- Macrophytic communities inhabiting the Huveaune (South-East France), a river subject to natural and anthropic disturbances
- Producteur(s)
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- Type de producteur
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- Nature de l'étude
- 2005
- Périmètre
- Etude localisée
- Thèmes
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- Mots-clés
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- Objectif
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Few studies have dealt so far with the macrophytic communities inhabiting the small Mediterranean rivers in South-East France. In order to fill this gap, it was proposed to assess the effects of natural and anthropic disturbances on the biodiversity in the lowland River Huveaune (South-East France).
The Mediterranean climate in this region results in strong seasonal variations in the hydrological regime: there is a long dry period and sudden episodes of flooding occur, which greatly affect the plant community dynamics. The River Huveaune is severely polluted by organic matter.
Two stations were set up, one in an upstream reference sector and the other in a downstream polluted sector. The standard sampling area of 100 m2 was divided into plots 4 m2 in size, some of which included part of the river and part of a bank. In addition, plant inventories were drawn up over distances of 50 and 100 m. Seventeen sampling campaigns were carried out from April 2002 to October 2003, resulting in the first systematic list of macrophyte species occurring in small Mediterranean rivers in South-Eastern France.
- Conclusion
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Based on the present analysis of the changes in composition and cover shown by the macrophytic communities inhabiting a Mediterranean river, we have drawn up the first list of the aquatic and subaquatic species liable to colonize the small Mediterranean rivers in the South-East of France which are subject to natural and anthropic disturbances.
Over 2-year study on the communities of macrophytes showed the occurrence of variations in terms of the biodiversity.
The Biological Macrophyte Index for Rivers based on an accurate identification of the taxa proved to be a valid tool for the detection of pollution in the case of small Mediterranean rivers.
A climatic event was found to have decisive effects: The heat wave and the drought in 2003 resulted in particularly low water levels during the summer and autumn of that year, which favoured the proliferation of macroalgae and phanerogams.
Ce projet a été financé par l’ARS PACA et la DREAL PACA labellisées PRSE pour la partie Fos-sur-Mer et par l’OHM BMP pour la partie Bassin Minier de Provence.
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