The distribution of littoral chironomids along an altitudinal gradient in High Tatra Mountain lakes: Could they be used as indicators of climate change?

Abstract

-We studied assemblages of littoral chironomids from three alpine lakes in the High Tatra Mountains (Slovakia) along an altitude range of 1725-2157 m. The study sites were selected in order to emphasize differences in their thermal regimes. Littoral samples were taken quantitatively in the ice-free seasons of 2000 and 2001. In total, 3468 chironomid larvae and pupae were collected and 29 taxa were identified. Some parameters of the littoral chironomid assemblages showed clear patterns along the altitude gradient. The number of taxa and Shannon diversity increased markedly with decreasing altitude. Density, however, did not show any correlation with altitude. Even though gatherers highly dominated in all sites, their relative abundance decreased with decreasing altitude. The ratio of scrapers and predators correlated negatively with altitude. According to the results of a Detrended Correspondence Analysis, Pseudodiamesa arctica and Micropsectra radialis were chosen as indicator species for alpine lakes > 2000 m a.s.l. Typical subalpine lake inhabitants are Zavrelimyia sp., Prodiamesa olivacea, Corynoneura scutellata group, Cricotopus polaris, Micropsectra bavarica and Paratanytarsus austriacus. A single species, Micropsectra junci, seemed to be characteristic of alpine lakes < 2000 m a.s.l. This "gradient lake concept" could be used to predict changes in mountain lake fauna under expected climate change scenarios. Generally, an upward shift of subalpine species would be expected. The thermal regime of lakes, however, also depends on several local factors. Consequently, the schemes outlined here would not be valid for the entire Tatra lake district.

Long-term changes in the hydrological regime of high mountain Lake Morskie Oko (Tatra Mountains, Central Europe)

“…It should be emphasised, however, that even such lakes are indirectly affected by human activity through air pollution (Moiseenko et al, 1997;Van Drooge et al, 2011) or grazing of animals (Tiberti et al, 2014). Due to their quasi-natural state, mountain lakes are frequently used as indicators of climatic changes (Hamerlík and Bitušík, 2009). Limnological literature includes a number of publications concerning high mountain lakes, showing the specificity of their functioning (in comparison to lowland lakes of the same latitudes) regarding various aspects, including their biotic (Dočkalová et.…”

Water Surface Overgrowing of the Tatra’s Lakes

“…This fact is confirmed in particular by the analyses of lake sediments (Owens, Slaymaker, 1994;Kotarba, 1996;Šporka et al, 2002;Irmler et al, 2006;Rybníčková, Rybníček, 2005;Hamerlík, Bitušík, 2009;Mîndrescu et al, 2010;Hutchinson et al, 2016;Kłapyta et al, 2015), and also by the results of other studies (Kotarba, 2004;Kapusta et al, 2010;Hreško et al, 2012;Necsoiu et al, 2013;Kohler et al, 2014;Gądek et al, 2015;Kubinský et al, 2015;Gallik, Bolešová, 2016). In particular, smaller and shallower lakes react much more sensitively to changes than larger lakes because of their small volume of the water.…”

Aquatic beetles of the alpine lakes: diversity, ecology and small-scale population genetics

“…For example, Kodada (1990) (Raddum and Fjellheim, 1984;Fjellheim et al, 2000). Many biological changes are expected to appear in the future in coherence with global warming, mainly the upward shift of the geographical ranges of the species, colonization of the alpine lakes by species typical of lower altitudes, increase in the regional and local species richness, or extinction of the cold stenothermal species, leading to the successive resemblance of the alpine system to the subalpine one (Oertli et al, 2008;Hamerlík and Bitušík, 2009;iamporová-Za ovi ová et al, 2010). Unfortunately, the use of aquatic Coleoptera as indicators of such environmental changes as well as the comparison with former status is very limited in these biotopes, mainly due to the critical lack of sufficient historical data.…”