Fungi and bacteria are the major organic matter (OM) decomposers in aquatic ecosystems. While bacteria are regarded as primary mineralizers in the pelagic zone of lakes and oceans, fungi dominate OM ...decomposition in streams and wetlands. Recent findings indicate that fungal communities are also active in lakes, but little is known about their diversity and interactions with bacteria. Therefore, the decomposer niche overlap of saprotrophic fungi and bacteria was studied on pollen (as a seasonally recurring source of fine particulate OM) by performing microcosm experiments with three different lake types. Special emphasis was placed on analysis of fungal community composition and diversity. We hypothesized that (I) pollen select for small saprotrophic fungi and at the same time for typical particle-associated bacteria; (II) fungal communities form specific free-living and attached sub-communities in each lake type; (III) the ratio between fungi or bacteria on pollen is controlled by the lake's chemistry. Bacteria-to-fungi ratios were determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR), and bacterial and fungal diversity were studied by clone libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprints. A protease assay was used to identify functional differences between treatments. For generalization, systematic differences in bacteria-to-fungi ratios were analyzed with a dataset from the nearby Baltic Sea rivers. High abundances of Chytridiomycota as well as occurrences of Cryptomycota and yeast-like fungi confirm the decomposer niche overlap of saprotrophic fungi and bacteria on pollen. As hypothesized, microbial communities consistently differed between the lake types and exhibited functional differences. Bacteria-to-fungi ratios correlated well with parameters such as organic carbon and pH. The importance of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen for bacteria-to-fungi ratios was supported by the Baltic Sea river dataset. Our findings highlight the fact that carbon-to-nitrogen ratios may also control fungal contributions to OM decomposition in aquatic ecosystems.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Nutrient fluxes across terrestrial-aquatic boundaries and their subsequent integration into lake nutrient cycles are currently a major topic of aquatic research. Although pollen represents a good ...substrate for microorganisms, it has been neglected as a terrestrial source of organic matter in lakes. In laboratory experiments, we incubated pollen grains of
Pinus sylvestris
in water of lakes with different trophy and pH to estimate effects of pollen input and its subsequent microbial degradation on nutrient dynamics. In this
ex situ
experiment, we measured concentrations of organic carbon, phosphorus and nitrogen in the surrounding water as well as microbial dynamics (bacteria and fungal sporangia) at well-controlled conditions. Besides leaching, chemical and microbial decomposition of pollen was strongest within the first week of incubation. This led to a marked increase of soluble reactive phosphorus and total dissolved nitrogen (up to 0.04 and 1.5 mg L
−1
, respectively, after 5 days of incubation) in the ambient water. In parallel, pollen grains were rapidly colonized by heterotrophic bacteria and aquatic fungi. Leaching and microbial degradation of pollen accounted for ≥80, ≥40, ≥50% for organic C, N and P, respectively, and did not significantly differ among water samples from the studied lakes. Thus, pollen introduces high amounts of bio-available terrestrial organic matter and nutrients into surface waters within a short time. A rough calculation on P input into oligotrophic Lake Stechlin indicates that pollen plays an important ecological role in nutrient cycling of temperate lakes. This requires further attention in aquatic ecology.
Understanding the costs of emission abatement measures is essential for devising reduction efforts. It allows to identify cost-effective solutions to achieve target values set by international ...agreements or national policies. This work aims to summarize and discuss the current knowledge on costs and effects associated with selected ammonia (NH3) mitigation measures in livestock production through comparison of country-specific and model-estimated values. Often, large differences appear between the results of individual countries, also in comparison with model results that are generally better harmonized between countries. It seems that different system boundaries in cost assessments, but also different geographic and structural conditions create perceived as well as real cost differences, also caused by the variability of individual situations. Our results are robust with respect to identifying feeding strategies as the most cost-effective, but results for other mitigation options do not show any clear trends, thus making it difficult to distinguish further cost-effective solutions. We point out and discuss some key aspects which may affect estimates of national costs, leading to challenges with the interpretation of final results. Our study concludes that further and more consistent assessments (e.g. standardized protocols) are needed to improve the evaluation base for other individual abatement options, including options that are under development.
•Cost estimates for abatement options vary markedly between countries and model data.•Country-specific assumptions play critical role in cost assessment.•Consistent assessment of costs is needed to properly identify affordable measures.
Growing awareness of global challenges and increasing pressures on the farming sector, including the urgent requirement to rapidly cut greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, emphasize the need for ...sustainable production, which is particularly relevant for dairy production systems. Comparing dairy production systems across the three sustainability dimensions is a considerable challenge, notably due to the heterogeneity of production conditions in Europe. To overcome this, we developed an ex post multicriteria assessment tool that adopts a holistic approach across the three sustainability dimensions. This tool is based on the DEXi framework, which associates a hierarchical decision model with an expert perspective and follows a tree shaped structure; thus, we called it the DEXi-Dairy tool. For each dimension of sustainability, qualitative attributes were defined and organized in themes, sub-themes, and indicators. Their choice was guided by three objectives: (i) better describe main challenges faced by European dairy production systems, (ii) point out synergies and trade-offs across sustainability dimensions, and (iii) contribute to the identification of GHG mitigation strategies at the farm level. Qualitative scales for each theme, sub-theme, and indicator were defined together with weighting factors used to aggregate each level of the tree. Based on selected indicators, a list of farm data requirements was developed to populate the sustainability tree. The model was then tested on seven case study farms distributed across Europe. DEXi-Dairy presents a qualitative method that allows for the comparison of different inputs and the evaluation of the three sustainability dimensions in an integrated manner. By assessing synergies and trade-offs across sustainability dimensions, DEXi-Dairy is able to reflect the heterogeneity of dairy production systems. Results indicate that, while trade-offs occasionally exist among respective selected sub-themes, certain farming systems tend to achieve a higher sustainability score than others and hence could serve as benchmarks for further analyses.
Livestock manure management systems can be significant sources of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and ammonia (NH3) emissions. Many studies have been conducted to improve our understanding of the ...emission processes and to identify influential variables in order to develop mitigation techniques adapted to each manure management step (animal housing, outdoor storage, and manure spreading to land). The international project DATAMAN (http://www.dataman.co.nz) aims to develop a global database on greenhouse gases (N2O, CH4) and NH3 emissions from the manure management chain to refine emission factors (EFs) for national greenhouse gas and NH3 inventories. This paper describes the housing and outdoor storage components of this database. Relevant information for different animal categories, manure types, livestock buildings, outdoor storage, and climatic conditions was collated from published peer reviewed research, conference papers, and existing databases published between 1995 and 2021. In the housing database, 2024 EFs were collated (63% for NH3, 19.5% for CH4, and 17.5% for N2O). The storage database contains 654 NH3 EFs from 16 countries, 243 CH4 EFs from 13 countries, and 421 N2O EFs from 17 countries. Across all gases, dairy cattle and swine production in temperate climate zones are the most represented animal and climate categories. As for the housing database, the number of EFs for the tropical climate zone is under‐represented. The DATAMAN database can be used for the refinement of national inventories and better assessment of the cost‐effectiveness of a range of mitigation strategies.
Core Ideas
Livestock manure management systems are one of the main sources of greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions worldwide.
We built a database of CH4, NH3, and N2O emissions from livestock housing and outdoor manure storage.
The housing database contains 392, 1,281, and 351 emission factors for CH4, NH3, and N2O, respectively.
The storage database contains 243, 654, and 421 emission factors for CH4, NH3, and N2O, respectively.
Due to the lack of studies, not all regions of the world are in the database.
The caddisfly Crunoecia irrorata is a wide-spread species in Europe and inhabits permanent spring areas with pristine or moderately disturbed habitat conditions. However, the pattern of its ...distribution on the national scale as well as detailed preferences toward water properties are still insufficiently known. To complete this knowledge we analysed at first the distribution of this species in Poland which showed that its extent involves the whole territory, however, with sparse occurrence in most regions and with large areas where the species has not been observed yet. The data compilation also showed that the species’ frequency of occurrence is highest in the central-western region of Poland. Furthermore, its frequency of occurrence decreased towards the east and the northeast. Because the highest frequency of occurrence of this species was found in central-western Poland, the spring sites in this region were used as a model area for the analysis of the hydrochemical conditions associated with the species (25 parameters). The results of the study showed that C. irrorata strongly prefers habitats with low nitrate (NO3) and chloride (Cl) concentrations. In detail, a regression model showed that the probability of occurrence of C. irrorata was only 5 % at concentrations of 32 mg L-1 NO3 and 35 mg L-1 Cl. In contrast, high concentrations of heavy metals (zinc, lead, cooper, chromium, and cadmium) as well as of total iron and manganese did not significantly influence the presence of this species. In conclusion, environmental assessments relating to human health and landscape health can use C. irrorata as an indicator species for biogenic and salt pollution, but the species is not a potential indicator of heavy metals in spring water. Therefore, information on the presence of C. irrorata can serve to preserve crenic ecosystems and their assemblages and can be used to prevent anthropogenic contamination of these ecosystems.
Although anaerobic metabolism in lake sediments is strongly related to organic material from the trophogenic layer, little is known about the role of food web structure in this respect. We tested the ...influence of planktivorous fish (treatments with or without fish, ±F) and nutrients (treatments with or without fertilization, ±N) on chlorophyll a, zooplankton, sedimentation of particulate organic carbon (POC), and methane accumulation in large enclosures with anoxic hypolimnia (10 m diameter, 8 m deep, 2 × 2 factorial design). Additionally, methane production potential from settled material was estimated in laboratory experiments. In the enclosures, methane accumulation rate increased in the order +F/−N, −F/+N, −F/−N, and +F/+N, while POC sedimentation was similar in all treatments. Settled POC was more efficiently transformed into methane in −F/−N than in +F/−N treatments. However, an opposite effect was observed between −F/+N and +F/+N treatments. In the laboratory, methane production potential was higher when (1) POC content in settled matter increased, and (2) no fish were present. This corresponded well only to field results obtained in −F/−N and +F/−N treatments. The unexpectedly high methane accumulation in the +F/+N treatment was very likely related to abrupt depletion of other electron acceptors in the hypolimnion, which attenuated effects of food web structure. In conclusion, our results indicate that food web structure indirectly affects anaerobic microbial activity primarily due to changes in the decomposition potential of settled organic matter.
Knowledge about the contribution of food web structure and nutrient concentration in lakes to phosphorus (P) sedimentation and remobilisation at the sediment surface is still poor. Using four large ...enclosures placed in a eutrophic, thermally stratifying lake, we studied the effects of the structure of the planktonic food web (with and without planktivorous fish, ±F treatments) and nutrient concentration (with and without fertilisation, ±N treatments) on P sedimentation. We investigated the total P content and P binding forms in settling material (TPSM) and of the uppermost 1cm sediment layer (TPSed) during three consecutive stratification periods (2005–2007). Additionally, epilimnetic P (SRPEpi, TPEpi), chlorophyll a and biomass of total crustacean and Daphnia were measured. On a seasonal scale, Daphnia biomass tended to negatively influence chlorophyll a, sedimentation rate of total particulate matter and of P, but the latter two criteria did not differ significantly between treatments due to large fluctuations within each enclosure. The contents of TPSM and loosely adsorbed P in settling material decreased in the following order: −F/+N>+F/+N>−F/−N>+F/−N, indicating greater effects of nutrient addition than of food web structure. In sediments, organically bound P was 9–23% higher in −F variants compared to the corresponding +F treatments, thus indicating an effect of food web structure. Furthermore, positive correlations between SRPEpi, TPEpi, TPSM, TPSed, sediment reductant-soluble P and calcite bound P revealed an effect of the epilimnetic P concentration on P sedimentation and specific P binding forms. Compared to the composition of different P binding forms in the settling material, a considerable decrease of loosely adsorbed P (12–26%) and reductant-soluble P (14–21%), as well as an increase of organic P (14–26%) were observed in the uppermost 1cm-layer of the sediments in all treatments. We conclude that both nutrient enrichment (+N) and food web structure (−F) enhance the P sedimentation and P content at the sediment surface. However, in addition to food web effects on organic P content in settling matter and sediments, factors like iron concentration and calcite precipitation might be of importance for P sedimentation and storage in sediments in complex systems such as lakes.
The information about the distribution of caddisflies (Trichoptera) in mid-western Poland being
a part of the Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland (WKL) faunistic region is still scarce compared to other ...regions. To close the knowledge gap, we investigated caddisflies larvae and occasionally imagines in a selected area in mid-western Poland in 2011. The aim was the preliminary estimation of species richness and abundance of protected, rare and endangered species in this part of WKL. For the study 63 sampling sites representing broad spectrum of habitat types were chosen and analysed with various ecological indices. In total, 75 species: 46 as larvae and 51 as imagines were found in the area. Among them, one protected species (Crunoecia irrorata), 5 listed in the Polish Red List (Erotesis baltica, Hydropsyche bulgaromanorum, Ylodes simulans, Limnephulus borealis and L. fuscinervis), and 11 species not reported for WKL yet were found in the area. In the whole material, the most frequent and dominant species was Limnephilus flavicornis. In contrast, 50 species were recorded in less than 5% of sites. The highest species richness was found in rivers and fish ponds with total number of 33 and 32 species, respectively, whereas the lowest one in springs (5 species) and bogs (6 species). The highest species diversity obtained with probability of intraspecific encounter (PIE) Index was found in fish ponds (0.90) and rivers (0.85) as well. In contrast, streams had the lowest PIE value (0.60) in the area. The most valuable habitat types with regard to protected, endangered and rare species were rivers and fish ponds, as well as lakes and streams of lower importance. To conclude, our investigation indicated a high species richness and diversity in the area, which was related to high habitat heterogeneity, thus having significant importance for biodiversity preservation in mid-western Poland. Moreover, fish ponds and rivers were the most valuable habitat types significantly contributing to species richness, diversity and preservation of rare and endangered species in this area.
Wiedza na temat rozmieszczenia chruścików (Trichoptera) w środkowo-zachodniej Polsce, będącej częścią krainy faunistycznej Niziny Wielkopolsko-Kujawskiej (WKL) jest wciąż uboga w porównaniu do innych regionów. W celu uzupełnienia tej informacyjnej luki w roku 2011 przeprowadzono inwentaryzację wybranego obszaru w tej części kraju. Celem pracy było wstępne określenie różnorodności gatunkowej oraz gatunków chronionych, zagrożonych i rzadkich w tej części WKL. Próby pobrano z 63 stanowisk obejmujących szerokie spektrum typów siedlisk a następnie przeanalizowano przy użyciu różnych wskaźników ekologicznych. Ogółem stwierdzono 75 gatunków chruścików, w tym 46 i 51 odpowiednio w postaci larw i osobników dorosłych. Wśród stwierdzonych gatunków jeden jest chroniony (Crunoecia irrorata), 5 znajduje się na Polskiej Czerwonej Liście (Erotesis baltica, Hydropsyche bulgaromanorum, Ylodes simulans, Limnephulus borealis and L. fuscinervis) a 11 nie było dotychczas podanych z WKL. Z całości materiału gatunkiem o najwyższej dominacji i frekwencji był Limnephilus flavicornis. Natomiast aż 50 gatunków stwierdzono w mniej niż 5% stanowisk. Najwyższą liczbę gatunków zanotowano w rzekach i stawach rybnych, odpowiednio 33 i 32, natomiast najmniejszą w źródłach (5 gatunków) oraz na torfowiskach (6 gatunków). Najwyższą różnorodnością gatunkową mierzoną według wskaźnika PIE charakteryzowały się również stawy rybne (0.90) i rzeki (0.85), natomiast najniższą wartość PIE (0.60) stwierdzono w strumieniach. Pod względem udziału gatunków chronionych, zagrożonych i rzadkich najbardziej cenne okazały się rzeki oraz stawy rybne, a także w mniejszym stopniu jeziora oraz źródła. Reasumując, badany obszar charakteryzuje się dużym bogactwem oraz różnorodnością gatunkową chruścików mających znaczenie dla ochrony bioróżnorodności w środkowo-zachodniej Polsce. Najbardziej cennymi typami siedlisk dla zachowania bogactwa, różnorodności oraz dla gatunków rzadkich i zagrożonych są rzeki oraz stawy hodowlane.
Although aquatic beetles are one of the most diverse groups significantly contributing to species diversity in freshwaters, their occurrence and distribution has been studied very poorly in ...midwestern Poland. Consequently, our knowledge about the current aquatic beetle species richness and habitat preferences is still scarce in large parts of this region. To close this knowledge gap, we investigated a selected area of approximately 500 km2 in the south-western part of the Lubuskie Province, part of the Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland, to obtain the richness of total, protected, endangered and rare species of aquatic beetles, as well as to analyse their diversity and ecological groups in representative habitats. For the study, 70 sampling sites representing ditches (5 localities), streams (4), rivers (13), small water bodies in open landscapes (7) and in forests (6), temporary (8) and permanent (7) fish ponds, lakes (4), fens (1), peat bogs (13) and marshes (2) were investigated from April to September 2011. In total, 115 species, including 10 protected by law or/and listed on the Polish Red List, as well as 11 rare and local in Poland species were found in the study area. Among them special attention should be paid to Macroplea appendiculata - a recently-discovered for the Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland and critically endangered in Poland species as well as Rhantus incognitus - an endangered and rare species in Poland. The most frequent species was Hyphydrus ovatus (34.3% of sites), whereas 29 species, mostly stenotopic specialists, were recorded in only one site. Eurytopes and tyrphophiles were both present in each habitat type. Further, the most diverse habitats were temporary ponds containing 7 groups of stenotopes, whereas in streams only 2 groups were found. On average, the most species rich habitats were permanent ponds (median = 11 species) and bogs (11), but the highest species numbers were found in a temporary pond (44 species) and in a small water body in open landscape (42). The lowest species richness was found in streams (maximum 4 species per site). According to an evaluation of habitat types based on protected, threatened
and rare species, the most important were permanent and temporary ponds in the forested, water-rich parts of the study area. In agriculturally dominated parts, however, small rivers and occasionally small water bodies were of high importance for rare species.
We conclude that the species richness and abundance of protected, endangered and rare species are high in the study area in comparison to other parts of Poland. The most important habitats in terms of high diversity of aquatic beetles are predominantly permanent fish ponds and bogs, whereas permanent and temporary fish ponds play a key role for the high content of rare and protected species in the area
Chrząszcze wodne są jedną z najbardziej bogatych w gatunki grup znacząco przyczyniających się do różnorodności gatunkowej w wodach słodkich, jednak ich występowanie i rozmieszczenie w Polsce środkowo-zachodniej było badane w bardzo małym zakresie. W konsekwencji nasza obecna wiedza o ich różnorodności gatunkowej oraz preferencjach siedliskowych w tej części kraju jest znikoma. W związku z tym przeprowadzono inwentaryzację wybranego terenu o powierzchni ok. 500 km2 w południowo-zachodniej części województwa lubuskiego, według Katalogu fauny Polski leżącego na Nizinie Wielkopolsko-Kujawskiej. Celem badań było określenie różnorodności gatunkowej oraz udziału gatunków chronionych, zagrożonych i rzadkich, a także analiza grup ekologicznych chrząszczy wodnych w reprezentatywnych biotopach. Próby pobrano z 70 stanowisk reprezentujących: rowy (5 stanowisk), strumienie (4), rzeki (13), oczka wodne w terenie otwartym (7) i śródleśnym (6), stawy rybne z okresowym (8) i permanentnym (7) stanem wody, jeziora (4), torfowiska niskie (1), torfowiska sfagnowe (13) oraz bagna (2) w okresie od kwietnia do września 2011 r. Stwierdzono 115 gatunków, w tym 10 gatunków chronionych lub/i uwzględnionych w Polskiej Czerwonej Liście oraz 11 gatunków rzadkich i lokalnych w Polsce. Na szczególną uwagę zasługują Macroplea appendiculata - gatunek krytycznie zagrożony (CR), chroniony oraz nowy dla Niziny Wielkopolsko-Kujawskiej, oraz Rhantus incognitus - gatunek zagrożony (EN) i rzadko spotykany w kraju. Najwyższa frekwencja cechowała Hyphydrus ovatus (34,3% stanowisk), natomiast 29 gatunków, w większości stenotopów, występowało tylko na jednym stanowisku. Spośród grup ekologicznych, eurytopy i tyrfofile występowały we wszystkich typach siedlisk. Najbardziej różnorodne pod względem typów ekologicznych chrząszczy były stawy okresowe, w których zanotowano 7 grup stenotopów. Najmniej stwierdzono ich w strumieniach (2 grupy). Średnio, największą ilością gatunków charakteryzowały się stawy permanentne (mediana = 11 gatunków) oraz torfowiska (11), natomiast maksymalnie najwięcej gatunków zanotowano w stawach okresowych (44 gatunki) oraz w małych zbiornikach terenów otwartych (42). Najmniej bogate gatunkowo były strumienie (maksymalnie 4 gatunki na stanowisko). Wyniki ewaluacji typów siedlisk pod kątem występowania gatunków chronionych, zagrożonych i rzadkich wykazały, że najbardziej istotne były permanentne i okresowe stawy na obszarach zalesionych i bogatych w wody. Jednak w obrębie dominacji agrocenoz, ważne dla zachowania tych grup gatunków okazały się małe rzeki oraz częściowo małe zbiorniki.
Na podstawie przeprowadzonych badań należy stwierdzić, że obszar środkowo-zachodniej Polski charakteryzuje się dużym bogactwem gatunków chrząszczy wodnych oraz dużym udziałem gatunków chronionych, zagrożonych i rzadkich na tle innych części kraju. Najważniejszymi typami siedlisk w aspekcie różnorodności gatunkowej są głównie stawy permanentne oraz torfowiska. Natomiast stawy okresowe i permanentne odgrywają kluczową rolę dla zachowania gatunków rzadkich na tym obszarze.
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