Semi-natural grasslands of the eastern Moravia have big potential to host species-rich plant communities. However, changes in land-use during the second half of the last century were rapid and vast and many grasslands had been ploughed over. In the early 80s some arable lands were sown with low diversity clover-grass mixture and transferred back to grassland. Restoration of grasslands on former arable fields is a major challenge. Their colonisation by grassland species may be complicated by initial seeding productive low diversity seed mixtures. The aim of this study was to estimate differences in species composition and species diversity between ex-arable artificially seeded grasslands and fragments of grasslands with continuity over 70 years in the north part of White Carpathian Mts., SE Czech Republic and identify species traits limiting species ability to colonize the ex-arable grasslands. Target plant species (total of 137) were surveyed on 66 grasslands. Surveyed grasslands were according to continuity and type of management. Coordinates of centroids from each polygon (i. e. surveyed grassland) were used to treat the spatial correlation of the surveyed grasslands. The effect of continuity on species composition and diversity was tested after accounting for differences in the management and...

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή εστιάστηκε στη μελέτη των σημαντικότερων οικολογικών και βιολογικών παραμέτρων του ζωοπλαγκτού των λιμνών Αμβρακίας, Λυσιμαχείας και Οζερός. Στόχος της μελέτης αυτής είναι η καλύτερη κατανόηση του οικολογικού ρόλου που διαδραματίζουν οι ζωοπλαγκτικές βιοκοινωνίες στα λιμναία οικοσυστήματα στην περιοχή της Δυτικής Ελλάδας, καθώς και η αποτύπωση της σημερινής κατάστασης στην οποία βρίσκονται. Πραγματοποιήθηκαν μηνιαίες δειγματοληψίες κατά την περίοδο Σεπτέμβριος 2006-Αύγουστος 2008 στη λίμνη Αμβρακία και αντίστοιχα κατά την περίοδο Ιούνιος 2009-Μάιος 2010 στις λίμνες Λυσιμαχεία και Οζερός. Σε κάθε λίμνη γινόταν συλλογή δειγμάτων ζωοπλαγκτού, in situ καταγραφή των βασικών φυσικοχημικών παραμέτρων των υδάτων και συλλογή δειγμάτων νερού για τον προσδιορισμό της συγκέντρωσης των κυριότερων θρεπτικών στοιχείων και της χλωροφύλλης-α. Η Αμβρακία είναι μια θειικού τύπου λίμνη με υψηλή αγωγιμότητα. Χαρακτηρίζεται ως θερμή μονομικτική και κατά την περίοδο της θερμοστρωμάτωσης στο υπολίμνιο παρατηρείται ανάπτυξη υποξικών/ανοξικών συνθηκών. Οι λίμνες Λυσιμαχεία και Οζερός δεν εμφάνισαν φαινόμενα θερμοστρωμάτωσης, διατηρούν ικανοποιητικά επίπεδα οξυγόνωσης στην υδάτινη στήλη τους και παρουσιάζουν αρκετά χαμηλές τιμές διαφάνειας. Σύμφωνα με τις τιμές του δείκτη τροφικότητας του Carlson, η λίμνη Αμβρακία χαρακτηρίζεται ως μεσότροφη, η λίμνη Οζερός ως μεσο-εύτροφη και η λίμνη Λυσιμαχεία ως εύτροφη. Στη λίμνη Αμβρακία αναγνωρίστηκαν συνολικά 33 ζωοπλαγκτικά taxa, στη λίμνη Λυσιμαχεία 36 και στη λίμνη Οζερός 25. Λαμβάνοντας υπ’ όψιν τις μέσες τιμές αφθονίας του ζωοπλαγκτού στις τρεις λίμνες, η Αμβρακία (83,6-442,7 ind/l) προσεγγίζει καλύτερα τα χαρακτηριστικά ζωοπλαγκτικών βιοκοινωνιών που συναντώνται σε μεσότροφα οικοσυστήματα, ενώ ο Οζερός (59,4-818 ind/l) και ιδιαίτερα η Λυσιμαχεία (147,9-4449,3 ind/l) σε εύτροφα. Η εποχική διακύμανση της συνολικής αφθονίας του ζωοπλαγκτού των λιμνών, χαρακτηρίζεται από τη χαμηλή αφθονία των ειδών κατά τη χειμερινή περίοδο και τη σταδιακή αύξησή τους κατά την εαρινή. Στη βαθιά λίμνη Αμβρακία, η συντριπτική πλειοψηφία του ζωοπλαγκτού βρέθηκε συγκεντρωμένη στο στρώμα των 0-20 m. Το θερμοκλινές φάνηκε να ασκεί σημαντική επίδραση στον κατακόρυφο διαχωρισμό ειδών και οντογενετικών σταδίων. Η διερεύνηση της επίδρασης των περιβαλλοντικών παραμέτρων στην αφθονία και διακύμανση του ζωοπλαγκτού των τριών λιμνών έδειξε πως ο κύριος παράγοντας που φαίνεται να επηρεάζει τα περισσότερα ζωοπλαγκτικά είδη είναι η θερμοκρασία. / The present PhD thesis focused on the study of the main ecological and biological aspects of the zooplankton community in lakes Amvrakia, Lysimachia and Ozeros. The aim of this study is the better understanding of zooplankton’s ecological role in lake ecosystems of Western Greece. For the investigation of the zooplankton community in lakes, zooplankton samples were collected on a monthly basis in Lake Amvrakia during the period September 2006-August 2008 and in lakes Lysimachia and Ozeros during the period June 2009-May 2010. Additionally, for the assessment of water quality in lakes, water samplings were conducted at the same period in order to estimate the concentration of nutrients and chlorophyll-a, while the water’s basic physicochemical parameters were recorded in situ. Lake Amvrakia, which belongs to the sulphate type, exhibits high conductivity values. The lake is characterized as a warm monomictic lake. The main characteristic in the vertical axis was the depletion of oxygen in the deeper hypolimnion, where anoxic conditions prevail, especially at the end of the stratification period. Lakes Lysimachia and Ozeros maintained satisfactory levels of oxygenation in their water column and no thermal stratification was observed. Both lakes exhibited low transparency values. According to Carlson's Trophic State Index (TSI), Lake Amvrakia is characterized as mesotrophic, Lake Ozeros as meso-eutrophic and Lake Lysimachia as eutrophic. The zooplankton sampling in Lake Amvrakia revealed 33 zooplankton taxa, in Lake Lysimachia 36 and in Lake Ozeros 25. Considering the mean integrated abundance of the total zooplankton in the three lakes, Amvrakia (83.6-442.7 ind/l) exhibited the main characteristics of a mesotrophic ecosystem, while Ozeros (59.4-818 ind/l) and especially Lysimachia (147.9-4449.3 ind/l) of eutrophic lakes. The seasonal variation of the total abundance of zooplankton of lakes characterized by low species abundance in winter and a gradually increase during the spring period. The investigation of the zooplankton vertical distribution in the deep lake Amvrakia showed that the vast majority of species was concentrated in the layer of 0-20 m. The development of the thermocline layer had a significant effect on the vertical separation between species, as well as between ontogenetic stages. The water temperature seemed to have the most important influence on the temporal variation of most of the zooplankton taxa in lakes Amvrakia, Lysimachia and Ozeros.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T18:13:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tatiane Mary Gogola.pdf: 469917 bytes, checksum: 708503e683dc73e48a69548553b10094 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-07-23 / Itaipu Binacional / The study of initial stages of the lifecycle of the fish is important for understanding the success of species in the environment and determine areas and spawning periods. This study analyzed the composition and structure of the assembly of fish larvae in a region of the last lotic stretch of the Paraná River at Ilha Grande National Park, searching for differences in spatial and temporal patterns of abundance, richness, diversity of larvae and indicator taxa and to examine the possible influence of some abiotic factors on the catch. Samples were taken monthly at night and six consecutive breeding seasons (October-March) between 2001 and 2008 (periods I, II, III, IV, V and VI) in three different environments (river, lake and tributaries). To this end, we used networks of conical-cylindrical plankton mesh 0.5 mm, equipped with a flowmeter to obtain the volume of filtered water. Simultaneously to the data were obtained at water temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity and pH. Besides these, were also obtained data on the river level and rainfall. Was determined, besides the abundance of larvae, the number of species (richness), the diversity index of Shannon and the specific indicator taxa for each environment and periods analyzed using the indicator value (IndVal). To determine whether there were significant differences between the biotic, was applied to analysis of variance of main effects (ANOVA, one-way) and Tukey's test, modified for number of elements between different groups (Unequal) to determine which levels differed. To assess the relationship of environmental variables and abundances was applied to multiple regression analysis. The assemblage of fish larvae of the National Park of Ilha Grande was composed for the most part by bodies covered by the order Characiformes. Periods I and IV were the highest density of larvae, while the latter showed the highest richness and diversity of species. The indicator species of the periods were mostly sedentary, but Rhinelepis aspera and Salminus brasiliensis, captured in the (V and I, respectively) higher river level and rainfall. Between environments, pond was significantly different from tributaries and the catches were quite high, with high wealth and low diversity. Among indicator species of this environment, we find migratory and non migratory species. The House of larvae was related to water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, river level and rainfall. It was then possible to observe the existence of spatial and temporal differences in assemblage structure and composition of larvae in the region of the Ilha Grande National Park, mainly related to the characteristics of the study sites and environmental factors. It was observed further that lentic provided favorable characteristics for development of both sedentary species as migratory, while the tributaries are apparently being used as a migratory route and spawning areas due to capture of newly hatched larvae, demonstrating the importance of adopting measures to protect these types of environment, not only in the region of Ilha Grande National Park, but throughout the remainder of the lotic stretch of the floodplain of the Paraná River. / O estudo das fases inicias do ciclo de vida dos peixes é importante para entendimento do sucesso das espécies no ambiente e determinar áreas e períodos de desova. Este estudo analisou a composição e a estrutura da assembleia de larvas de peixes em uma região do último trecho lótico do rio Paraná, no Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, buscando a existência de diferenças espaciais e temporais nos padrões de abundância, riqueza, diversidade de larvas e táxons indicadores, bem como analisar possíveis influências de alguns fatores abióticos sobre as capturas. As amostragens foram noturnas e realizadas mensalmente em seis períodos reprodutivos (outubro a março) entre 2001 e 2008 (períodos I, II, III, IV, V e VI) em três ambientes distintos (rio, tributários e lagoa). Para tanto, foram utilizadas redes de plâncton cônico-cilíndricas de malha 0,5 mm, equipadas com fluxômetro para a obtenção do volume de água filtrada. Concomitantemente às amostragens, foram obtidos dados de temperatura da água, oxigênio dissolvido, condutividade elétrica e pH. Além destes, também foram obtidos dados referentes ao nível fluviométrico e pluviosidade. Foram determinadas, além das abundâncias de larvas, o número de espécies (riqueza), o índice de diversidade de Shannon e determinado os táxons indicadores para cada ambiente e períodos analisados através do valor indicador (IndVal). Para determinar se houve diferenças significativas entre os fatores bióticos, foi aplicada a análise de variância de efeitos principais (ANOVA; one-way) e o teste de Tukey, modificado para número de elementos distintos entre grupos (Unequal) para determinar qual nível diferiu. Para avaliar a relação das variáveis ambientais e as abundâncias foi aplicada a análise de regressão múltipla. A assembleia de larvas de peixes do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande foi composta em sua maior parcela por organismos enquadrados na ordem Characiformes. Os períodos I e IV foram os de maior densidade de larvas, sendo que o último apresentou a maior riqueza e diversidade de espécies. As espécies indicadoras dos períodos foram na maioria sedentárias, com exceção de Rhinelepis aspera e Salminus brasiliensis, capturadas nos períodos (V e I, respectivamente) de maior nível fluviométrico e pluviosidade. Entre os ambientes, lagoa foi significativamente diferente de tributários e as capturas foram bastante elevadas, com alta riqueza e baixa diversidade. Dentre as espécies indicadoras deste ambiente, encontramos espécies migradoras e não migradoras. A assembleia de larvas esteve relacionada com a temperatura da água, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, nível fluviométrico e pluviosidade. Com isso foi possível observar a existência de diferenças espaciais e temporais na composição e estrutura da assembléia de larvas na região do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, principalmente relacionadas às características dos ambientes amostrados e aos fatores ambientais. Foi possível observar ainda que os ambientes lênticos proporcionaram características favoráveis ao desenvolvimento tanto de espécies sedentárias como de migradoras, enquanto que os tributários aparentemente estão sendo utilizados como rota migratória e áreas de desova devido a captura de larvas recém eclodidas, demonstrando a importância da adoção de medidas visando a proteção destes tipos de ambiente, não só na região do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, mas em todo o remanescente do trecho lótico da planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná.