Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2010, 55(3):123-136 | DOI: 10.17221/14/2009-CJAS

Longitudinal patterns in fish and macrozoobenthos assemblages reflect degradation of water quality and physical habitat in the Bílina river basin

P. Jurajda, Z. Adámek, M. Janáč, Z. Valová
Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic

The aim of this study was to provide the first account of fish and macroinvertebrate communities in a heavily degraded river basin in the Czech Republic. Fish and macrozoobenthos were surveyed at 18 sites in the Bílina River and 11 sites in tributary streams during June-July 2007. Fish were sampled by electrofishing and macrozoobenthos were collected by kick-sampling using a sweep net. The composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages in headwater and reference sites in the upper Bílina River indicated clean water with saprobic index (SI) 1.31-1.43 followed by a transitional stretch downstream the Kyjická reservoir (SI 2.05-2.32) and dramatic decline of water quality to SI 3.18 in the river stretch downstream of industrial and municipal pollution at Litvínov-Záluží. Despite several minor pollution sources on the subsequent downstream river stretch until its mouth into the Elbe River, the water quality indicators fluctuated in the range of lower betamesosaprobity (SI 2.06-2.58). Species richness and biodiversity indices followed a similar pattern as river saprobity. Twenty-three fish species were documented in the Bílina River basin. Chub (Leuciscus cephalus), gudgeon (Gobio gobio) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) were the most frequent species at the Bílina sites. Chub was the most numerous fish in the tributaries. Fish species richness in the longitudinal profile did not increase downstream in the Bílina mainstem, most likely because the presence of reservoirs and water pollution interrupted the river continuum pattern. Qualitative data on fish assemblages corresponded to the course of environmental stress. A sustainable fish community was documented only in the lowermost site in Ústí nad Labem near the confluence with the Elbe River. The Bílina River tributaries constitute potential refuges for fish in this basin.

Keywords: fish community; macroinvertebrates; pollution; channelization; Elbe basin

Published: March 31, 2010  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Jurajda P, Adámek Z, Janáč M, Valová Z. Longitudinal patterns in fish and macrozoobenthos assemblages reflect degradation of water quality and physical habitat in the Bílina river basin. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2010;55(3):123-136. doi: 10.17221/14/2009-CJAS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Adámek Z. (1977): Contribution to the problem of carst water pollution. Studia Geographica, 62, 93-101. Go to original source...
    2. Adámek Z., Jurajda P. (2001): Stream habitat or water quality - what influences stronger fish and macrozoobenthos biodiversity? Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology, 1, 305-311.
    3. Balon E.K. (1975): Reproductive guilds of fishes: A proposal and definition. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 32, 821-864. Go to original source...
    4. Begon M., Harper J.L., Townsend C.R. (1990): Ecology. Individuals, Populations and Communities. Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK, 220 pp.
    5. ČSN 75 7716 (1998): Water quality - Biological analysis - Determination of saprobic index. ČNI, Prague, CR, 174 pp. (in Czech)
    6. Elliott M. (1994): The analysis of macrobenthic community data. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 28, 62-64. Go to original source...
    7. Elliott M., Hemingway K.L. (2002): Fishes in Estuaries. Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK, 636 pp. Go to original source...
    8. Hohausová E., Jurajda P. (1998): Ichthyofauna of the upper Morava River drainage and its role in a restoration project. Folia Zoologica, 46, 73-85.
    9. Jurajda P., Adámek Z., Janáč M., Valová Z. (2007): Fish and macrozoobenthos in the Vlára stream drainage area (Bílé Karpaty Mountains). Czech Journal of Animal Science, 52, 214-225. Go to original source...
    10. Kruskal J.B., Wish M. (1978): Multidimensional Scaling. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, California, USA, 96 pp. Go to original source...
    11. Kružíková K., Svobodová Z., Valentová O., Randák T., Velíšek J. (2008): Mercury and methylmercury in muscle tissue of chub from the River Elbe main tributaries. Czech Journal of Food Science, 26, 67-72. Go to original source...
    12. Lawrence A., Hemingway K. (2003): Effects of pollution on fish: Molecular effects and population responses. Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK, 368 pp. Go to original source...
    13. Lojkásek B., Lusk S., Halačka K., Lusková V. (2000): Fish communities in the drainage area of the Osoblaha River and effect of the 1997 flood. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 45, 229-236.
    14. Lojkásek B., Lusk S., Halačka K., Lusková V. (2004): Fish communities in the Poodří Protected Landscape Area (the Odra River basin). Czech Journal of Animal Science, 49, 121-130. Go to original source...
    15. Pont D., Hugueny B., Beier U., Goffaux D., Melcher A., Noble R., Rogers C., Roset N., Schmutz S. (2006): Assessing river biotic condition at a continental scale: a European approach using functional metrics and fish assemblages. Journal of Applied Ecology, 43, 70-80. Go to original source...
    16. Schiemer F., Waidbacher H. (1992): Strategies for conservation of a danubian fish fauna. In: Boon P.J. (ed.): River conservation and management. John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, USA, 363-382.
    17. Simon T.P. (1999): Assessing the sustainability and biological integrity of water resources using fish communities. CRS Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA, 671 pp.
    18. Stachel B., Jantzen E., Knoth W., Kruger F., Lepom P., Oetken M., Reincke H., Sawal G., Schwartz R., Uhlig S. (2005): The Elbe flood in August 2002 - Organic contaminants in sediment samples taken after the flood event. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, 40, 265-287. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    19. Stanford J., Ward J. (2001): Revisiting the serial discontinuity concept. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management, 17, 303-310. Go to original source...
    20. Svobodová Z., Vykusová B., Máchová J., Piačka V., Bastl J., Hrbková M., Svobodník J. (1993): Monitoring of foreign substances in fishes from the Bilina River. Bulletin VÚRH Vodňany, CR, 4, 123-132. (in Czech)
    21. Vlček V., Kestřánek J., Kříž H., Novotný S., Píše J. (1984): Water courses and reservoirs. Academia, Prague, CR. 315 pp. (in Czech)
    22. Walker C.H., Hopkin S.P., Sibly R.M., Peakall D.B. (1996): Principals of Ecotoxicology. Taylor and Francis Ltd., London, UK, 308 pp.
    23. Ward J., Stanford J. (1983): The serial discontinuity concept of lotic ecosystems. In: Fontaine T.D., Bartell S.M. (eds): Dynamics of Lotic Ecosystems, Ann Arbor Scientific Publisher, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, 29-42.
    24. Whitfield A.K., Elliott M. (2002): Fishes as indicators of environmental and ecological changes within estuaries - a review of progress and some suggestions for the future. Journal of Fish Biology, 61, 229-250. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content