https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2019.1923
Mountain lakes of Mont Avic Natural Park: ecological features and conservation issues
Mountain lakes of a natural park
Submitted: 28 June 2019
Accepted: 4 November 2019
Published: 8 November 2019
Accepted: 4 November 2019
Abstract Views: 1327
PDF: 491
Supplementary Tables: 115
Ecological data: 103
HTML: 32
Supplementary Tables: 115
Ecological data: 103
HTML: 32
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Mountain lakes provide some fundamental ecosystem services (i.e., water supply for drinking and energy production) and have an enormous aesthetic and conservation value. Ecological knowledge on mountain lakes, however, is still scarce and limited to a few geographical areas and mainly to abiotic features. To fill this gap, a limnological campaign was carried out on 19 lakes of the Mont Avic Natural Park (Aosta, Western Italian Alps). Bathymetric maps of the lakes are provided in this paper, as is data on the lakes’ physical properties, chemistry, nano- and pico-plankton, zooplankton, littoral macroinvertebrates, amphibians and introduced fish. The aim of this study was to create a reference database of ecological data for the development of new studies and conservation measures/actions. To this end, ecological data are discussed from both a limnological and a conservation perspective, allowing for the identification of major threats affecting the lakes in the protected area. Despite local threats which include water exploitation, organic pollution, and introduced fish, water quality was good. Lake biota can however be affected by such threats, in particular introduced fish (Salmonidae and Cyprinidae), representing a challenging conservation problem.
Anderson RS, 1971. Crustacean plankton of 146 alpine and subalpine lakes and ponds in western Canada. J. Fish. Board Can. 28:311-321.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/f71-043
APHA, AWWA, WEF, 2005. Standard Methods for the examination of water and wastewater (Method 4110 B). American Public Health Association, Washington.
Armstrong TW, Knapp R, 2004. Response by trout populations in alpine lakes to an experimental halt to stocking. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 61:2025-2037
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/f04-144
Baxter RM, 1977. Environmental effects of dams and impoundments. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 8:255-283.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.08.110177.001351
Bellati A, Tiberti R, Cocca W, Galimberti A, Casiraghi M, Bogliani G, Galeotti P, 2014. A dark shell hiding great variability: a molecular insight into the evolution and conservation of melanic Daphnia populations in the Alps. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 171:697-715.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12151
Boggero A, Zaupa S, Musazzi S, Rogora M, Dumnicka E, Lami A, 2019. Environmental factors as drivers for macroinvertebrate and diatom diversity in Alpine lakes: New insights from the Stelvio National Park (Italy). J. Limnol. https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2019.1863
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2019.1863
Braioni MG, Gelmini D, 1983. Rotiferi Monogononti (Rotatoria: Monogononta). Guide per il riconoscimento delle specie animali delle acque interne italiane. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bologna.
Buxton R, 1991. New Zealand's wetlands: A management guide. Department of Conservation and Environmental Council, Wellington.
Callieri C. Bertoni R, 1999. Organic carbon and microbial food web assemblages in an oligotrophic Alpine lake. J. Limnol. 58:136-143.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/445
Callieri C, Morabito G, Huot Y, Neale PJ, Litchman E, 2001. Photosynthetic response of pico and nanoplanktonic algae to UVB, UVA and PAR in a high mountain lake. Aquat. Sci. 63:286-293.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00001355
Callieri C, Amalfitano S, Corno G, Bertoni R, 2016. Grazing-induced Synechococcus microcolony formation: experimental insights from two freshwater phylotypes. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 92:fiw154.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiw154
Camarero L, Rogora M, Mosello R, Anderson J, Barbieri A, Botev I, et al., 2009 Regionalisation of chemical variability in European mountain lakes. Freshwater Biol. 54:2452-2469.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2009.02296.x
Campaioli SP, Ghetti F, Minelli A, 1994. Manuale per il riconoscimento dei macroinvertebrati delle acque dolci italiane. Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento.
Cantonati M, Tolotti M, Lazzara M, 2002. [I laghi del Parco naturale Adamello-Brenta: ricerche limnologiche su laghi d'alta quota del settore siliceo del Parco].[Book in Italian]. Parco Naturale Adamello Brenta, Trento: 285 pp.
Cantonati M, Lazzara M, 2006. [I laghi di alta montagna del bacino del fiume Avisio (Trentino Orientale) ].[Book in Italian]. MUSE-Museo delle Scienze, Trento: 249 pp.
Conniff R, 2017. Gone fishing. Scientific American 317:42-47.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1117-42
Council of the European Communities, 1992. Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. Official Journal of the European Communities, L206: 7-50.
Council of the European Communities, 1979. Council Directive 1979/409/EEC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 02 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds. Official Journal of the European Communities, L103: 1-18.
Cremonese E, Galvagno M, Ganis L, Mammoliti Mochet A, Morra Di Cella U, 2008a. [Monitoraggio delle caratteristiche idrochimiche delle torbiere del Parco Naturale Mont Avic e valutazione del potenziale impatto del pascolamento].[Article in Italian]. Revue Valdôtaine d'Histoire Naturelle 61-62:353-366.
Cremonese E, Galvagno M, Ganis L, Mammoliti Mochet A, Morra Di Cella U, 2008b. [Monitoraggio di inquinanti diffusi in ambiente forestale nel Parco Naturale Mont Avic].[Article in Italian]. Revue Valdôtaine d'Histoire Naturelle 61-62:325-339.
Crump ML, Scott NJ, 1994. Visual encounter surveys, p. 84-92. In: W.R. Heyer, M.A. Donnelly, R.W. McDiarmid, L.C. Hayek and M.S. Foster (eds.), Measuring and monitoring biological diversity: Standard methods for amphibians. Smithsonian Institution Press.
de Bernardi R, Giussani G, Lasso-Pedretti E, 1979. Food suitability and availability, demographic parameters and population growth in Daphnia obtusa Kurz under laboratory conditions. In: R. de Bernardi (ed.), Proc. Symp. Biological and Mathematical aspects in population dynamics. Mem. Ist. ital. Idrobiol. Suppl. 37:233-242.
Denoël M, Dzukic G, Kalezic ML, 2005. Effects of widespread fish introductions on paedomorphic newts in Europe. Cons. Biol. 19:162-170.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2005.00001.x
Derlet RW, Richards JR, Tanaka LL, Hayden C, Ger KA, Goldman CR, 2012. Impact of summer cattle grazing on the Sierra Nevada watershed: aquatic algae and bacteria. J. Environ. Public Health 2012: 760108.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/760108
Eby LA, Roach WJ, Crowder LB, Stanford JA, 2006. Effects of stocking-up freshwater food webs. Trends Ecol. Evol. 21:576-584.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2006.06.016
Edmondson WT, Winberg GG, 1971. A manual on methods for the assessment of secondary productivity in fresh waters. Blackwell Publ., Oxford.
Einsle U, 1996. Copepoda: Cyclopoida: Genera Cyclops, Megacyclops, Acanthocyclops (No. 595.34 EIN). SPB Academic Pub, Netherlands.
Epanchin PN, Knapp RA, Lawler SP, 2010. Nonnative trout impact an alpine-nesting bird by altering aquatic-insect subsidies. Ecology 91:2406-2415.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1890/09-1974.1
Evangelista M, 2009. [Contributo alla conoscenza dei molluschi del Parco Naturale del Monte Avic (Valle d'Aosta, Italia NW)].[Article in Italian]. Revue Valdôtaine d’Histoire Naturelle 63:99-124.
Facchini R, Badino G, 1998. [I macroinvertebrati come indicatori di biodiversità delle zone umide del Parco Naturale del Mont Avic].[Article in Italian]. Revue Valdôtaine d'Histoire Naturelle 52:49-77.
Frezet C, 2003. [Catasto dei laghi valdostani].[Book in Italian]. ARPA Valle d’Aosta, Aosta.
Gacia E, Ballesteros E, 1998. Effects of building up a dam in a shallow mountain lake (Baciver, Central Pyrenees). Oecologia aquat. 11:55-66.
Giussani G, de Bernardi R, Mosello R, Origgi I, Ruffoni T, 1986. [Indagine limnologica sui laghi alpini d'alta quota].[Article in Italian]. Doc. Ist. Ital. Idrobiol. 9:1-415.
Hinder B, Baur I, Hanselmann K, Schanz F, 1999. Microbial food web in an oligotrophic high mountain lake (Jöri lake III, Switzerland). J. Limnol. 58:162-168.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.1999.162
ISPRA, 2010. [Note illustrative della Carta geologica d’Italia alla scala 1:50.000. Foglio 091 Châtillon].[In Italian]. Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta, Aosta.
Kernan M, Ventura M, Bitušík P, Brancelj A, Clarke G, Velle G, Raddum GG, Stuchlík E, Catalan J, 2009. Regionalisation of remote European mountain lake ecosystems according to their biota: environmental versus geographical patterns. Freshwater Biol. 54:2470-2493.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2009.02284.x
Knapp RA, 2005. Effects of nonnative fish and habitat characteristics on lentic herpetofauna in Yosemite National Park, USA. Biol. Cons. 121:265-279.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2004.05.003
Knapp RA, Matthews KR, Sarnelle O, 2001. Resistance and resilience of alpine lake fauna to fish introductions. Ecol. Monogr. 71:401-421.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9615(2001)071[0401:RAROAL]2.0.CO;2
Kopáček J, Stuchlík E, Straškrabová V, Pšenáková P, 2000. Factors governing nutrient status of mountain lakes in the Tatra Mountains. Freshwater Biol. 43:369-383.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2427.2000.00569.x
Krolová M, Čížková H, Hejzlar J, Poláková S, 2013. Response of littoral macrophytes to water level fluctuations in a storage reservoir. Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst. 408:07.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/kmae/2013042
International Energy Agency, 2018. Key world energy statistics 2010. OECD Publishing, Paris.
MANP, 2017. [Piano di gestione territoriale del Parco Naturale Mont Avic].[in Italian] Parco Naturale Mont Avic, Aosta.
Marchetto A, Barbieri A, Mosello R, Tartari GA, 1994. Acidification and weathering processes in high mountain lakes in Southern Alps. Hydrobiologia 274:75-81.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2095-3_9
Marchetto A, Mosello R, Psenner R, Bendetta G, Boggero A, Tait D, Tartari GA, 1995. Factors affecting water chemistry of Alpine lakes. Aquat. Sci. 57:81-89.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00878028
Margalef R, 1983. Limnologia. Ediciones Omega, Barcellona.
Margaritora F, 1985. [Fauna d’Italia. Cladocera].[Book in Italian]. Edizioni Calderini, Bologna: 399 pp.
Miracle MR, 1978. [Composición específica de las comunidades zooplanctónicas de 153 lagos de los Pirineos y su interés biogeográfico].[Article in Spanish]. Oecologia Aquat. 3:167-191.
Miró A, 2016. Fish as local stressors of Pyrenean high mountain lakes: arrival process and impact on amphibians and other organisms. PhD Thesis, University of Barcelona.
Miró A, Ventura M, 2013. Historical use, fishing management and lake characteristics explain the presence of non-native trout in Pyrenean lakes: Implications for conservation. Biol. Cons. 167:17-24.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2013.07.016
Miró A, Ventura M, 2015. Evidence of exotic trout mediated minnow invasion in Pyrenean high mountain lakes. Biol. Invas. 17:791-803.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-014-0769-z
Miró A, Sabás I, Ventura M, 2018. Large negative effect of non-native trout and minnows on Pyrenean lake amphibians. Biol. Cons. 218:144-153.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.12.030
Miserere L, Buffa G, Montacchini F, 1998. [La vegetazione delle zone umide della Valle Chalamy (Alpi Graie)].[Article in Italian]. Revue Valdôtaine d'Histoire Naturelle 52:17-34.
Muri G., Brancelj A, 2003. Seasonal water chemistry variations in three Slovenian mountain lakes. Acta Chimica Slovenica 50:137-148.
NEILL WE, 1981. Impact of Chaoborus predation upon the structure and dynamics of a crustacean zooplankton community. Oecologia 48:164-177.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00347959
Novelli M, Meregalli M, Della Beffa G, 1997. [Dytiscidae ed Helophoridae (Insecta, Coleoptera) del Parco Naturale del Mont Avic (Valle d'Aosta, Italia)].[Article in Spanish]. Revue Valdôtaine d'Histoire Naturelle 51:59-92.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection, 2010. NYC Green infrastructure plan: A sustainable strategy for clean waterways. New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York.
NPS, 2013. Restoration of native species in high elevation aquatic ecosystems plan and draft environmental impact statement. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers.
Pennak RW, 1957. Species Composition of Limnetic Zooplankton Communities. Limnol. Oceanogr. 2:222-232.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.1957.2.3.0222
Piacentini E, 2019. [Analisi dell’impatto dei bacini idroelettrici sulle comunità di macroinvertebrati bentonici degli ecosistemi acquatici montani].[BSc Thesis in Italian]. University of Pavia.
Piscopo D, Caputo D, 2015. The ecofriendly wastewater treatment at mountain refuges: a short overview of most promising technologies. SMC Magazine 2:117-120.
Rogora M, Massaferro J, Marchetto A, Tartari G, Mosello R, 2008. The water chemistry of some shallow lakes in Northern Patagonian and their nitrogen status in comparison with remote lakes in different regions of the globe. J. Limnol. 67:75-86.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2008.75
Sindaco R, Di Giá I, Grieco C, 2008. [Le libellule (Insecta: Odonata) del Parco Naturale Mont Avic].[Article in Italian]. Revue Valdôtaine d'Histoire Naturelle 61-62:117-123.
Sommaruga R, 2015. When glaciers and ice sheets melt: consequences for planktonic organisms. J. Plankton Res. 37:509-518.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbv027
Stella E, 1984. [Fauna d’Italia. Copepoda: Calanoida (d’acqua dolce)].[Book in Italian]. Edizioni Calderini, Bologna: 101 pp.
Sutela T, Aroviita J, Keto A, 2013. Assessing ecological status of regulated lakes with littoral macrophyte, macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages. Ecol. Indicators 24:185-192.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.06.015
Tiberti R, 2018. Can satellite ponds buffer the impact of introduced fish on newts in a mountain pond network? Aquat. Cons. Freshwat. Marine Ecosyst. 28:457-465.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2858
Tiberti R, von Hardenberg A, 2012. Impact of introduced fish on common frog (Rana temporaria) close to its altitudinal limit in alpine lakes. Amphibia-Reptilia 33:303-307.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/156853812X634044
Tiberti R, Tartari G, Marchetto A, 2010. Geomorphology and hydrochemistry of 12 Alpine lakes in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy. J. Limnol. 69:242-256.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2010.242
Tiberti R, Bogliani G, Brighenti S, Iacobuzio R, Liautaud K, Rolla M, von Hardenberg A, Bassano B, 2019a. Recovery of high mountain Alpine lakes after the eradication of introduced brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis using non-chemical methods. Biol. Inv. 21:875-894.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-018-1867-0
Tiberti R, Nelli L, Tartari G, Wienckowski E, Marchetto A, Rogora M, 2019b. Multi-year trends and determinants of the hydrochemistry of high mountain lakes from the western Italian Alps. Aquat. Sci. 81:54.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-019-0650-3
Tiberti R, Rogora M, Tartari G, Callieri C, 2014a. Ecological impact of transhumance on the trophic state of alpine lakes in Gran Paradiso National Park. Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst. 415:05.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/kmae/2014030
Tiberti R, von Hardenberg A, Bogliani G, 2014b. Ecological impact of introduced fish in high altitude lakes: a case of study from the European Alps. Hydrobiologia 724:1-19.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-013-1696-1
Toro M, Granados I, Robles S, Montes C, 2006. High mountain lakes of the Central Range (Iberian Peninsula): Regional limnology and environmental changes. Limnetica 25:217-252.
Ventura M, Tiberti R, Buchaca T, Buñay D, Sabás I, Miró A, 2017. Why should we preserve fishless high mountain lakes?, p. 181-205 In: J. Catalan, J.M. Ninot and M. Aniz (eds.), High mountain conservation in a changing world. Springer.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55982-7_8
Wetzel RG, 2001. Limnology: lake and river ecosystems. Academic Press: 1006 pp.
Wille A, Sonntag B, Sattler B, Psenner R, 1999. Abundance, biomass and size structure of the microbial assemblage in the high mountain lake Gossenköllesee (Tyrol, Austria) during the ice-free period. J. Limnol. 58:117-126.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.1999.117
Williamson CE, Dodds W, Kratz TK, Palmer MA, 2008. Lakes and streams as sentinels of environmental change in terrestrial and atmospheric processes. Front. Ecol. Environ. 6:247-254.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1890/070140
Edited by
Francesca Bona, University of Turin, ItalyHow to Cite
Tiberti, Rocco, Francesco Buscaglia, Marco Armodi, Cristiana Callieri, Fabio Ribelli, Michela Rogora, Gabriele Tartari, and Massimo Bocca. 2019. “Mountain Lakes of Mont Avic Natural Park: Ecological Features and Conservation Issues: Mountain Lakes of a Natural Park”. Journal of Limnology 79 (1). https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2019.1923.
Similar Articles
- Javier Alcocer, Ana C. Ruiz-Fernández, Elva Escobar, Libia H. Pérez-Bernal, Luis A. Oseguera, Vilma Ardiles-Gloria, Deposition, burial and sequestration of carbon in an oligotrophic, tropical lake , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 73 No. 2 (2014)
- Vincent Berthon, Aldo Marchetto, Frédéric Rimet, Emmanuelle Dormia, Jean-Philippe Jenny, Cécile Pignol, Marie-Elodie Perga, Trophic history of French sub-alpine lakes over the last ~150 years: phosphorus reconstruction and assessment of taphonomic biases , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 72 No. 3 (2013)
- Stefan Weinberger, Mark Vetter, Lake heat content and stability variation due to climate change: coupled regional climate model (REMO)-lake model (DYRESM) analysis , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 73 No. 1 (2014)
- . Issa, Festus Aka Tongwa, Alfred G. Mouliom, Dmitri Rouwet, Wilson Y. Fantong, Boris Chako Tchamabé, Takeshi Ohba, Yutaka Yoshida, Daniel Sighomnou, Nkamdjou Sigha, Minoru Kusakabe, δ18O and δD variations in some volcanic lakes on the Cameroon Volcanic Line (West-Africa): generating isotopic baseline data for volcano monitoring and surveillance in Cameroon , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 74 No. 1 (2015)
- Olga Tammeorg, Tõnu Möls, Külli Kangur, Weather conditions influencing phosphorus concentration in the growing period in the large shallow Lake Peipsi (Estonia/Russia) , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 73 No. 1 (2014)
- Joanna Cieślewicz, Mirosław Kobierski, Marcin Cichosz, Geochemical assessment of lake sediments in protected areas in Poland – a search for reference condition , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 77 No. 1 (2018)
- Bárbara Becker, Bárbara de Oliveira Sanches Galhardo, Diego Rodrigues Macedo, Robert M. Hughes, Marcos Callisto, Gilmar B. Santos, Influence of limnological zones on the spatial distribution of fish assemblages in three Brazilian reservoirs , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 75 No. 1 (2016)
- Pol Tarrats, Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles, Maria Rieradevall, Narcís Prat, Chironomid communities as indicators of local and global changes in an oligotrophic high mountain lake (Enol Lake, Northwestern Spain) , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 76 No. 2 (2017)
- Shuchun Yao, Bin Xue, Sediment records of the metal pollution at Chihu Lake near a copper mine at the middle Yangtze River in China , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 75 No. 1 (2016)
- Enlou Zhang, Yanmin Cao, Peter Langdon, Qian Wang, Ji Shen, Xiangdong Yang, Within-lake variability of subfossil chironomid assemblage in a large, deep subtropical lake (Lugu lake, southwest China) , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 72 No. 1 (2013)
<< < 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 > >>
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
List of Cited By :
