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The impact of eutrophication on fish in running waters
Jeníšová, Karolína ; Horká, Petra (advisor) ; Frouzová, Jaroslava (referee)
Eutrophication belongs among be the most serious factors threatening freshwater ecosystems. Eutrophication is a result of excessive nutrient loading which comes mostly from both the point-source and diffuse pollution and agriculture, increased sediment loading from soil erosion, but also due to a presence of various types of impoundments, which, particularly in some areas, represent a significat part of nutrient supply. Although the effect of eutrophication on freshwater fish communities has been thoroughly studied in standing waters, very little attention has been paid to running water ecosystems. Among the processes with the most pronounced impacts on fish communities are increased phytoplankton growth and loss of macrophytes, low oxygen levels or anoxia, occurrence of toxic forms of nitrit and ammonia and elevated turbidity and subsequent light reduction. Whilst the diversity of fish communities is not usually affected, changes in structure of fish communities and decreased ecological quality has been detected with the increasing level of eutrophication. The most sensitive fishes are salmonids as they have high oxygen demands and are very sensitive to a toxic forms of nitrogen. Moreover they are visual predators highly affected by the increased turbidity of water environment. Percids are mainly...
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