SUBJECT

Fish Monitoring of Inland Waters

lecture

master

Faculty of Science

Biology MSc

2

Semesters 1-4

Autumn/Spring semester

This class is examines of Hungarian fish fauna and the ecological needs and population of fish species, mainly threatened species. Protected and threatened fish species are regarded as important indicators of the health of aquatic ecosystems: thus, their status must be monitored regularly. In the future, more faunistical changes are expected, due to new water regulation projects. It is very important not only to protect fish, but to be aware their ecological needs and ensure their entire habitat.

Topics of the course:

1. Planning investigations. General introduction to fishes. (Hydrobiology, taxonomy and morphology).

2. Categories of water bodies (streams and lakes).

3. Zonation of streams and lakes. Fish community of streams and lakes.

4. Research of fishpopulations: sampling (passive and active capture methods).

5. Determination criteria: meristic and morphometric characters.

6. Environmental factors and measuring methods. Limiting factors (oxygen, speed, temperature, etc.).

7. Fish community successioin (Hungarian examples).

8. Fish fauna of Hungary. History and origin of the fish fauna in Hungary. Distribution and frequency of fish species.

9. Age determination of fish (examination of scales, otoliths, spines and fin rays). Growth pattern.

10. Examination of fish populations (markings, length and weight, biomass), morthalithy and production.

11. Life-history strategies of fishes.

12. Reproductive strategy (reproductive guilds).

13. Aspects of conservation of Hungarian fish species. Conservation of threatened and protected fishes. IUCN-categories.

14. Qualification of Hungarian water bodies.

15. Planning of fishfaunistical monitoring.

• Keresztessy, K. 1996. Threatened freshwater fish in Hungary. Conservation of Endangered Freshwater Fish in Europe (ed. A. Kirchhofer, D. Hefti) /Advances in Life Sciences/ Birkhauser, Basel, Boston, Berlin, pp. 73-77.

• Holcik, J. 1989. The Freshwater Fishes of Europe. Vol. 1., Part II. General Introduction to Fishes. AULA-Verlag Wiesbaden, pp. 15-147.