the term “undisturbed ecosystem”. The landscape within the Park is thus dominated by forest habitats which are slightly augmented by the presence of open areas and waters. However, the fact that surface waters account for a little over 0.18% of the area of BNP makes it especially impor- tant to stress that more than 60% of the Park includes habitats very closely dependent on the presence of surface and/or ground water (Krzyściak-Kosińska & Keczyński 2014). Rivers form the main element of BNP’s hydrological system, and it was in the fork or interfl uve between two of these – the Narewka and the Hwoźna – that the most precious areas of forest in BNP were excluded from any further economic or com- mercial utilisation in 1921. More than 44% of the Park area is drained by the Hwoźna (Bajkiewicz-Grabowska & Karczewska 2012). However, the Park area is also traversed by further smaller rivers fl owing into the Narewka, i.e. the Orłówka, Braszcza, Łutownia and Przedzielna. There are smaller streams and watercourses (tending to dry out from time to time) which feed into the Hwoźna. The most interesting river is the Orłówka, whose entire length falls within the Strict Protection area of BNP. Fig. 1. Diagram showing steep the emergence bank of oxbow lakes Illustration by I. Kruźlak river current bend meander neck oxbow lake meander fl at bank Introduction 11 A fact perhaps surprising for some is that the Narewka, Hwoźna and Łutownia were all regulated and adapted for use by water transport in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their channels were straightened out at that point, with all meanders eliminated (Sokołowski 2004). Furthermore, the 1960s saw melioration (drainage) work carried out in the river valleys, with the result that the source areas of both the Narewka and the Hwoźna were drained, and the water table over a wider area lowered in the ground, and also visibly in the area’s surface waters (Kawecka 2002; Bajkiewicz-Grabowska & Karcze- wska 2012). In extreme cases, old oxbow lakes and small bodies of standing water disappeared altogether as a consequence of this work. Given that Strict Protection status extends to non-interference with rivers and their valleys, and to a cessation of all regulatory work, there has been a gradual reappear- ance of natural river meandering, which is likely to lead to the unimpeded generation of oxbow lakes at some point in the future (Fig. 1). The oxbows in existence at the present time (mainly along the Narewka) are small bodies of water, fully cut off from the river and vulnerable to rapid reductions in depth as they become increasingly overgrown with vegetation. At present they remain extremely valuable natural habi- tats of high biodiversity. The Park area also has small bodies of standing water not associated with rivers. These are primarily depressions or areas in which obstructions hold back water, and it is therefore typical for them to be fi lled periodically, but not constantly.