UNESCO’s Copyright Copyright 2009 UNESCO This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNESCO would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from UNESCO. First edition 2009 The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Moreover, the views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the UNESCO, nor does citing of trade names or commercial processes constitute endorsement. Cover Design and photos: Małgorzata Łapińska ISBN: 978-989-20-1702-0 Typesetting: Universidade do Algarve, Faro PRACTICAL EXPERIMENTS GUIDE FOR ECOHYDROLOGY 1 List of contributions: Chapter 1. PHOSPHORUS: AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS’ EXTERNAL SUPPLY AND BALANCE AGAINST HYDROLOGICAL PATTERNS OF TRIBUTARIES. Iwona Wagner- University of Lodz (Poland) [email protected] Chapter 2. DENITRIFICATION AS AN INTEGRATIVE ELEMENT OF RESERVOIRS RESTORATION. Agnieszka Bednarek- University of Lodz (Poland) [email protected] Chapter 3. THE USAGE OF THE N/P RATIO AS A PREDICTION TOOL FOR EUTROPHICATION AND NUTRIENT LIMITATIONS. Julian Oxmann- University of Bremen (Germany) [email protected] Chapter 4. EFFECTS OF NUTRIENT AND LIGHT ENRICHMENT ON PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH. Ana Barbosa and Rita Domingues -University of Algarve (Portugal) [email protected], [email protected] Chapter 5. CAN ENZYMES SUPPLY CYANOBACTERIAL BLOOMS? Adrianna Trojanowska –University of Wroclaw (Poland) [email protected] Chapter 6. WHICH ARE THE PARAMETERS THAT CAN CONTROL BLOOMS EVENTS IN THE LAGOONS? Manos Koutrakis, Georgios Syslaios and Eleni Tryfon - Fisheries Research Institute, University of Thrace (Greece) [email protected] Chapter 7. GRAZING IMPACT OF MICROZOOPLANKTON UPON PHYTOPLANKTON PRODUCTION. Ana Barbosa and Rita Domingues - University of Algarve (Portugal) [email protected], [email protected] Chapter 8. ANALYSIS OF DYNAMICS AND SUCCESSION OF FITERING ZOOPLANKTON IN DIFFERENT HYDROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. Adrianna Wojtal-Frankiewicz - University of Lodz (Poland) [email protected] Chapter 9. MAY THE PRESENCE OF BIVALVES AFFECT THE DEPOSITON OF SPM AND ASSOCIATED POLLUTANTS, i.e. SPILLED HYDROCARBONS? Juan Carlos Colombo-University of La Plata (Argentina) [email protected] Chapter 10. MAY BIVALVES BE USED TO CONTROL TOXIC ALGAE BLOOMS? Luis Chicharo- University of Algarve (Portugal) [email protected] Chapter 11. HOW DO DIFFERENT GROWTH FORMS OF AQUATIC PLANTS INFLUENCE THE OXYGEN CONCENTRATION WITHIN A WATER BODY? Georg Janauer- University of Vienna (Austria) [email protected] Chapter 12. USE OF RIPARIAN PLANTS TO REMOVE CADMIUM FROM ESTUARINE SEDIMENT. Manuela Moreira da Silva- University of Algarve (Portugal) [email protected] Chapter 13. MODELLING ESTUARINE ECOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO DIVERSE HYDROLOGICAL PATTERNS. BOTTOM-UP CONTROL. Radhouan Ben-Hamadou- CCMAR, University of Algarve (Portugal) [email protected] Chapter 14. REGULATION OF BIOTIC FEEDBACS BY HYDROLOGY. TOP-DOWN EFFECTS. Maciej Zalewski- ERCE, University of Lodz (Poland) [email protected] [email protected] Chapter 15. ANALYSIS OF JUVENILE FISH BEHAVIOUR IN DIFFERENT HYDROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. Piotr Frankiewicz- University of Lodz (Poland) [email protected] Chapter 16. FISH COMMUNITY AS A TOOL IN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT. Małgorzata Łapińska- University of Lodz (Poland) [email protected] Chapter 17. ARE MALES SPECIMENS MORE ADEQUATE TO DETECT ANTROPOGENIC IMPACTS? Maria Alexandra Chicharo- University of Algarve (Portugal) [email protected] Chapter 18. HOW DO WETLAND VEGETATION CHARACTERISTICS DEPEND ON HYDROLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY AND SUBSTRATE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY? Ruben Lara- University of Bremen (Germany) [email protected] Chapter 19. MAY WATERSHED LAND COVER BE USED AS AN INDICATOR OF POTENTIAL ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT ON WATER RESOURCES? Ramiro Sarandón and Verónica Guerrero- University of la Plata (Argentina) [email protected] Chapter 20. AN EXPERIENCE ON ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF ESTUARINE OR SEA WATERS. Lorenzo Marquez, Carlos Jiménez, Jesus Morales- Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica (IFAPA) [email protected] Chapter 21. CYTOGENETICS OF BIVALVES AS POSSIBLE INDICATOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL ADVERSITY Alexandra Leitão- Instituto das Pescas da Investigação e do Mar (IPIMAR) [email protected] Acknowledgements The editors would like to express their deep appreciation to all the above experts for their contributed to the production of this guide, to UNESCO-BRESCE and to Dr. Philippe Pypaert for their support. PRACTICAL EXPERIMENTS GUIDE FOR ECOHYDROLOGY 2 PREFACE Aquatic ecosystems are under increasing pressure due to human activities and changing natural phenomena. Addressing water quality and quantity issues is a crucial matter for human existence and biodiversity conservation. Water ecosystems are used as sources and sinks by a large number of similar activities occurring worldwide. Thus, similar water problems and degradation can be related to similar causes, having similar consequences in different world aquatic ecosystems. Ecohydrology provides the tools to deal with aquatic ecosystems degradation. Ecohydrology is based on a holistic approach to aquatic ecosystems that integrates hydrology and biology for finding the most adequate solutions for the benefit of society and ecosystems. Ecohydrology is a recent science and its application worldwide is growing particularly since “Ecohydrology for Sustainability” was established as one of the five pillars of the 7th Phase of the International Hydrologic Program of UNESCO. Aiming to contribute to the dissemination of the Ecohydrology concept in different types of aquatic ecosystems, this book proposes a series of practical experiments, mostly requiring non-sophisticated laboratory equipment and conditions. The experiments proposed will provide to the water science students a practical knowledge of the methods to identify, analyse and design solutions to water and biodiversity degradation. The student will be guided to analyse and discuss the results of the experiment and draw her/his own conclusions. For further discussion, questions or suggestions readers may use the book webpage www.icce.com.pt/ehstudents.guide We are most grateful to the many colleagues that, from around the world, contributed with their knowledge and experience to make this book possible. Special acknowledgment is due to Dr. Philippe Pypaert, from UNESCO-BRESCE, who enthusiastically supported the development and dissemination of the Ecohydrology concept since its beginning. By doing this book we hope to contribute to the creation of a broad vision of the processes occurring at the river basin including coastal regions, mastering the linkage between systems and comprising all the aspects of the water cycle that will allow students and water professionals to develop the integrated ecohydrology based solutions to restore, sustain and improve water quality and biodiversity in OUR aquatic ecosystems. The Editors PRACTICAL EXPERIMENTS GUIDE FOR ECOHYDROLOGY 3 INTRODUCTION Aquatic ecosystems are under increasing pressure worldwide. Increasing urbanization, intensive agriculture practices and industrialization are some of the factors contributing to water quality degradation and biodiversity loss. Cumulatively, climate changes are affecting hydrologic cycles and will pose in the near future more problems to water quantity and quality, in different world regions. Aquatic ecosystems are very dynamic and are changing fast. Alien species are spreading very fast and threatening biodiversity. Rivers, estuaries and coastal areas are affected by reservoirs and dams. Consistent trend of human migration toward coastal regions increase stress and degradation on estuaries and coastal areas. All the existing facts and the forecast scenarios call for integrated solutions for water quality and quantity sustainability. Solutions must be based on a deep knowledge of ecosystem processes and functioning. Ecohydrology is a scientific concept applied to environmental problem-solving. It quantifies and explains the relationships between hydrological processes and biotic dynamics at a catchment scale. The concept, developed by the UNESCO International Hydrologic Programme (IHP) and the Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB), is based upon the assumption that sustainable development of water resources is dependent on the ability to restore and maintain evolutionary established processes of water and nutrient circulation and energy flows at the basin scale. Using ecosystem properties as a management tool enhances carrying capacity of ecosystems against human impact. This approach is supported by a profound knowledge of ecosystems functioning, as a basis for twinning the interplay between hydrologic and ecological factors, in order to increase ecosystems robustness and resilience to anthropogenic impacts. The notion that water quality and biodiversity can be controlled by managing hydrologic