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Dr. Georg Niedrist
University of Innsbruck

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Journal article
Published: 10 June 2021 in Communications Earth & Environment
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Globally, inland waters emit over 2 Pg of carbon per year as carbon dioxide, of which the majority originates from streams and rivers. Despite the global significance of fluvial carbon dioxide emissions, little is known about their diel dynamics. Here we present a large-scale assessment of day- and night-time carbon dioxide fluxes at the water-air interface across 34 European streams. We directly measured fluxes four times between October 2016 and July 2017 using drifting chambers. Median fluxes are 1.4 and 2.1 mmol m−2 h−1 at midday and midnight, respectively, with night fluxes exceeding those during the day by 39%. We attribute diel carbon dioxide flux variability mainly to changes in the water partial pressure of carbon dioxide. However, no consistent drivers could be identified across sites. Our findings highlight widespread day-night changes in fluvial carbon dioxide fluxes and suggest that the time of day greatly influences measured carbon dioxide fluxes across European streams.

ACS Style

Katrin Attermeyer; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Thomas Fuss; Ada Pastor; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Danny Sheath; Anna C. Nydahl; Alberto Doretto; Ana Paula Portela; Brian C. Doyle; Nikolay Simov; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Georg H. Niedrist; Xisca Timoner; Vesela Evtimova; Laura Barral-Fraga; Tea Bašić; Joachim Audet; Anne Deininger; Georgina Busst; Stefano Fenoglio; Núria Catalán; Elvira de Eyto; Francesca Pilotto; Jordi-René Mor; Juliana Monteiro; David Fletcher; Christian Noss; Miriam Colls; Magdalena Nagler; Liu Liu; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Nina Pansch; José L. J. Ledesma; Josephine Pegg; Marcus Klaus; Anna Freixa; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Adam Bednařík; Jérémy A. Fonvielle; Peter J. Gilbert; Lyubomir A. Kenderov; Martin Rulík; Pascal Bodmer. Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams. Communications Earth & Environment 2021, 2, 1 -8.

AMA Style

Katrin Attermeyer, Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz, Thomas Fuss, Ada Pastor, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Danny Sheath, Anna C. Nydahl, Alberto Doretto, Ana Paula Portela, Brian C. Doyle, Nikolay Simov, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Georg H. Niedrist, Xisca Timoner, Vesela Evtimova, Laura Barral-Fraga, Tea Bašić, Joachim Audet, Anne Deininger, Georgina Busst, Stefano Fenoglio, Núria Catalán, Elvira de Eyto, Francesca Pilotto, Jordi-René Mor, Juliana Monteiro, David Fletcher, Christian Noss, Miriam Colls, Magdalena Nagler, Liu Liu, Clara Romero González-Quijano, Ferran Romero, Nina Pansch, José L. J. Ledesma, Josephine Pegg, Marcus Klaus, Anna Freixa, Sonia Herrero Ortega, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Adam Bednařík, Jérémy A. Fonvielle, Peter J. Gilbert, Lyubomir A. Kenderov, Martin Rulík, Pascal Bodmer. Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams. Communications Earth & Environment. 2021; 2 (1):1-8.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Katrin Attermeyer; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Thomas Fuss; Ada Pastor; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Danny Sheath; Anna C. Nydahl; Alberto Doretto; Ana Paula Portela; Brian C. Doyle; Nikolay Simov; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Georg H. Niedrist; Xisca Timoner; Vesela Evtimova; Laura Barral-Fraga; Tea Bašić; Joachim Audet; Anne Deininger; Georgina Busst; Stefano Fenoglio; Núria Catalán; Elvira de Eyto; Francesca Pilotto; Jordi-René Mor; Juliana Monteiro; David Fletcher; Christian Noss; Miriam Colls; Magdalena Nagler; Liu Liu; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Nina Pansch; José L. J. Ledesma; Josephine Pegg; Marcus Klaus; Anna Freixa; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Adam Bednařík; Jérémy A. Fonvielle; Peter J. Gilbert; Lyubomir A. Kenderov; Martin Rulík; Pascal Bodmer. 2021. "Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams." Communications Earth & Environment 2, no. 1: 1-8.

Journal article
Published: 10 May 2021 in Journal of Limnology
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High biodiversity is a prerequisite for the integrity, stability, and functioning of global aquatic ecosystems, but it is currently subject to anthropogenic threats. Small freshwater bodies with high habitat diversity are essential to sustain regional biodiversity, but species inventory and biodiversity are largely overlooked, especially in mountainous regions. In the Italian Alps, obligate assessments of freshwater biota (e.g., for the European water framework directive, WFD) are usually done in larger rivers or lakes only, which is why many taxa from small freshwater habitats might have been overlooked so far. Here we summarize and discuss the efforts to record aquatic invertebrates within the framework of so-called "Biodiversity Days", organized since 2001 at 13 different sites located across the North Italian province of South Tyrol. These events with voluntary participation of scientists and naturalists from universities and environmental agencies led to the detection of 334 benthic invertebrate taxa in streams and lakes (mostly species or genus level), whereby higher taxa richness was found in streams. The overall hierarchy of species numbers within invertebrate orders or families corresponded to that of other Alpine regions (groups richest in taxa were Chironomidae and Trichoptera) and these Biodiversity Days contributed to biodiversity research of that region in detecting 167 additional taxa. Besides analyzing yearly gains in the regional taxa inventory, we predict that future surveys will lead to new discoveries of aquatic taxa for that province (i.e., current modeling estimates a regional inventory of more than 600 taxa). However, specific surveys in hitherto unconsidered habitats, such as morphologically modified or urban waters, might reveal even more taxa than currently estimated. Besides characterizing the invertebrate fauna of this region and providing a first reference list for future monitoring projects in the same region, this work demonstrates that such Biodiversity Days can contribute to biodiversity research.

ACS Style

Georg Niedrist; Birgit Lösch; Magdalena Nagler; Hannes Rauch; Samuel Vorhauser; Alberto Scotti; Roberta Bottarin; Renate Alber. Estimating aquatic invertebrate diversity in the southern Alps using data from Biodiversity Days. Journal of Limnology 2021, 80, 1 .

AMA Style

Georg Niedrist, Birgit Lösch, Magdalena Nagler, Hannes Rauch, Samuel Vorhauser, Alberto Scotti, Roberta Bottarin, Renate Alber. Estimating aquatic invertebrate diversity in the southern Alps using data from Biodiversity Days. Journal of Limnology. 2021; 80 (2):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georg Niedrist; Birgit Lösch; Magdalena Nagler; Hannes Rauch; Samuel Vorhauser; Alberto Scotti; Roberta Bottarin; Renate Alber. 2021. "Estimating aquatic invertebrate diversity in the southern Alps using data from Biodiversity Days." Journal of Limnology 80, no. 2: 1.

Preprint content
Published: 22 March 2021
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Globally, inland waters emit over 2 Pg of carbon (C) per year as carbon dioxide (CO2), of which the majority originates from streams and rivers. Despite the global significance of fluvial CO2 emissions, little is known about their diel dynamics. We present the first large-scale assessment of day- and night-time CO2 fluxes at the water-air interface across European streams. Fluxes were directly measured four times throughout one year using drifting chambers. Median CO2 fluxes amounted to 1.4 and 2.1 mmol m-2 h-1 at midday and midnight, respectively, with night fluxes exceeding those during the day by 39%. Diel CO2 flux variability was mainly attributed to changes in the water partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) but no consistent drivers could be identified across sites. Our results highlight widespread day-night changes in fluvial CO2 fluxes and that the time of day greatly influences measured CO2 fluxes across European streams.

ACS Style

Katrin Attermeyer; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Thomas Fuss; Ada Pastor; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Danny Sheath; Anna C Nydahl; Alberto Doretto; Ana Paula Portela; Brian C Doyle; Nikolay Simov; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Georg H Niedrist; Xisca Timoner; Vesela Evtimova; Laura Barral-Fraga; Tea Bašić; Joachim Audet; Anne Deininger; Georgina Busst; Stefano Fenoglio; Núria Catalán; Elvira de Eyto; Francesca Pilotto; Jordi-René Mor; Juliana Monteiro; David Fletcher; Christian Noss; Miriam Colls; Magdalena Nagler; Liu Liu; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Nina Pansch; José L J Ledesma; Josephine Pegg; Marcus Klaus; Anna Freixa; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Adam Bednařík; Jérémy A Fonvielle; Peter J Gilbert; Lyubomir A Kenderov; Martin Rulík; Pascal Bodmer. Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams. 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Katrin Attermeyer, Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz, Thomas Fuss, Ada Pastor, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Danny Sheath, Anna C Nydahl, Alberto Doretto, Ana Paula Portela, Brian C Doyle, Nikolay Simov, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Georg H Niedrist, Xisca Timoner, Vesela Evtimova, Laura Barral-Fraga, Tea Bašić, Joachim Audet, Anne Deininger, Georgina Busst, Stefano Fenoglio, Núria Catalán, Elvira de Eyto, Francesca Pilotto, Jordi-René Mor, Juliana Monteiro, David Fletcher, Christian Noss, Miriam Colls, Magdalena Nagler, Liu Liu, Clara Romero González-Quijano, Ferran Romero, Nina Pansch, José L J Ledesma, Josephine Pegg, Marcus Klaus, Anna Freixa, Sonia Herrero Ortega, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Adam Bednařík, Jérémy A Fonvielle, Peter J Gilbert, Lyubomir A Kenderov, Martin Rulík, Pascal Bodmer. Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams. . 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Katrin Attermeyer; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Thomas Fuss; Ada Pastor; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Danny Sheath; Anna C Nydahl; Alberto Doretto; Ana Paula Portela; Brian C Doyle; Nikolay Simov; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Georg H Niedrist; Xisca Timoner; Vesela Evtimova; Laura Barral-Fraga; Tea Bašić; Joachim Audet; Anne Deininger; Georgina Busst; Stefano Fenoglio; Núria Catalán; Elvira de Eyto; Francesca Pilotto; Jordi-René Mor; Juliana Monteiro; David Fletcher; Christian Noss; Miriam Colls; Magdalena Nagler; Liu Liu; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Nina Pansch; José L J Ledesma; Josephine Pegg; Marcus Klaus; Anna Freixa; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Adam Bednařík; Jérémy A Fonvielle; Peter J Gilbert; Lyubomir A Kenderov; Martin Rulík; Pascal Bodmer. 2021. "Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams." , no. : 1.

Preprint content
Published: 22 March 2021
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Globally, inland waters emit over 2 Pg of carbon (C) per year as carbon dioxide (CO2), of which the majority originates from streams and rivers. Despite the global significance of fluvial CO2 emissions, little is known about their diel dynamics. We present the first large-scale assessment of day- and night-time CO2 fluxes at the water-air interface across European streams. Fluxes were directly measured four times throughout one year using drifting chambers. Median CO2 fluxes amounted to 1.4 and 2.1 mmol m-2 h-1 at midday and midnight, respectively, with night fluxes exceeding those during the day by 39%. Diel CO2 flux variability was mainly attributed to changes in the water partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) but no consistent drivers could be identified across sites. Our results highlight widespread day-night changes in fluvial CO2 fluxes and that the time of day greatly influences measured CO2 fluxes across European streams.

ACS Style

Katrin Attermeyer; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Thomas Fuss; Ada Pastor; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Danny Sheath; Anna C Nydahl; Alberto Doretto; Ana Paula Portela; Brian C Doyle; Nikolay Simov; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Georg H Niedrist; Xisca Timoner; Vesela Evtimova; Laura Barral-Fraga; Tea Bašić; Joachim Audet; Anne Deininger; Georgina Busst; Stefano Fenoglio; Núria Catalán; Elvira de Eyto; Francesca Pilotto; Jordi-René Mor; Juliana Monteiro; David Fletcher; Christian Noss; Miriam Colls; Magdalena Nagler; Liu Liu; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Nina Pansch; José L J Ledesma; Josephine Pegg; Marcus Klaus; Anna Freixa; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Adam Bednařík; Jérémy A Fonvielle; Peter J Gilbert; Lyubomir A Kenderov; Martin Rulík; Pascal Bodmer. Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams. 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Katrin Attermeyer, Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz, Thomas Fuss, Ada Pastor, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Danny Sheath, Anna C Nydahl, Alberto Doretto, Ana Paula Portela, Brian C Doyle, Nikolay Simov, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Georg H Niedrist, Xisca Timoner, Vesela Evtimova, Laura Barral-Fraga, Tea Bašić, Joachim Audet, Anne Deininger, Georgina Busst, Stefano Fenoglio, Núria Catalán, Elvira de Eyto, Francesca Pilotto, Jordi-René Mor, Juliana Monteiro, David Fletcher, Christian Noss, Miriam Colls, Magdalena Nagler, Liu Liu, Clara Romero González-Quijano, Ferran Romero, Nina Pansch, José L J Ledesma, Josephine Pegg, Marcus Klaus, Anna Freixa, Sonia Herrero Ortega, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Adam Bednařík, Jérémy A Fonvielle, Peter J Gilbert, Lyubomir A Kenderov, Martin Rulík, Pascal Bodmer. Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams. . 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Katrin Attermeyer; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Thomas Fuss; Ada Pastor; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Danny Sheath; Anna C Nydahl; Alberto Doretto; Ana Paula Portela; Brian C Doyle; Nikolay Simov; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Georg H Niedrist; Xisca Timoner; Vesela Evtimova; Laura Barral-Fraga; Tea Bašić; Joachim Audet; Anne Deininger; Georgina Busst; Stefano Fenoglio; Núria Catalán; Elvira de Eyto; Francesca Pilotto; Jordi-René Mor; Juliana Monteiro; David Fletcher; Christian Noss; Miriam Colls; Magdalena Nagler; Liu Liu; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Nina Pansch; José L J Ledesma; Josephine Pegg; Marcus Klaus; Anna Freixa; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Adam Bednařík; Jérémy A Fonvielle; Peter J Gilbert; Lyubomir A Kenderov; Martin Rulík; Pascal Bodmer. 2021. "Carbon dioxide fluxes increase from day to night across European streams." , no. : 1.

Research article
Published: 07 October 2020 in Environmental Science and Pollution Research
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Human-induced (i.e., secondary) salinization affects aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide. While agriculture or resource extraction are the main drivers of secondary salinization in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, the application of deicing road salt in winter can be an important source of salts entering freshwaters in cold regions. Alpine rivers are probably affected by salinization, especially in highly populated mountain regions, although this remains to be explored. In this study, we analyzed multi-year conductance time series from four rivers in the European Alps and demonstrated that the application of deicing road salt is linked to peaking rivers’ salinity levels during late winter/early spring. Especially in small catchments with more urban surfaces close to the rivers, conductance increased during constant low-flow periods in late winter and was less correlated with discharge than in summer. Thus, our results suggest that small rivers highly connected to urban infrastructures are prone to considerable salinity peaks during late winter/early spring. Given the low natural level of salinities in Alpine rivers, the aquatic biodiversity might be significantly affected by the recorded changes in conductance, with potential consequences on ecosystem functioning. Thereby, we urge the research community to assess the impact of secondary salinization in Alpine rivers and call for an implementation of management practices to prevent the degradation of these pristine and valuable ecosystems.

ACS Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié. Salinization of Alpine rivers during winter months. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2020, 28, 7295 -7306.

AMA Style

Georg H. Niedrist, Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié. Salinization of Alpine rivers during winter months. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2020; 28 (6):7295-7306.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié. 2020. "Salinization of Alpine rivers during winter months." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28, no. 6: 7295-7306.

Special issue paper
Published: 06 May 2020 in River Research and Applications
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The accelerating climate crisis intensifies environmental changes in high‐altitude ecosystems worldwide, with rising air temperature among the main stressors. While past research in alpine streams has primarily focused on how retreating glaciers might affect the ecology of glacier‐fed streams on the long run, observations of real‐time alterations of water temperature in such pristine environments are rare. Using long‐term measurements of water temperature (2010–2017) together with datasets on benthic invertebrate communities from 18 glacial and nonglacial alpine and subalpine streams in the European Alps, we illustrate significant ecological relationships of water temperature regimes and the identity of benthic communities and forecast changes thereof due to considerable warming of stream water. Besides reporting multiannual warming of all observed streams during summer with a mean rate of 2.5(±0.6)°C decade−1, this work redefines temperature optima and ranges using robust regression modelling and thereby identifies potential winners and losers among the invertebrate species. We conclude that the various invertebrate taxa in alpine stream networks will respond differently to thermal alterations and that the herein modelled temperature ranges of invertebrates is an essential step towards the understanding of future shifts in species distributions and success.

ACS Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. Real‐time warming of Alpine streams: (re)defining invertebrates' temperature preferences. River Research and Applications 2020, 37, 283 -293.

AMA Style

Georg H. Niedrist, Leopold Füreder. Real‐time warming of Alpine streams: (re)defining invertebrates' temperature preferences. River Research and Applications. 2020; 37 (2):283-293.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. 2020. "Real‐time warming of Alpine streams: (re)defining invertebrates' temperature preferences." River Research and Applications 37, no. 2: 283-293.

Journal article
Published: 30 January 2020 in Water
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High altitude glacier-fed streams are harsh environments inhabiting specialized invertebrate communities. Most research on biotic aspects in glacier-fed streams have focused on the simple relationship between presence/absence of species and prevailing environmental conditions, whereas functional strategies and potentials of glacial stream specialists have been hardly investigated so far. Using new and recent datasets from our investigations in the European Alps, we now demonstrate distinct functional properties of invertebrates that typically dominate glacier-fed streams and show significant relationships with declining glacier cover in alpine stream catchments. In particular, we present and argue about cause-effect relationships between glacier cover in the catchment and temperature, community structure, diversity, feeding strategies, early life development, body mass, and growth of invertebrates. By concentrating on key taxa in glacial and non-glacial alpine streams, the relevance of distinct adaptations in these functional components becomes evident. This clearly demonstrates that further studies of functional characteristics are essential for the understanding of peculiar diversity patterns, successful traits and their plasticity, evolutionary triggered species adaptions, and flexibilities.

ACS Style

Leopold Füreder; Georg H. Niedrist. Glacial Stream Ecology: Structural and Functional Assets. Water 2020, 12, 376 .

AMA Style

Leopold Füreder, Georg H. Niedrist. Glacial Stream Ecology: Structural and Functional Assets. Water. 2020; 12 (2):376.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leopold Füreder; Georg H. Niedrist. 2020. "Glacial Stream Ecology: Structural and Functional Assets." Water 12, no. 2: 376.

Journal article
Published: 08 May 2019 in Environmental Sciences Europe
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Pesticide levels are generally monitored within agricultural areas, but are commonly not assessed at public places. To assess possible contamination of non-target areas, 71 public playgrounds located next to intensively managed apple and wine orchards were selected in four valleys of South Tyrol (northern Italy). Further, the impact of environmental site characteristics on the number and concentration of pesticides was assessed. Grass samples from the selected playgrounds were collected and screened for 315 pesticide residues using standard gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Nearly half of the playgrounds (45%) were contaminated by at least one pesticide and a quarter (24%) by more than one. Eleven of the 12 different detected pesticides are classified as endocrine-active substances including the insecticide phosmet and the fungicide fluazinam showing the highest concentrations (0.069 and 0.26 mg kg−1, respectively). Additionally, one disinfectant and one preservation agent was found. Playgrounds in Venosta valley were most often contaminated (76% of all investigated playgrounds), highest concentrations were found in the Low Adige (2.02 mg kg−1). Pesticide concentrations were positively associated with areal proportion of apple orchards in the surroundings, the amount of rainfall and wind speed. In contrast, increasing global irradiance, opposite wind direction, increasing distance to agricultural sites and high wind speeds when pesticide application was not allowed were associated with decreasing pesticide contamination. This study is among the first investigating pesticide contamination of public playgrounds together with environmental factors in areas with pesticide-intensive agriculture at the beginning of the growing season. It is likely that playgrounds will be affected by more pesticides and higher concentrations over the course of the crop season. The result, that the majority of the detected pesticides are classified as endocrine active is worrisome as children are especially vulnerable. Hence, we recommend that pesticide risk assessments should better include protection measures for non-target areas.

ACS Style

Caroline Linhart; Georg Niedrist; Magdalena Nagler; Rajini Nagrani; Veronika Temml; Tommaso Bardelli; Thomas Wilhalm; Andreas Riedl; Johann G. Zaller; Peter Clausing; Koen Hertoge. Pesticide contamination and associated risk factors at public playgrounds near intensively managed apple and wine orchards. Environmental Sciences Europe 2019, 31, 28 .

AMA Style

Caroline Linhart, Georg Niedrist, Magdalena Nagler, Rajini Nagrani, Veronika Temml, Tommaso Bardelli, Thomas Wilhalm, Andreas Riedl, Johann G. Zaller, Peter Clausing, Koen Hertoge. Pesticide contamination and associated risk factors at public playgrounds near intensively managed apple and wine orchards. Environmental Sciences Europe. 2019; 31 (1):28.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Caroline Linhart; Georg Niedrist; Magdalena Nagler; Rajini Nagrani; Veronika Temml; Tommaso Bardelli; Thomas Wilhalm; Andreas Riedl; Johann G. Zaller; Peter Clausing; Koen Hertoge. 2019. "Pesticide contamination and associated risk factors at public playgrounds near intensively managed apple and wine orchards." Environmental Sciences Europe 31, no. 1: 28.

Article
Published: 19 November 2018 in Climatic Change
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Lakes around the world are warming, but not all water layers are warming at the same rate, and some are even cooling. Most studies have focused on summer lake water surface temperatures or analyzed short-time series. Here, we analyze a 44-year time series of water temperature from nine depths in a small mountain lake using dynamic linear models and temporal trend decomposition. We observe a significant long-term warming trend, but this occurred only from August to December in all water layers. The lake warmed ca. twice as fast (0.23 °C decade−1) as the air, but warming of the epilimnion slowed down remarkably (from 0.65 to 0.10 °C per decade) after 1993, a consequence of changing stratification timing. Deeper water layers even cooled thereafter, pointing to a stronger isolation from surface layers, which were still warming over the whole study period. This differential warming of the lake was accompanied by significant shifts of lake freezing and thawing dates leading to shorter ice-cover periods (~ 5 days decade−1). As a result, the thermal Schmidt stability of the water column strengthened, but also temperature variance in the epilimnion increased significantly, together with increasing variance and extremes of local air temperature. Our results show a significant autumn/winter warming effect of lake water together with an increasing intensity of temperature fluctuations in this seasonally ice-covered mountain lake, suggesting that current broad scale estimates of climate change impacts on lakes, based on summer temperature measurements and surface layers, do not fully reflect the effect of climate change.

ACS Style

G. H. Niedrist; R. Psenner; R. Sommaruga. Climate warming increases vertical and seasonal water temperature differences and inter-annual variability in a mountain lake. Climatic Change 2018, 151, 473 -490.

AMA Style

G. H. Niedrist, R. Psenner, R. Sommaruga. Climate warming increases vertical and seasonal water temperature differences and inter-annual variability in a mountain lake. Climatic Change. 2018; 151 (3-4):473-490.

Chicago/Turabian Style

G. H. Niedrist; R. Psenner; R. Sommaruga. 2018. "Climate warming increases vertical and seasonal water temperature differences and inter-annual variability in a mountain lake." Climatic Change 151, no. 3-4: 473-490.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2018 in Water Research
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Large-scale studies are needed to identify the drivers of total mercury (THg) and monomethyl-mercury (MeHg) concentrations in aquatic ecosystems. Studies attempting to link dissolved organic matter (DOM) to levels of THg or MeHg are few and geographically constrained. Additionally, stream and river systems have been understudied as compared to lakes. Hence, the aim of the study was to examine the influence of DOM concentration and composition, morphological descriptors, land uses and water chemistry on THg and MeHg concentrations and the percentage of THg as MeHg (%MeHg) in 29 streams across Europe spanning from 41°N to 64 °N. THg concentrations (0.06–2.78 ng L−1) were highest in streams characterized by DOM with a high terrestrial soil signature and low nutrient content. MeHg concentrations (78–160 pg L−1) varied non-systematically across systems. Relationships between DOM bulk characteristics and THg and MeHg suggest that while soil derived DOM inputs control THg concentrations, autochthonous DOM (aquatically produced) and the availability of electron acceptors for Hg methylating microorganisms (e.g. sulfate) drive %MeHg and potentially MeHg concentration. Overall, these results highlight the large spatial variability in THg and MeHg concentrations at European scale, and underscore the importance of DOM composition on Hg cycling in fluvial systems.

ACS Style

Andrea G. Bravo; Dolly N. Kothawala; Katrin Attermeyer; Emmanuel Tessier; Pascal Bodmer; José L. J. Ledesma; Joachim Audet; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Núria Catalán; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Miriam Colls; Anne Deininger; Vesela V. Evtimova; Jeremy Fonvielle; Thomas Fuss; Peter J. Gilbert; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Liu Liu; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Juliana Monteiro; Jordi-René Mor; Magdalena Nagler; Georg H. Niedrist; Anna C. Nydahl; Ada Pastor; Josephine Pegg; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Francesca Pilotto; Ana Paula Portela; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Martin Rulík; David Amouroux. The interplay between total mercury, methylmercury and dissolved organic matter in fluvial systems: A latitudinal study across Europe. Water Research 2018, 144, 172 -182.

AMA Style

Andrea G. Bravo, Dolly N. Kothawala, Katrin Attermeyer, Emmanuel Tessier, Pascal Bodmer, José L. J. Ledesma, Joachim Audet, Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz, Núria Catalán, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Miriam Colls, Anne Deininger, Vesela V. Evtimova, Jeremy Fonvielle, Thomas Fuss, Peter J. Gilbert, Sonia Herrero Ortega, Liu Liu, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Juliana Monteiro, Jordi-René Mor, Magdalena Nagler, Georg H. Niedrist, Anna C. Nydahl, Ada Pastor, Josephine Pegg, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Francesca Pilotto, Ana Paula Portela, Clara Romero González-Quijano, Ferran Romero, Martin Rulík, David Amouroux. The interplay between total mercury, methylmercury and dissolved organic matter in fluvial systems: A latitudinal study across Europe. Water Research. 2018; 144 ():172-182.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea G. Bravo; Dolly N. Kothawala; Katrin Attermeyer; Emmanuel Tessier; Pascal Bodmer; José L. J. Ledesma; Joachim Audet; Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz; Núria Catalán; Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié; Miriam Colls; Anne Deininger; Vesela V. Evtimova; Jeremy Fonvielle; Thomas Fuss; Peter J. Gilbert; Sonia Herrero Ortega; Liu Liu; Clara Mendoza-Lera; Juliana Monteiro; Jordi-René Mor; Magdalena Nagler; Georg H. Niedrist; Anna C. Nydahl; Ada Pastor; Josephine Pegg; Catherine Gutmann Roberts; Francesca Pilotto; Ana Paula Portela; Clara Romero González-Quijano; Ferran Romero; Martin Rulík; David Amouroux. 2018. "The interplay between total mercury, methylmercury and dissolved organic matter in fluvial systems: A latitudinal study across Europe." Water Research 144, no. : 172-182.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2018 in Freshwater Science
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Glacier retreat alters physical and chemical characteristics and biological communities of glacier-fed streams. Functional relationships, including effects of different food-source qualities on the density and biomass of primary consumers, are insufficiently known in alpine and subalpine headwaters. We measured: 1) the relative abundance of diatoms + chrysophytes, green algae, and cyanobacteria in the periphyton and assemblage patterns of the 2 dominant chironomid subfamilies, Diamesinae and Orthocladiinae, and 2) differences in chironomid body mass as an unexpected response to living conditions in harsh alpine stream ecosystems. Diatoms + chrysophytes dominated in harsh environments, and cyanobacteria were abundant in more benign streams. Patterns in algal dominance corresponded to differences in individual body mass of Diamesinae and Orthocladiinae among streams. Body mass of glacial-river specialists Diamesa steinboecki and Diamesa latitarsis gr. was higher in harsh than in benign streams, but other Diamesinae and Orthocladiinae biomass did not differ between harsh or less harsh conditions. Plausible explanations include higher nutritional quality of algal classes in periphyton and less competition for specialists in harsh than in benign streams. Our results indicate that harsh environmental conditions, such as low temperatures and high turbidity, lead to lower taxon numbers and food quality and that food quality influences invertebrate occurrence and body mass in alpine and subalpine headwater streams. Closely related species respond differently to specific environmental conditions and may perform differing functions. This result widens our general understanding of climate-change effects on alpine stream ecosystems and provides additional explanations for species abilities and performance.

ACS Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Marco Cantonati; Leopold Füreder. Environmental harshness mediates the quality of periphyton and chironomid body mass in alpine streams. Freshwater Science 2018, 37, 519 -533.

AMA Style

Georg H. Niedrist, Marco Cantonati, Leopold Füreder. Environmental harshness mediates the quality of periphyton and chironomid body mass in alpine streams. Freshwater Science. 2018; 37 (3):519-533.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Marco Cantonati; Leopold Füreder. 2018. "Environmental harshness mediates the quality of periphyton and chironomid body mass in alpine streams." Freshwater Science 37, no. 3: 519-533.

Original article
Published: 02 July 2018 in Freshwater Biology
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Glacier retreat is a key component of environmental change in alpine environments, leading to significant changes in physico‐chemical characteristics and biological communities in glacier‐fed rivers. While the overall effects of the environment on community structure of invertebrates are largely understood, its influence on functional strategies such as feeding habits of same species are not. The aquatic larvae of the species‐rich family Chironomidae, or nonbiting midges, are the first invertebrates colonising alpine headwaters, and the first macroinvertebrate consumers in these harsh environments. Species composition in the two subfamilies, Diamesinae and Orthocladiinae, is diverse and is strongly affected by the changing habitat conditions upon glacier retreat. Here, we show that Diamesinae have extremely flexible feeding strategies that explain their abundance, high body‐mass and predominance in glacier‐fed streams. Along a multifactorial ecological gradient from benign to harsh, based on water temperature, sediment transport and degree of glacial influence, Diamesinae expanded their trophic niche area and covered more trophic levels when conditions harshened. In contrast, niche areas of Orthocladiinae remained small and were not related to this gradient. In Diamesinae, mean body‐mass increased with harsher environmental conditions, but no such effects were found in Orthocladiinae. As facultative predators and able to feed on diverse food sources, Diamesinae have evolved survival mechanisms that allow them to thrive and successfully reproduce in glacier‐fed streams, which likely explains their predominance in these habitats. Climate change‐induced glacier retreat affects the global water balance, with many downstream effects, including on irrigation and domestic use, and our study deepens our understanding of its effects on animals that depend on glacier‐melt.

ACS Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. When the going gets tough, the tough get going: The enigma of survival strategies in harsh glacial stream environments. Freshwater Biology 2018, 63, 1260 -1272.

AMA Style

Georg H. Niedrist, Leopold Füreder. When the going gets tough, the tough get going: The enigma of survival strategies in harsh glacial stream environments. Freshwater Biology. 2018; 63 (10):1260-1272.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. 2018. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going: The enigma of survival strategies in harsh glacial stream environments." Freshwater Biology 63, no. 10: 1260-1272.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2017 in Freshwater Science
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Community structures of benthic invertebrates in different alpine stream types have been well documented and modeled against environmental conditions and change. However, community structure cannot be linked directly to community functions or processes, and this problem prevents clear estimation of functional consequences of environmental changes. In this article, we highlight the need to focus research efforts on the trophic ecology of alpine streams for several reasons. 1) The trophic ecology of invertebrates is remarkably understudied in the field of alpine stream ecology (only 7% of published studies), but the trophic ecology of invertebrates underlies crucial functions in these ecosystems. 2) Classifications of species into functional feeding groups, traits often used to express the functionality of invertebrate communities, are missing for several alpine species or have been deduced from classifications based on higher taxonomic levels. 3) Most investigators focused on a few trophic levels, whereas use of new analytical methods, such as Bayesian stable-isotope mixing models could provide statistically sophisticated estimations of multiple food-source contributions to consumers’ diets. 4) Out-dated ideas need to be revised; e.g., we demonstrate that Diamesa species can actively select their food, which is against the established assumption that animals in harsh environments are forced to feed on everything they can get. Based on literature studies, we summarized most critical research needs on the trophic ecology of alpine stream invertebrates. Our goal is to promote ways to understand the ecological function of alpine stream invertebrates and the potential effects of alteration of their trophic relationships by ongoing environmental changes like glacier retreat, water exploitation, or immigration of invasive species.

ACS Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. Trophic ecology of alpine stream invertebrates: current status and future research needs. Freshwater Science 2017, 36, 466 -478.

AMA Style

Georg H. Niedrist, Leopold Füreder. Trophic ecology of alpine stream invertebrates: current status and future research needs. Freshwater Science. 2017; 36 (3):466-478.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. 2017. "Trophic ecology of alpine stream invertebrates: current status and future research needs." Freshwater Science 36, no. 3: 466-478.

Journal article
Published: 21 February 2017 in Journal of Plankton Research
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ACS Style

Yeshiemebet Major; Demeke Kifle; Georg H. Niedrist; Ruben Sommaruga. An isotopic analysis of the phytoplankton–zooplankton link in a highly eutrophic tropical reservoir dominated by cyanobacteria. Journal of Plankton Research 2017, 39, 220 -231.

AMA Style

Yeshiemebet Major, Demeke Kifle, Georg H. Niedrist, Ruben Sommaruga. An isotopic analysis of the phytoplankton–zooplankton link in a highly eutrophic tropical reservoir dominated by cyanobacteria. Journal of Plankton Research. 2017; 39 (2):220-231.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yeshiemebet Major; Demeke Kifle; Georg H. Niedrist; Ruben Sommaruga. 2017. "An isotopic analysis of the phytoplankton–zooplankton link in a highly eutrophic tropical reservoir dominated by cyanobacteria." Journal of Plankton Research 39, no. 2: 220-231.

Journal article
Published: 28 May 2016 in Hydrobiologia
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Macroinvertebrates are widely used as indicators to detect and assess anthropogenic impacts on freshwater ecosystems. However, despite being considered useful in indicating effects of environmental change in alpine catchments, little is known about species preferences for local conditions in such environments. In exploring the occurrence of 59 taxa within the dipteran family Chironomidae in relation to key-environmental variables in alpine and sub-alpine streams, we showed that sediment load, water temperature, periphyton density, and fine particulate organic matter mostly explain assemblage structures. Two-way-cluster analyses identified stream-type specific assemblages, indicator value analysis defined indicator species for glacial and non-glacial streams, and weighted averaging regression models confined preferences for local environmental conditions by summing their optima and tolerance widths regarding environmental key factors. The definition of habitat requirements identified stenoecious taxa with preferences for high and low values of respective variables thus identified most suitable indicators for future studies. Our work reveals manifold preferences within the dominant benthic invertebrate family, underlines their enormous potential for monitoring purposes, and is a step forward in better understanding ecosystem properties and biodiversity. Fundamental requirements for these kinds of indicative traits, essential to understand cause–effect relationships in environmental change issues, are a robust taxonomy and a comprehensive set of physical and chemical data.

ACS Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. Towards a definition of environmental niches in alpine streams by employing chironomid species preferences. Hydrobiologia 2016, 781, 143 -160.

AMA Style

Georg H. Niedrist, Leopold Füreder. Towards a definition of environmental niches in alpine streams by employing chironomid species preferences. Hydrobiologia. 2016; 781 (1):143-160.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georg H. Niedrist; Leopold Füreder. 2016. "Towards a definition of environmental niches in alpine streams by employing chironomid species preferences." Hydrobiologia 781, no. 1: 143-160.