Limnology of streams in the Poloniny National Park (the EastCarpathians, Slovakia)

Abstract

Structure of hydrocoenoses of the streams in the Poloniny National Park were studied during the years 1999 and 2000. Composition of epilithic diatom communities, microzoobenthos, interstitial communities, all the main groups of macrozoobenthos (permanent fauna, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Coleoptera, Trichoptera, Diptera) and basic hydrological, abiotic (water chemistry) and biotic (organic matter) factors were studied within two model streams during two years sampling procedure in order to compare hydrocoenoses of streams with different catchment management. We have compared a near pristine East Carpathian stream with a nearby-situated stream with similar stream channel characteristics, but heavily logged catchment.