Long-term recovery dynamics determined by the degree of the disturbance - Ten years tracking of aquatic macroinvertebrate recolonisation after an industrial disaster (Red Sludge Disaster, Hungary).

A ten-year-long examination of macroinvertebrate community recovery was conducted following a catastrophic spill of highly alkaline red sludge (pH >13) into lowland streams. Our primary objective was to compare recovery patterns after coarse- and fine-grain disturbances, focusing on two aspects: i) trend analysis to reveal long-term changes of six community parameters, and ii) variation analyses to assess parameter changes over time. We conducted statistical analysis on long-term data series of macroinvertebrates obtained from quantitative samples collected at four sections with varying degrees of disturbance along the impacted stream sections.

Winners and Losers: Species under the Pressure of Climate Change.

(1) Bioclimatic factors have a proven effect on species distributions in terrestrial, marine, or freshwater ecosystems. Because of anthropogenic effects, the changes in these variables are accelerated; thus, the knowledge of the impact has great importance from a conservation point of view. Two endemic dragonflies, the Balkan Goldenring () and the Two-Toothed Goldenring (), confined to the hilly and mountainous regions in Europe, are classified as "Near Threatened" according to the IUCN Red List.

50%, not great, not terrible: Pan-European gap-analysis shows the real status of the DNA barcode reference libraries in two aquatic invertebrate groups and points the way ahead.

The essential key to routine molecular species identification (DNA barcoding/metabarcoding) is the existence of an error-free DNA barcode reference library providing full coverage of all species. Published studies generally state the need to produce more barcodes, and control their quality, but unfortunately, the number of barcoded species is still low. However, to initiate real progress, we need to know where the gaps lie, how big they are and why they persist.

Environmental filtering in the dry season and spatial structuring in the wet: different fish community assembly rules revealed in a large subtropical floodplain lake.

Although environmental filtering and spatial structuring are commonly regarded as two key factors shaping community dynamics, their relative contribution remains unknown for numerous aquatic ecosystems, particularly highly dynamic floodplain lakes. This issue is here addressed by examining the seasonal metacommunity dynamics of freshwater fishes in Lake Dongting, a large subtropical lake of the middle Chang-Jiang basin in southern China. Physicochemical variables and fish assemblages were recorded at 20 sampling sites during the wet, normal, and dry seasons.

Aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera (Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha) fauna of Greek holiday islands (Rhodes, Crete and Corfu) with first records of three species from Europe and Greece.

A comprehensive survey on aquatic and semiaquatic bugs (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha) of three Greek holiday islands, Rhodes, Crete and Corfu, was conducted from 2007 to 2010 at 237 localities. In this paper, hundreds of detailed records for 30 taxa in nine families are given. The occurrences of Rhagovelia infernalis africana Lundblad, 1936 and Velia mariae Tamanini, 1971 are confirmed and recorded for the first time from Europe sensu stricto.

Revised and annotated checklist of aquatic and semi-aquatic Heteroptera of Hungary with comments on biodiversity patterns.

A basic knowledge of regional faunas is necessary to follow the changes in macroinvertebrate communities caused by environmental influences and climatic trends in the future. We collected all the available data on water bugs in Hungary using an inventory method, a UTM grid based database was built, and Jackknife richness estimates and species accumulation curves were calculated. Fauna compositions were compared among Central-European states.

Phototaxis and polarotaxis hand in hand: night dispersal flight of aquatic insects distracted synergistically by light intensity and reflection polarization.

Based on an earlier observation in the field, we hypothesized that light intensity and horizontally polarized reflected light may strongly influence the flight behaviour of night-active aquatic insects. We assumed that phototaxis and polarotaxis together have a more harmful effect on the dispersal flight of these insects than they would have separately. We tested this hypothesis in a multiple-choice field experiment using horizontal test surfaces laid on the ground.

Diel flight behaviour and dispersal patterns of aquatic Coleoptera and Heteroptera species with special emphasis on the importance of seasons.

Dispersal flight is the most important and almost the only way for primary aquatic insects to find new water habitats. During a 30-week-long project, we monitored the flight dispersal behaviour of aquatic beetles and bugs with using highly and horizontally polarizing agricultural black plastic sheets laid onto the ground. Based on the flight data of more than 45,000 individuals and 92 species, we explored and described eight different diel flight activity patterns.

Why do red and dark-coloured cars lure aquatic insects? The attraction of water insects to car paintwork explained by reflection-polarization signals.

We reveal here the visual ecological reasons for the phenomenon that aquatic insects often land on red, black and dark-coloured cars. Monitoring the numbers of aquatic beetles and bugs attracted to shiny black, white, red and yellow horizontal plastic sheets, we found that red and black reflectors are equally highly attractive to water insects, while yellow and white reflectors are unattractive. The reflection-polarization patterns of black, white, red and yellow cars were measured in the red, green and blue parts of the spectrum.