Article
Ecology
Jason D. Lech, Michael R. Willig
Summary: This study assessed how native aquatic macrophytes in lakes and ponds respond to various forms of disturbance, finding that different species exhibit unique responses along a latent environmental gradient. The research analyzed the independent and joint effects of different disturbance types, highlighting the significant impact of invasive species and plant characteristics on the metacommunity structure of native aquatic plants.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Frederic Labat, Gabrielle Thiebaut
Summary: Small shallow lakes (SSLs) have significant conservation value and provide various ecosystem services. However, they are under threat, especially from eutrophication. The ecological quality of SSLs remains poorly evaluated due to the lack of suitable tools. This study proposes a new trophic index, TIM2S, which is based on the tolerance range of macrophyte species to total phosphorus. Compared to existing trophic indices, TIM2S shows better efficiency in discriminating trophic levels and evaluating ecological statuses accurately.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dimitrios Zervas, Vasiliki Tsiaoussi, Athanasios S. Kallimanis, Panayotis Dimopoulos, Erwin Bergmeier, Ioannis Tsiripidis
Summary: This study investigated the response of aquatic plant diversity to different trophic levels in Mediterranean lakes. Results indicated a significant decrease in taxonomic alpha diversity and lower functional richness in lakes with high trophic levels. Additionally, lakes with higher trophic levels showed greater functional dispersion and community homogeneity, highlighting the importance of understanding aquatic plant assembly processes for conservation and restoration efforts in impacted freshwater ecosystems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joachim Audet, Trine Mariane Olsen, Thomas Elsborg, Annette Baattrup-Pedersen, Tenna Riis
Summary: This study evaluated denitrification rates in different stream habitats in Denmark, finding higher rates in vegetated habitats, especially those with emergent plants. Vegetation may enhance denitrification by providing more carbon and oxygen availability in the habitats.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Anja Rimac, Antun Alegro, Vedran Segota, Nina Vukovic, Nikola Koletic
Summary: A comprehensive field survey of watercourses in Croatia identified five community types dominated by bryophytes, which were influenced by climatic, physiographic, and water chemistry parameters. The study found that the Dinaric Ecoregion's clean and basic karstic rivers had certain communities, while the Pannonian Ecoregion's eutrophic water restricted to small rivers had different communities. The most widespread community in Croatia was Cinclidotus, predominantly found in clean karstic rivers belonging to the Dinaric Ecoregion.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dianneke van Wijk, Manqi Chang, Annette B. G. Janssen, Sven Teurlincx, Wolf M. Mooij
Summary: Worldwide, water quality managers aim for a state of clear, macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes rather than turbid, phytoplankton-dominated ones. However, the concept of critical turbidity has been neglected in contemporary water quality models. In this study, an innovative graphical and mathematical model called GPLake-M was developed, combining the theories of critical turbidity and resource competition mechanisms. The results provide insights into the regime shifts in shallow lakes and can serve as a starting point for further research and model development.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tarek M. Galal, Fatma A. Gharib, Hatim M. Al-Yasi, Khalid A. Al-Mutairi, Khalid H. Mansour, Ebrahem M. Eid
Summary: The current study investigated the nutrient removal efficiency of Cyperus alopecuroides in treating water eutrophication and explored the possibility of recycling the harvested material. The results showed that C. alopecuroides had a higher efficiency in removing nitrogen and phosphorus in polluted areas. In addition, the plant tissue of C. alopecuroides had the highest efficiency in removing sodium, potassium, and nitrogen in summer, and calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in spring. The above-and below-ground parts of C. alopecuroides from unpolluted areas could be used as forage for livestock. The study indicated the potential of C. alopecuroides in restoring eutrophic freshwater ecosystems and its applicability in similar habitats worldwide.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dan Wu, Chunqi Shen, Yu Cheng, Jue Ding, Wei Li
Summary: Eutrophication in inland lakes is a common issue caused by urbanization, population growth, and agricultural activities. This study investigated the effects of aquatic vegetation on phosphorus levels in a eutrophic lake, and found that aquatic vegetation can effectively reduce phosphorus concentrations. The reduction rates varied depending on the type of vegetation and the environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Laura Melo Vieira Soares, Maria do Carmo Calijuri
Summary: Deterministic models have become a widely accepted tool in investigations of lentic aquatic ecosystems. The current trends include the application of well-established models across broad ranges of time and spatial scales, the integration of various models, and the use of high-frequency sensors and remote sensing images for model initialization and calibration.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lester L. Yuan
Summary: Submerged macrophytes play a crucial role in shallow lake ecosystems, maintaining clear water conditions in contrast to turbid lakes lacking these plants. Turbidity reduction influences the presence of macrophytes, with increased phytoplankton and suspended sediment contributing to increased turbidity. Understanding the effects of different sources of turbidity on macrophyte occurrence can inform management efforts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marek Marciniak, Daniel Gebler, Mateusz Grygoruk, Joanna Zalewska-Galosz, Krzysztof Szoszkiewicz
Summary: The study aimed to assess the influence of filtration stream and hydraulic gradient on water crowfoot distribution in European rivers. The study found that the hyporheic zones covered with Ranunculus vegetation were mainly influenced by groundwater drainage. The intensity of groundwater filtration varied significantly, and the non-vegetated riverbed had a higher filtration rate compared to the zones with Ranunculus. The study provides evidence for the importance of water exchange in the hyporheic zone for the growth and conservation of Ranunculus vegetation.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Esteban A. Guevara, Tatiana Santander G, Rodrigo Espinosa, Catherine H. Graham
Summary: This study investigated the trends of aquatic bird communities in Andean lakes and found a sustained population growth of a herbivorous bird species, highlighting the impact of eutrophication on their abundance. It emphasizes the importance of management measures and ongoing monitoring for ecosystem health and functioning.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Ella Ide DeWolf, William John Calder, Joshua Grant Harrison, Gregory Donald Randolph, Benjamin Edward Noren, Cynthia Weinig
Summary: In mountain lakes, the presence of yellow water lilies influences the biogeochemistry and microbiology, affecting pH, dissolved organic carbon, and microbial composition. Water lilies suppress cyanobacteria and have a higher microbial diversity on the adaxial side of their leaves.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jan E. Vermaat, Vera Biberdzic, Vjola Braho, Biljana Budzakoska Gjoreska, Magdalena Cara, Zamira Dana, Pavle Duraskovic, Tor Erik Eriksen, Dag Hjermann, Alma Imeri, Katarina Jovanovic, Jelena Krizmanic, Lirika Kupe, Tatjana Loshkoska, Joanna Lynn Kemp, Aleksandra Markovic, Suzana Patceva, Jelena Rakocevic, Katarina Stojanovic, Marina Talevska, Sonja Trajanovska, Sasho Trajanovski, Elizabeta Veljanoska-Sarafiloska, Danijela Vidakovic, Konstantin Zdraveski, Ivana Zivic, Susanne C. Schneider
Summary: The study found that eutrophication and water level fluctuation were the most important factors influencing water quality in lakes across the Western Balkans. The impact of shoreline hydro-morphological alteration was less significant. Diatom indicators were the most responsive to environmental pressures, while macrophytes primarily responded to water level changes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meredith T. Davis, Adam D. Canning, Anne C. Midwinter, Russell G. Death
Summary: The eutrophication of aquatic systems is increasing rapidly, especially in freshwater systems where nitrate pollution from agriculture is a major concern. This study in New Zealand found that two strains of enteropathogenic bacteria, STEC O26 and K99, can persist in river water for extended periods alongside natural microbiota, regardless of the ambient nitrate concentrations. Further research is needed to understand the impact of nitrate enrichment and microbiota on the viability of human and animal pathogens in freshwater systems.
Article
Limnology
Bryan M. Spears, Daniel Chapman, Laurence Carvalho, Katri Rankinen, Konstantinos Stefanidis, Stephen Ives, Kristiina Vuorio, Sebastian Birk
Summary: This study utilized a statistical approach to assess interactions between multiple stressors in freshwater ecosystems, with nutrient enrichment identified as the primary stressor and climate change as a secondary factor impacting ecological quality in varying ways across different catchments. The findings highlight the complexity of managing multiple stressors in freshwater environments and the importance of understanding their interactions for effective environmental management.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew J. Wade, Richard A. Skeffington, Raoul-Marie Couture, Martin Erlandsson Lampa, Simon Groot, Sarah J. Halliday, Valesca Harezlak, Josef Hejzlar, Leah A. Jackson-Blake, Ahti Lepisto, Eva Papastergiadou, Joan Lluis Riera, Katri Rankinen, Maria Shahgedanova, Dennis Trolle, Paul G. Whitehead, Demetris Psaltopoulos, Dimitris Skuras
Summary: Recent studies show that climate change may exacerbate nitrogen and phosphorus loss from farms and farmland, leading to worsened freshwater eutrophication. This study investigates the relative importance of climate and land use drivers in nine study catchments in Europe and Turkey. The findings suggest that land use changes have a larger impact on nutrient concentrations and loads compared to climate change alone. However, in Beysehir Lake in Turkey, climate change poses a greater threat to the freshwater ecosystem than nutrient usage. Further research is needed to accurately simulate extreme flow and water quality and understand the response of aquatic ecosystems to reductions in N and P.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gorazd Urbanic, Emilio Politti, Patricia Maria Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Robin Payne, Derek Schook, Maria Helena Alves, Ana Andelkovic, Daniel Bruno, Mila Chilikova-Lubomirova, Sara Di Lonardo, Roey Egozi, Virginia Garofano-Gomez, Ines Gomes Marques, Marta Gonzalez del Tanago, Yasar Selman Gueltekin, Bruna Gumiero, Seppo Hellsten, Georgi Hinkov, Jiri Jakubinsky, Philippe Janssen, Roland Jansson, Mary Kelly-Quinn, Timea Kiss, Stefan Lorenz, Roberto Martinez Romero, Zlatko Mihaljevic, Eva Papastergiadou, Maja Pavlin Urbanic, Ellis Penning, Tenna Riis, Jozef Sibik, Maria Sibikova, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Simon Dufour
Summary: This policy brief provides five key policy messages and recommendations to enhance riparian zone management. Adopting an integrated socio-economic and environmentally dynamic view is essential for sustainable riparian zone management. The conservation and/or restoration of riparian zone ecological integrity is critically important in the face of climate change. Updating EU directives and national legislation is necessary for coordinated implementation of riparian zone-related policies. Stakeholder knowledge exchange, policy co-creation, and adaptive management are crucial for enhancing riparian zone functions.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Konstantinos Stefanidis, George Varlas, George Papaioannou, Anastasios Papadopoulos, Elias Dimitriou
Summary: The study analyzed the changes in 51 European lakes over the past four decades and found that the water temperature, mixing depth, and ice depth have significantly changed. The study also revealed that the magnitude of these changes is influenced by the geographic coordinates and elevation of the lakes, while lake morphology has a smaller effect.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patricia M. Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Eleni Abraham, Francisca Aguiar, Andrea Andreoli, Ligita Balezentiene, Naim Berisha, Ivan Bernez, Michael Bruen, Daniel Bruno, Carlo Camporeale, Andraz Carni, Mila Chilikova-Lubomirova, Dov Corenblit, Renata Custerevska, Tanya Doody, Judy England, Andre Evette, Robert Francis, Virginia Garofano-Gomez, Marta Gonzalez del Tanago, Yasar Selman Gultekin, Florian Guyard, Seppo Hellsten, Georgi Hinkov, Jiri Jakubinsky, Philippe Janssen, Roland Jansson, Jochem Kail, Emine Keles, Mary Kelly-Quinn, Anna Kidova, Timea Kiss, Mart Kulvik, Nicola La Porta, Marianne Laslier, Melissa Latella, Stefan Lorenz, Dejan Mandzukovski, Paraskevi Manolaki, Vanesa Martinez-Fernandez, David Merritt, Adrien Michez, Jelena Milovanovic, Tomasz Okruszko, Eva Papastergiadou, Ellis Penning, Remigiusz Pielech, Emilio Politti, Ana Portela, Tenna Riis, Zeljko Skvorc, Michal Slezak, Barbara Stammel, John Stella, Danijela Stesevic, Vladimir Stupar, Olga Tammeorg, Priit Tammeorg, Therese Moe Fosholt, Gorazd Urbanic, Marc Villar, Ioannis Vogiatzakis, Paul Vrchovsky, Rasoul Yousefpour, Peggy Zinke, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Simon Dufour
Summary: This article identifies and discusses 10 key challenges in riparian vegetation science and management improvement, providing guidance for future research in this field.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-WATER
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Konstantinos Stefanidis, Georgios Dimitrellos, Maria Sarika, Dionysios Tsoukalas, Eva Papastergiadou
Summary: This article presents a methodological approach for the implementation of a macrophyte index in the riverine systems of Greece, which is used to assess the ecological status of the inland waters. The study shows that hydromorphological modifications are the main environmental stressors affecting the ecological quality, while physicochemical stressors are of lesser importance. The research also reveals that the majority of the sites failed to meet the Good ecological quality class according to the Water Framework Directive.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Konstantinos Stefanidis, George Varlas, George Papaioannou, Anastasios Papadopoulos, Elias Dimitriou
Summary: This study utilized data from Copernicus Lake Water products, Hydrological Predictions for the Environment (HYPE), and ERA5-Land data repositories to create a large longitudinal dataset for 22 European lakes. The analysis revealed seasonal variations in water turbidity and trophic state index (TSI), and identified the influence of environmental factors on these parameters.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Priit Zingel, Erik Jeppesen, Tiina Noges, Josef Hejzlar, Ulku Nihan Tavsanoglu, Eva Papastergiadou, Ulrike Scharfenberger, Helen Agasild
Summary: This study manipulated nutrient concentrations and water levels in two shallow lakes and found that nutrients had a positive effect on the microbial food web structure, while water depth had a negative effect on bacterial and heterotrophic nanoflagellates biomasses. Nutrients also affected the size of individual nanoflagellates and ciliate cells, while the interaction between depth and nutrients influenced the biomass of different types of ciliates. Overall, increased nutrient concentrations and decreased water level resulted in an enhanced bacterial biomass and a decrease in their main grazers.
Article
Ecology
Konstantinos Stefanidis, Ioannis Karaouzas, Anthi Oikonomou, Evangelia Smeti, Theodora Kouvarda, Anna Latsiou, Aikaterini Vourka, Elias Dimitriou
Summary: This study examined the relationship between geodiversity and ecological indicators, and whether geodiversity can be used as a proxy for ecological quality. The results showed positive effects of geodiversity on ecological indicators and a significant relationship with achieving ecological targets.
Article
Environmental Sciences
George Varlas, Christina Papadaki, Konstantinos Stefanidis, Angeliki Mentzafou, Ilias Pechlivanidis, Anastasios Papadopoulos, Elias Dimitriou
Summary: This study investigates the impact of climate change on the average annual discharge and discharge maxima in a Mediterranean river from 1981 to 2017. The results show a decrease in average annual discharge in the 1980s, reaching a minimum in the early 1990s, and then an increase from the mid-1990s to 2017. The study also reveals a significant increasing trend in discharge maxima in September in two of the three sub-basins, highlighting the potential socioeconomic implications of climate change in the Pinios basin.
Article
Plant Sciences
Konstantinos Stefanidis, Anthi Oikonomou, Georgios Dimitrellos, Dionysios Tsoukalas, Eva Papastergiadou
Summary: In addition to quantifying taxonomic diversity, studying alpha and beta functional diversity patterns in aquatic communities can enhance our understanding of ecosystem responses to environmental changes.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Konstantinos Stefanidis, Theodora Kouvarda, Anna Latsiou, George Papaioannou, Konstantinos Gritzalis, Elias Dimitriou
Summary: This study compares three different methods for hydromorphological assessment in Greece and finds that the River Hydromorphology Assessment Technique (RHAT) and Morphological Quality Index (MQI) provide similar classifications in the majority of cases. The River Habitat Survey (RHS), however, shows larger differences, mainly due to classifying more sites as Poor and Bad quality. The study recommends using RHAT and MQI as complementary methods to RHS for easy and quick assessment until a national hydromorphological database is compiled.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
George Varlas, Konstantinos Stefanidis, George Papaioannou, Yiannis Panagopoulos, Ioannis Pytharoulis, Petros Katsafados, Anastasios Papadopoulos, Elias Dimitriou
Summary: This study analyzes the climatic characteristics and interannual trends of precipitation in Greece using ERA5 monthly data. The results show significant declining inter-annual trends of areal precipitation, especially in winter. The precipitation trends exhibit nonlinearity and high inter-decadal variability.
