System of principles for conservation of the biogeocenotic function and the biodiversity of filter-feeders

System of principles for conservation of the biogeocenotic function and the biodiversity of filter-feeders.- Doklady Biological Sciences. 2002 (November). Vol. 383: 147-150. Bibliogr.15 refs. ISSN 0012-4966. Distributed by Springer, orderdept@springer-sbm.com. As a result of the author’s studies of filter-feeders (DAN, 1998, Vol. 362, P. 574-576; DAN, 2001, Vol. 378, P. 283-285), it is clear that the filtering activity of populations of filter-feeders in natural habitats might be significantly reduced if the concentrations of some pollutants reach certain levels. The role of filter-feeders as factors of water purification in ecosystems is so important that their inhibition is a danger for the entire ecosystem. The author emphasizes that not only the biodiversity of filter-feeders but also their level of functional (filtration) activity is to be protected. In order to do so, the author suggested establishing a new type of protected areas whose main purpose is to protect functionally active populations of filter-feeders, including bivalves and other organisms. Those protected areas could be named hydrobiological (some variants: biofiltering, or malacological) reserves (some variants: refuges, sanctuaries, etc.)]. The author formulated 5 principles of nature conservation requirements in malacological and hydrobiological reserves (Tabl. 3). Among them is principle 2, "conservation of filtration activity of organisms and populations". The paper contains data on how 5 detergents (1-50 mg/L) inhibited the filtration activity of Unio tumidus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Crassostrea gigas (Tabl. 2); on effects on the efficiency of elimination (EEE) of suspended matter from water were measured (Tabl. 2); on the number of days (0.3 – 10) needed to filter the volume of aquatic (freshwater and marine) ecosystem by the local bivalves (a review of data from literature) (Tabl. 1). "I suggest that the existing system of protected terrestrial and water areas should be supplemented with special sites intended to conserve populations of filter-feeders. In addition to biodiversity conservation, these populations should be conserved because they fulfill a very important biogeocenotic function of water filtration and purification" (p.149). "The system of five principles…is proposed to provide an ecological basis of the environment conservation conditions at these sites (malacological and hydrobiological reserves)" (p.149).]. DOI 10.1023/A:1015398125876; www.springerlink.com/index/1MNVLNAYW36TC92R.pdf

The key issues related to the paper: water quality, conservation of biodiversity, protected areas, environmental protection, filter-feeders, bivalves, aquatic, marine, freshwater ecosystems, malacological and hydrobiological reserves, biogeocenotic function, filtering activity of populations of filter-feeders in natural habitats, detergents, Unio tumidus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Crassostrea gigas