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(333) Monitoring of small stream pollution by biomarkers: Results of the project VALIMAR. Luckenbach, T.1,2, Adam, S.1, Behrens, A.3, Beier, S.4, Böhmer, J.5, Braunbeck, T. 5, Dietze, U.3, Honnen, W.7, Klingebiel, M.1, Köhler, H.R.1, Konradt, J.6, Lehmann, R.7, Müller, E.1, Oberemm, A.2, Schüürmann, G.3, Schwaiger, J.6, Segner, H.3, Siligato, S.5, Strmac, M.8, Traunspurger, W.4, Triebskorn, R.1,10, 1 2 3 4 5 7 6 8 10 ABSTRACT- Between 1995 and 1999, active and passive biomonitoring experiments in two differently polluted small streams, and tests with pollutant mixtures in the laboratory were performed with brown trout (Salmo trutta f.fario) and stone loach (Barbatula barbatula) in order to evaluate the suitability of biomarkers representing different levels of biological organization for the assessment of small stream pollution. In parallel to the biomarker studies, morphology of the test streams was characterised and limnological and chemical paramters were monitored. Furthermore, early life stage tests and ecological studies comprising a characterisation of trout and loach population demography and the fish, macro- and meizoobenthos communities in the two test streams were included into the project. It could be shown that a combination of structural indicators (e.g. histopathology of kidney or liver, ultrastructure of gills or liver) with biochemical biomarkers (e.g. EROD activity, stress protein expression, catalase or esterase activity) can be recommended as useful tools to assess risk for fish populations. Comparing the results obtained for the different biological levels studied in the VALIMAR project, it became evident that results from biomarker studies and early life stage tests also reflect impacts at the community levels represented by fish meiozoobenthic and macrozoobentic communities. Biomarkers were shown to indicate the general stress status and the health of fish in both complexly and less polluted situations like in the two test streams of VALIMAR. In addition, biomarkers were shown to indicate recovery of ecosystems. Key words: biomarker |
