Effect of treated wastes on algal and macroinvertebrate communities in an alpine stream

  • M. Margreiter Institut für Ökonometrie, 1120 Wien, Vienotgasse 46, Austria
  • A. Kownacki Karol Starmach Institute of Freshwater Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-106 Krakow, 17 Slawkowska Str., Poland
  • B. Kawecka Karol Starmach Institute of Freshwater Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-106 Krakow, 17 Slawkowska Str., Poland
  • J. Kwandrans Karol Starmach Institute of Freshwater Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-106 Krakow, 17 Slawkowska Str., Poland
Keywords: hydrobiology, stream algae, macroinvertebrate, community, pollution

Abstract

The investigation was carried out in the Warm Mandling stream (the Dachstein Alps, Austria) at eight stations (1,240-950 m a.s.l.) lying above and below the discharge of wastes from the treatment plant high concentrations of phosphates (6.3 mg PO4 dm3), total phosphorus (10.7 mg Ptot dm3), nitrates (15.8 mg N-N03 dm3), and total nitrogen (28.2 mg Ntot dm3) were assessed. The discharge of wastes brought about changes in the algal and macroinvertebrate communities. Below the treatment plant the abundance of tax of a wide ecological spectrum rose (algae -Cymbella silesiaca, Gomphonema olivaceum. Nitzschia capitellata, N. fonticola macroin-vertebrates - Leuctra spp., Orhtocaladius (E) rivicola, and larvae of the genera Cricotopus and Orthocladius), while the share of tax typical for pure streams (algae - Homoeothrox janthinaFragilaria arcus; macroinvertrabrate - Baetis alpinus, Rhithrogena spp.) decreased.
Published
1998-12-01
How to Cite
Margreiter, M., Kownacki, A., Kawecka, B., & Kwandrans, J. (1998). Effect of treated wastes on algal and macroinvertebrate communities in an alpine stream. Oecologia Montana, 7(1-2), 13-20. Retrieved from https://om.vuvb.uniza.sk/index.php/OM/article/view/102
Section
Standard articles