Heterogeneity and Anthropogenic Impacts on a Small Lowland Stream

Abstract

During our work, we investigated the physical and chemical variables of a small surface watercourse to investigate how different anthropogenic effects affect its water quality. Along this small watercourse, there are well-separated areas that are affected by various anthropogenic effects. In addition to its origin and branches, in many places it is surrounded by agricultural land with insufficient buffer zones, which burdens the small watercourse with nitrogen and phosphorus forms. In the lower stages, artificial damming inhibits the natural flow of the Tócó Canal, thereby creating eutrophicated stagnant water areas. This is further strengthened by, in many cases, illegal communal and used water intake that further burdens the small watercourse. Considering the experience of our investigation, it can be stated that the examined small watercourse could barely suffer human impacts, and it could be described with great heterogeneity using physical and chemical variables. We experienced that this heterogeneity caused by anthropogenic effects appeared in all hydrologic states and seasons. Furthermore, our research showed that these small watercourses had such high heterogeneity that their monitoring and examination should be taken just as seriously as when it comes to larger watercourses.

Past and present: changes in the Odonata fauna of small lowland watercourses

“…Ecological status of small watercourses is gaining awareness recently, due to the increasing effects of the climate change ( Williams et al 2004 , Downing et al 2006 , Verdonschot et al 2011 , Bartout et al 2015 , Biggs et al 2017 ). However, most studies evaluate these effects only in mountainous streams ( Principe et al 2007 , Lewin et al 2013 , Brysiewicz et al 2022 ), whereas small watercourses in lowland areas are still under-investigated ( Somlyai et al 2019 , Brysiewicz et al 2022 ). Nonetheless, small watercourses in lowlands provide special habitat conditions with their flat nature: there is almost no channel slope, low depth, prevalence of soft grounds, extensive thickets of aquatic macrophytes and high summer temperatures.…”

Biomarkers for pollution in caged mussels from three reservoirs in Bulgaria: A pilot study

“…Pollution with metals and toxic elements has been a worldwide phenomenon for decades and affects various aquatic environments [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. Metals and metalloids, such as arsenic, aluminum, and mercury are considered to be among the most dangerous pollutants, because of their persistence in the environment, nonbiodegradability, toxicity character, bioaccumulation, and even biomagnification [8].…”

Which Is More Toxic? Evaluation of the Short-Term Toxic Effects of Chlorpyrifos and Cypermethrin on Selected Biomarkers in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio, Linnaeus 1758)

“…It is a common practice to apply biological tools for monitoring the anthropogenic impacts on aquatic wildlife [29]. According to Ballesteros et al [30], in the multi-stressor context, contaminants can affect the structure and function of biological systems [31,32], causing responses at molecular, biochemical, histological and behavioral levels, which are known as biomarkers, before the population, community or ecosystem level is affected.…”