Ecological analysis of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in three types of running waters in Belgrade region

Proučavanjem zajednica akvatičnih makrobeskičmenjaka tekućih voda na području Beograda u periodu 2007-2011. godina zabeleženo je 115 taksona iz 48 porodica, 8 klasa i 5 razdela. Istraživani vodotoci nalaze se pod velikim antropogenim stresom i prema važećem Pravilniku o parametrima ekološkog i hemijskog statusa površinskih voda i parametrima hemijskog i kvantitativnog statusa podzemnih voda (Službeni glasnik RS 74/2011), svrstani su u tri tipa i to: tip 1, vrlo velike ravničarske reke sa dominacijom finog nanosa – Dunav i Sava; tip 2, velike reke sa dominacijom srednje krupnog nanosa – Kolubara; i tip 3, male i srednje velike reke nadmorske visine do 500 m sa dominacijom krupnog nanosa – Topčiderska i Železnička reka. Istraživanja su vršena od 2007. do 2011. godine u periodu visokih voda (maj/jun) i niskih voda (septembar/oktobar). Takođe je korišćen i materijal prikupljen u periodu od 1996. do 2000. godine od strane istaživača laboratorije Odeljenja za hidroekologiju i zaštitu voda Instituta za biološka istraživanja "Siniša Stanković" Univerziteta u Beogradu. U tipu 1 vodotoka na području Beograda zabeležena su 63 taksona u Dunavu i 43 u Savi, sa dominacijom oligoheta. Najveći broj taksona zabeležen je u tipu 2 vodotoka, 78 taksona u Kolubari, sa dominacijom insekatske komponente u zajednici. U tipu 3 vodotoka, u Topčiderskoj i Železničkoj reci, zabeleženo je 25, odnosno 36 taksona, pri čemu je u Topčiderskoj reci dominirala grupa oligoheta, dok su u Železničkoj reci najveći udeo u zajednici imale hironomide. Poređenjem sa rezultatima prethodnih istraživanja, analizirane su promene u sastavu i strukturi zajednica u istraživanim tokovima. Rezultati multivarijantne analize ukazuju da je karakterističnoj distribuciji vrsta u sva tri tipa istraživanih vodotoka u najvećoj meri doprineo hemijski sastav sedimenta. Fizički i hemijski parametri vode su takođe, u velikoj meri, pokazali uticaj na zajednice akvatičnih beskičmenjaka. Uočeno je da je u velikim rekama efikasnije razmatrati vezu zajednice akvatičnih beskičmenjaka i višemesečne prosečne vrednosti fizičkih i hemijskih parametara vode, dok su u manjim vodotocima bujičnog karaktera trenutno izmerene vrednosti pokazale veći uticaj na zajednice akvatičnih beskičmenjaka...During the survey of the communities of aquatic macroinvertebrates of rivers and streams in Belgrade region 115 taxa from 48 families, 8 classes and 5 phyla were detected. These waterbodies are under a high anthropogenic stress and, based on the Regulation on the parameters of the ecological and chemical status of surface waters and the parameters of the chemical and quantitative status of groundwater (Official Gazette of RS 74/2011), they are classified into three types: Type 1, large lowland rivers with the domination of fine bottom sediments – the Danube and the Sava River; Type 2, large rivers with the domination of medium sized sediments – the Kolubara River; and Type 3, small to medium sized rivers at elevation of up to 500 m, with the domination of the hard bottom substrate – the Topčiderska River and the Železnička River. The research was carried out from 2007 to 2011, in the period of high water levels (May/June) and of low water levels (September/October). Additional material, collected from 1996 to 2000 by researchers from the laboratory of the Department of Aquatic Ecology of the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" of the University of Belgrade, was also included in the analyses. In the Type 1 watercourses in Belgrade region, 63 taxa were recorded in the Danube and 43 in the Sava River, with Oligochaeta as the dominant group. The largest number of taxa were identified in the Type 2 watercourses, 78 taxa in the Kolubara River, with the dominance of the insect component of the community. In the Type 3 watercourses, in the Topčiderska River and the Železnička River, 25 and 36 taxa were recorded, respectively. While Oligochaeta prevailed in the Topčiderska River, Chironomidae were the dominant group in the Železnička River. Changes in the composition and structure of communities in the studied streams were observed following the comparison with the previous findings. The results of a multivariate analysis indicate that the chemical composition of the sediment largely contributed to the characteristic distribution of species in all three investigated watercourses. Physical and chemical parameters of water also showed a significant impact on communities of aquatic invertebrates. Our results suggest that it is more effective to analyse the relation of the average values of chemical parameters across several months and macroinvertebrate assemblages in the case of large rivers, while for smaller size watercourses of torrential character, the current values of chemical parameters were better correlated with these communities and had a greater impact on them..