Biomass, abundance and sensitivity to antibiotics and antimycotics of the fungi in the Vistula River with its main tributaries

Mycoplankton of Vistula River and its main tributaries biomass as well as the number and morphotype diversity was studied in summer and autumn 2011. Summer mycoplankton biomass was within the range of 0.2 – 0.5 μg/l, while in the autumn it was two times wider range (0.1 – 1.3μg/l). The number of fungi in river water most often did not exceed 1000 – 2000 CFU/ml. Fungi colonies isolated from rivers water were sensitive to the commonly used amphotericine B (10 μg) and gentamicin (10 μg). It seems to be plausible that aquatic fungi can acquire immunity to drugs as a result of horizontal transfer of a gene responsible for drug resistance or as an effect of antibiotics and antimycotics getting into the aquatic ecosystems from wastewaters

Ecohydrological conditions of the occurrence of iron and manganese fractions in the waters of the Augustowski Canal

Wydział Biologiczno-Chemiczny. Instytut BiologiiIstniejące w Kanale Augustowskim odpowiednie warunki do przeanalizowania roli czynnika hydrologicznego i uwarunkowań zlewniowych w kształtowaniu składu chemicznego wód ekosystemów lotycznych i lentycznych strefy umiarkowanej dały możliwość testowania wpływu mieszania się wód powierzchniowych różnego typu hydrochemicznego na zachodzące w wodach biogeochemiczne procesy różnych metali, takich jak: żelazo czy mangan. Przeprowadzone badania wykazały, iż w wodach rzecznych i jeziornych o niskim stężeniu rozpuszczonej materii organicznej dominują frakcje nierozpuszczone żelaza i manganu, zaś o wysokim stężeniu rozpuszczonej materii organicznej, organiczna frakcja rozpuszczona żelaza. Dodatkowo wody lotyczne wzbogacone materią organiczną odznaczają się największym udziałem frakcji nierozpuszczonej manganu, zaś wody jeziorne dominacją rozpuszczonej frakcji reaktywnej manganu. Wody rzeczne o podwyższonym stężeniu materii organicznej dopływające do wód kanału powodują w nich wzrost stężeń organicznych frakcji rozpuszczonych żelaza i manganu. Obecność jezior o małym stężeniu materii organicznej w Kanale Augustowskim nie zmienia w nim składu frakcyjnego obu metali, a jeziora o zwiększonym jej stężeniu wywołują wzrost stężeń organicznych frakcji rozpuszczonych żelaza i manganu w wodach kanału, przy jednoczesnym obniżeniu stężeń rozpuszczonej frakcji reaktywnej żelaza i podwyższeniu stężeń rozpuszczonej frakcji reaktywnej manganu. Gleby organiczne w zlewni bezpośredniej zwiększają żyzność wód, poprzez wzrost stężeń organicznych frakcji rozpuszczonych żelaza i manganu oraz rozpuszczonych frakcji reaktywnych manganu stymulujących biodostępność tych metali dla autotrofów w wodach kanału. W celu zmniejszenia biodostępności obu pierwiastków zaproponowano zwiększenie przepływu wody w kanale, co poskutkowałoby jednoczesnym obniżeniem trofii wód. Przesłanki te pozwoliły na opracowanie troficznego wskaźnika dla manganu, który idealnie łączy istniejące biologiczne i chemiczne wskaźniki żyzności wód.Existing in the Augustowski Canal appropriate conditions to study the role of the hydrological factor and catchment conditions in forming the chemical composition of lotic and lentic water ecosystems created the possibility of testing the influence of meddling different hydrochemical types of the surface waters on biogeochemical processes occurring in waters of different metals, such as iron or manganese. Conducted examinations showed that undissolved fractions of iron and manganese dominate in rivers and lakes with a low concentration of the dissolved organic matter, whereas in rivers and lakes with a high concentration of the dissolved organic matter, organic dissolved fraction of iron dominates. Additionally, lotic waters enriched with an organic matter are characterized by the greatest participation of the undissolved fraction of the manganese, whereas lake waters by the dominance of the dissolved reactive fraction of manganese. Rivers waters with the increased concentration of the organic matter which reach the canal waters cause the increase of organic dissolved fractions of iron and manganese concentrations in the Augustowski Canal. The presence of lakes with low concentration of the organic matter in the Augustów Canal does not change the fractional composition of both metals in it. However, lakes with higher concentration of the organic matter cause the growth of organic dissolved fractions of iron and manganese concentrations in the canal waters, lower concentrations of the dissolved reactive fraction of iron and also increase concentrations of the dissolved reactive fraction of manganese. The organic soil in the direct catchment increases the fertility of waters by causing the increase of concentrations of organic dissolved fractions of iron and manganese and dissolved reactive fractions of manganese which stimulate the bioavailability of these metals for autotrophic organisms. In order to lower the bioavailability of both elements, the increase of flow of water in the canal was suggested what would result with the simultaneous decrease of trophy in waters. These premises allowed to draw the trophic indicator for the manganese up which perfectly links existing biological and chemical indicators of waters fertilities

Species Diversity of Mycoplankton on the Background of Selected Indicators of Water Quality in Stratified Mesotrophic Lakes

The aim of the study was to determine mycoplankton species diversity in relation to the physico-chemical parameters of lake waters. The research was carried out in the summer months in 15 mesotrophic lakes and showed a high ecological significance index for Rhodotorula glutinis, Epicoccum nigrum, Fusarium sporotrichioides, and Trichophyton violaceum. Mycoplankton abundance and species diversity decreased with the depth of water, which coincided with a decrease in oxygen content and organic matter concentration. A high concentration of nitrogen compounds (total nitrogen—TN and dissolved nitrogen—DN) limited the development of mycobiota in the hypolimnion. In the metalimnion, the intensive development of organisms, especially bacteria, limited mycoplankton abundance despite perfect physical and chemical conditions for its development. Finally, mycoplankton functioned the best in slightly alkaline waters

Comparison of iron fractions on the regulated and restored parts of the Rudnia River (NE Poland)

AbstractHydrochemical investigations focusing on different iron fractions were conducted in 2007 from January to December on two parts (regulated and restored) of the small lowland Rudnia River in north-eastern Poland. Concentrations of the total iron (TFe) in the water of the Rudnia River ranged from 582 μg dm-3 up to 3646 μg dm-3, and their elevated values are clearly the result of their complex binding with organic matter originating from the peat-mineral catchment of the river. Regardless of the season, in the upper part of the river (regulated channel) higher concentrations of all iron fractions than in the restored river section were observed. All tests on iron fractions showed a clear seasonal variability on both river channel parts. Higher TFe concentrations were typical for the regulated part of the river in autumn or winter, and lower in spring for the restored river channel section. For the whole of the investigated period and regardless of the season, particulate iron fraction (PFe) represented a higher proportion of TFe in the regulated channel than in the restored one. PFe constituted up to 60% TFe, on average, while the other two fractions about 20% of TFe each. However, dissolved reactive iron fraction (DRFe) made up a larger percentage of TFe than organic soluble fraction (DOFe) of iron within the year. The maximum percentage of DOFe fraction outside the growing season was caused by iron release from organic complexes and elevated concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) derived from wetlands.</jats:p

The variability of summer phytoplankton in different types of lakes in North East Poland (Suwałki Landscape Park)

This study describes summer phytoplankton communities in 27 lakes in the Suwałki Landscape Park (SLP) using in situ fluorescence methods. Low chlorophyll-a concentrations were noted in most of the studied lakes, particularly in the deepest lakes with highest surface area. Green algae, diatoms and cryptophyta were dominant components of lake phytoplankton. Higher chlorophyll-a concentrations in the shallow or more eutrophicated lakes were connected with an increase of cyanobacteria and cryptophyta concentrations as well as with a decrease in the share of diatoms inphytoplankton structure. Vertical distribution of phytoplankton in stratified lakes revealed the presence of deep chlorophyll layers just below the thermocline where the maximum concentrations of phytoplankton were up to 15 times higher than in the epilimnion zone. The deepest maximum concentration of phytoplankton was noted at a depth of 16.5 metres in Lake Jeglówek. In some lakes two or three significant increases of phytoplankton concentration in the vertical profile were observed, caused by intensive development of different algae groups

Boron and Manganese Fractions in Dystrophic Lake Waters (Wigry National Park, NE Poland)

Physicochemical studies in four dystrophic lakes (Suchar Wielki, Suchar II, Suchar IV, and Wądołek) were carried out in Wigry National Park, NE Poland. Total manganese concentrations oscillated within the range of 386.6–647.5 μg Mn dm−3, while those of soluble reactive manganese, 112.5–328.2 μg Mn dm−3. Fairly high boron contents were recorded in the studied lakes, which amounted to 0.09–2.20 mg B dm−3. The increase in dissolved reactive manganese (DRMn) and decrease in dissolved boron concentration with the lake depth were observed. Almost half (47%) of the total manganese pool was composed of dissolved reactive soluble fraction (DRMn), then dissolved organic form (DOMn, 41%), whereas the particulate fraction (PMn) made up the smallest share (12%). Microbial decomposition of lake organic matter disappears and requirements of authotrophic plankton for Mn2+ decreases when the water temperature drops, thus the fraction prevails. The following regularity was recorded in all analysed dystrophic lakes: iron concentration decreases along with the depth, hence boron content can also be observed due to precipitated borates to bottom sediments, where they are accumulated

Effect of Humic Acid on the Growth and Metabolism of Candida albicans Isolated from Surface Waters in North-Eastern Poland

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of humic acid on the growth and metabolism of Candida albicans, a common waterborne pathogenic yeast. At 10&ndash;20 mg/L, humic acid caused the greatest increase in biomass and compactness of proteins and monosaccharides, both in cells and in extracellular secretion of the yeast. At higher humic acid concentrations (40&ndash;80 mg/L), C. albicans cells still had higher protein levels compared to control, but showed reduced levels of metabolites and inhibited growth, and a significant increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, indicating a toxic effect of the humic acid. The increase in protein content in the cells of C. albicans combined with an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes may indicate that the studied yeast excels in conditions of high water enrichment with low availability of organic matter. This indicates that Candida albicans is capable of breaking down organic matter that other microorganisms cannot cope with, and for this reason, this yeast uses carbon sources that are not available to other microorganisms. This indicates that this fungus plays an important role in the organic carbon sphere to higher trophic levels, and is common in water polluted with organic matter

A place in space - the horizontal vs vertical factors that influence zooplankton (Rotifera, Crustacea) communities in a mesotrophic lake

The factors that influence plankton distribution in lakes are currently widely debated. The primary objective of this study was to determine a combination of factors that influence the three-dimensional distribution patterns of both rotifer and crustacean communities in a pelagic ecosystem. We compared the abiotic (temperature, oxygen and nutrients) and biotic (phytoplankton) factors that affect the horizontal and vertical distribution of zooplankton in different habitat conditions in Lake Wigry. The results of our study indicate that the vertical gradient in a water profile is much more important for microcrustaceans than horizontal changes in environmental conditions, whereas Rotifera showed a strong spatial autocorrelation when connected with differences in trophic status. Generally, large zooplankton prefer cold, darker waters of the metalimnion-hypolimnion, while smaller zooplankton prefer the warm epilimnion. This niche segregation in water profiles promotes a large diversity of pelagic zooplankton. The vertical distribution of dominant Daphnia cucullata was strongly related to the phytoplankton distribution. Moreover, we found that the large-bodied Daphnia cucullata prefers the lower water layers, despite the presence of less optimal food resources, while smaller individuals clearly prefer the warm surface water with high quality resources.</jats:p