Sector of Freshwater Ecology
The main research trends – regularities and mechanisms of adaptive processes in natural water populations and communities, biodiversity and resources, regularities of variability caused by natural and anthropogenic factors.
Monitoring of Lake Drūkšiai, which is the cooler of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, has been carried out according to the programme ‘Atomic energetics and environment’. Lately, monitoring of fish populations and communities is being performed in Lithuanian water bodies, the staff of the sector take part in salmon and sea-trout populations’ restoration programme, and they carry out research on the impact of anthropogenic activity on fish communities. The database of Lithuanian lakes and rivers has been created, and it covers fish communities, physical and hydrological indices of water bodies, anthropogenic factors and indicators of their intensity.
The sector was established in 2002.
Tomas Virbickas, Dr – Head of the Sector, Senior Researcher
Tel. +370 5 271 18 89; e-mail: tvirbickas@takas.lt
Ecology of freshwater fish: research on their distribution, abundance, migration and status; investigations into the variability of fish communities caused by various anthropogenic activities
Vytautas Kesminas, Dr – Senior Researcher
Tel. +370 5 269 76 53, e-mail: V.Kesminas@takas.lt
Ichthyology, ecology, nature protection: research of fish populations and communities in Lithuanian waters, including salmonid fish
Vesta Skrodenytė-Arbačiauskienė, Dr – Senior Researcher
E-mail: svesta@ekoi.lt
Ecology and systematics of microorganisms: research of digestive tract microflora of salmonid fish
Saulius Stakėnas, Dr - Senior Researcher
E-mail: saulius.stakenas@gmail.com
Aloyzas Burba, Dr - Senior Researcher
e-mail: aloyzas.burba@gmail.com
Distribution, abundance and population structure of native and invasive crayfish species in Lithuanian waters, crayfish ecology and interaction
Andrius Steponėnas – Junior Researcher
Research on distribution, ecology and taxonomy of fish belonging to the loach (Cobitidae) family in Lithuanian waters
Virginija Pliūraitė – Researcher
Tel. +370 5 272 92 41, e-mail: virga@ekoi.lt
Ecology of water invertebrates: seasonal dynamics of macrozoobenthos communities, research on changes in rivers induced by anthropogenic activity
Kęstutis Skrupskelis – Senior Assistant
Investigations of brown trout in Lithuanian rivers
Research Services
- Research of freshwater fish and invertebrate populations and communities in inland waters (rivers, lakes and water reservoirs).
- Assessment of the ecological status of Lithuanian rivers using methods and tests created by the sector personnel and satisfying the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive.
- Evaluation of the effect of the present and planned economic activity on water fauna. Assessment of the likely effect of hydrotechnical equipment while planning their construction on river banks.
- Preparation of fishery development programmes, determination of limits for commercial catches in inland waters (ichthyological expertises).
- Investigations and reproduction of rare and endangered fish and invertebrate species.
- Ecological monitoring of fish populations and communities in different type water bodies.
Projects
Monitoring of Salmon and Sea-Trout Spawning Grounds (V.Kesminas).
Fish Abundance Monitoring in Investigated Water Bodies (V.Kesminas).
EU FP5 Project: Development, Evaluation and Implementation of a Standardised Fish-Based Assessment Method for the Ecological Status of European Rivers. A Contribution to the Water Framework Directive (FAME) (V.Kesminas, T.Virbickas).
Publications
Thermal Power Generation and Environment 1981 – 1993. Volumes 1-10. Vilnius: Mokslas (in Russian).
Kesminas V., Virbickas T. 1999. Fish species diversity and productivity. Hydrobiological research in the Baltic countries (Rivers and Lakes, part 1). Vilnius, p. 66–103.
Kesminas V., Virbickas T. 2000. Application of an adapted index of biotic integrity to rivers of Lithuania. Hydrobiologia 422/423: 257–270.
Virbickas J. Fish of Lithuania. Vilnius: Trys þvaigþdutës, 2000. 192 p. (in Lithuanian).
Kesminas, R. Repečka, N. Kazlauskienė, T. Virbickas, S. Stakėnas, A. Kontautas, V. Greičiūnas, L. Ložys, R. Bogdevičius. Baltic Salmon in Lithuania. Vilnius: Aldorija, 2000. 111 p. (in Lithuanian).
V. Kesminas, T. Virbickas. 2003. Baltic salmon (Salmo salar L. ) in Lithuania: Distribution, Abundance and State. Atlantic salmon. Biology, conservation and restoration. Petrozavodsk, p. 45-52.