Ekologija, biodiverzitet i konzervacija slatkovodnih školjki familije Unionidae u Srbiji
Еcology, biodiversity and conservation of freshwater mussels family
Document Type:
Doctoral thesis (Published version)
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Show full item recordAbstract:
Freshwater mussels from the family Unionidae, represent one of the most significant and widespread components of inland water ecosystems. Ecological role of this taxonomic group within water ecosystems is of great significance being an important structural and functional element of benthic communities. The diversity and distribution of Unionidae have not been researched adequately so far in Serbia, neither the species richness, nor general distribution of individual species and factors affecting the emergence of the taxon and populations density.
The aims of this research were: review of total number of species in Serbia; analysis of structure and dynamics of Unionidae populations; definition of relations between species and most significant environment parameters; morphological variability analysis of different populations applying the method of geometric and traditional morphometrics and, as the final aim, risk evalulation regarding aquatic species extinction on national level and a conservation strategy recommendation.
Material used for analysis was collected during the realization of several national and international projects during the period 2001-2013. Besides contemporary researches, the analysis also includes historical data obtained from available collection of Ante Tadić from the Natural History Museum in Belgrade, period 1953-1972.
A thorough material analysis in the region of Serbia led to the determination of
presence of 7 fresh water mussels species from family Unionidae, classified into 3 genera.
The highest diversity and population abundance were recorded in lower parts large lowland rivers (potamon zone). The detailed overview of communities composition found in the investigated river basins with a review of taxonomic and ecological traits of individual species was presented.
The comparison of historical data and contemporary investigations shows there are
changes in habitat size and population dynamics of individual taxons. Significant reduction in the habitat size, i.e. complete retreat from the area where it used to be found earlier was determined for the species A. cygnea and lentic ecosystems can be marked as their refugium, such as accumulations, lakes, marsh and swamp regions in Serbia. Based on historical data, it was determined that U. crassus species used to be widespread and one of the most represented species in whole region of Serbia until mid-1970's. After that period, in the investigations carried out during last several decades, the decrease in the number of this population was observed, as well as only sporadic findings in a
limited area. The latest investigations indicate to a positive population trend of this species, especially in the Sava river basin.
The invastigation of relations among present species based on physical and chemical characteristics of water in analyzed localities has shown that the most important physical and chemical parameters are as follows: Calcium concentration, total water hardness, BPK5, HPK, nitrate concentration and ammonium ion concentration.
The results of canonical correspondence analysis indicate to an expectedly higher
sensitivity of species U. crassus to BPK, HPK, nitrates and ammonium ion concentration, i.e. greater tolerance of species A. anatina to the above listed factors. The parameters with the most significant influence on freshwater mussels community among the group of heavy metals are the concentrations of copper, lead and cadmium in water. The results of canonical correspondence analysis indicate to an increased sensitivity of species U. crassus to these factors, while a greater tolerance of species A. anatina to these factors was recorded.
Using geometric morphometrics method, the size and shape variability of shell left
valva of different contemporary shell populations samples were analized, as well as the specimens belonging to museum samples. Geometric morphometrics analysis of recent samples confirms the existence of statistically significant ntrapopulation differences in size and shape variability of morphological structures. Morphological structures variability analysis of museum samples, applying the geometric morphometrics method, does not confirm the existence of significant differences within variability of size and shape of various
varieties, except in the case of U. tumidus.
Using shell variability analysis based on nine linear characters, applying the traditional morphometric approach, the existence of intrapopulation differences was determined, as well as a similar trend of deviations like in geometric morphometrics analysis.
Applying the modified model ESHIPPO-PD, the risk of extinction and the priority of
conservation on a local level were determined for the analized species. The first level of protection priority was determined for U. crassus, P. comlanata and A. cygnea, i.e. high extinction risk at local level. A moderate risk (the second level of conservation priority) was estimated for species U. pictorum and A. anatina, while the extiction risk is lower for U.
tumidus (the third level of protection priority). The analysis of element included in model ES+HIPPO+PD, singles out the factor of greatest influence on endangeredness of given species.
Keywords:
Unionidae; Ecology; Strategy of conserving; BiodiversitySource:
University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science, 2016, 1-157Funding / projects:
- Biosensing Technologies and Global System for Long-Term Research and Integrated Management of Ecosystems (RS-MESTD-Integrated and Interdisciplinary Research (IIR or III)-43002)
- Monitoring and Modeling of Rivers and Reservoirs (MORE) - Physical, Chemical, Biological and Morphodynamic Parameters (RS-MESTD-Technological Development (TD or TR)-37009)
URI
http://eteze.kg.ac.rs/application/showtheses?thesesId=2887https://fedorakg.kg.ac.rs/fedora/get/o:643/bdef:Content/download
https://radar.ibiss.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2435