International Journal of Limnology

International Journal of Limnology publishes papers on the ecology of freshwater systems, ranging from studies of aquatic organisms, physical and chemical works which relate to the biological environment, to ecological applications and frameworks for water management directives.

Journal founded by University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse in 1964.

  • Special Issue - Advances in freshwater ecology in Sub-Saharan Africa
    Open Access

    Impact of a set of environmental variables on the leaf litter breakdown rate in natural streams of the equatorial forest in Cameroon

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    In this study, we tried to highlight the controlling factors of litter breakdown in African streams using 13 sites in the natural rainforest of South Cameroon. The goals of this study were to highlight the biological and physico-chemical determinants of leaf litter breakdown in streams and to compare those factors to other factors found in temperate and other tropical streams.

    Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 21
  • New invader colonises the Danube: Quistadrilus multisetosus (Smith, 1900) (Clitellata: Naididae) population settled in the Slovakian stretch of the Danube floodplain

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    The established population of Quistadrilusmultisetosus (Smith, 1900) inhabits a sidearm of the Danube River in Slovakia. This discovery marks a new species for the Slovak fauna and is the first documented record of this species in the Danube River and its floodplain system.

    Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 20
  • Special issue - Biology and Management of Coregonid Fishes - 2023
    Open Access

    Response of European whitefish embryos to thermal conditions diverges between peri-alpine populations

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    Perialpine lakes face climate warming, impacting coregonine fish populations. The exposition of European whitefish embryos from perialpine populations to actual/cold and future/warm temperatures in the lab reveals strong impact on survival and incubation duration and contrasted ability of populations to cope with warming waters.

    Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 19
  • Assessment of hydrographic parameters and trophic status of selected freshwater ecosystems of southwest India

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    The present study evaluated the seasonal variations in hydrographic parameters and trophic status of two selected freshwater ecosystems of southwest India, highlighting their eutrophic to hypereutrophic state. Understanding the trophic status of freshwater ecosystems provides valuable insights into the necessity of mitigation and management practices to safeguard the aquatic ecosystem from deterioration caused by nutrient loading leading to harmful algal blooms.

    Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 18
  • Special issue - Biology and Management of Coregonid Fishes - 2023
    Open Access

    Winter is not coming: evaluating impacts of changing winter conditions on coregonine reproductive phenology

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    Our paper developed and evaluated temperature-dependent embryo development modelsfor a group of cold, stenothermic fishes (Salmonidae Coregoninae) to assess the potential impacts of climate-induced changes in water temperature on cisco (Coregonus artedi) from two populations in Lake Superior (Apostle Islands [USA] and Thunder Bay [Canada]) and one in Lake Ontario (USA), vendace (C. albula) in Lake Southern Konnevesi (Finland), and European whitefish (C. lavaretus) in lakes Southern Konnevesi, Constance (Germany), Geneva (France), and Annecy (France). Water temperatures for each study group were simulated and changes in reproductive phenology across historic (1900-2006) and three future climatic-warming scenarios (2007-2099) were investigated. Models predicted that increases in water temperatures are likely to cause delayed spawning, shorter embryo incubation durations, and earlier larval hatching. Relative changes increased as warming scenarios increased in severity and were higher for littoral as compared to pelagic populations. Our simulations demonstrated that slower cooling in the autumn and (or) more rapid warming in spring can translate into substantial changes in the reproductive phenology of coregonines among our study groups. We expect that the changes in reproductive phenology predicted by our models, in the absence of thermal or behavioral adaptation, will have negative implications for population sustainability.

    Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 17

Most read articles

Special issue - Biology and Management of Coregonid Fishes - 2023
Open Access

Winter is not coming: evaluating impacts of changing winter conditions on coregonine reproductive phenology

Show short summary

Our paper developed and evaluated temperature-dependent embryo development modelsfor a group of cold, stenothermic fishes (Salmonidae Coregoninae) to assess the potential impacts of climate-induced changes in water temperature on cisco (Coregonus artedi) from two populations in Lake Superior (Apostle Islands [USA] and Thunder Bay [Canada]) and one in Lake Ontario (USA), vendace (C. albula) in Lake Southern Konnevesi (Finland), and European whitefish (C. lavaretus) in lakes Southern Konnevesi, Constance (Germany), Geneva (France), and Annecy (France). Water temperatures for each study group were simulated and changes in reproductive phenology across historic (1900-2006) and three future climatic-warming scenarios (2007-2099) were investigated. Models predicted that increases in water temperatures are likely to cause delayed spawning, shorter embryo incubation durations, and earlier larval hatching. Relative changes increased as warming scenarios increased in severity and were higher for littoral as compared to pelagic populations. Our simulations demonstrated that slower cooling in the autumn and (or) more rapid warming in spring can translate into substantial changes in the reproductive phenology of coregonines among our study groups. We expect that the changes in reproductive phenology predicted by our models, in the absence of thermal or behavioral adaptation, will have negative implications for population sustainability.

Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 17
Special issue - Biology and Management of Coregonid Fishes - 2023
Open Access

Long-term decline of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) population in the boreal lake Pyhäjärvi, southwest Finland, relative to simultaneous abiotic and biotic changes

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The long-term decline of the whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) population in the boreal lake Pyhäjärvi, southwest Finland is described. Whitefish decline was associated with decreases in fecundity, winter survival of embryos, and larval density. The spawning stock was kept small by intensive fishery.

Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 16
Free Access

Ecological traits of dragonfly (Odonata) assemblages along an oligotrophic Dinaric karst hydrosystem

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Due to the recorded preference for higher water temperature, dragonfly larvae preferred tufa barriers, while they were mostly absent from headwaters of mountainous streams. Favorable microhabitats were inorganic substrates associated with lower current velocity, in contrast to mosses associated with the strongest current. These results represent an important contribution to the knowledge of dragonfly ecology in karstic lotic habitats.

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim., 53 (2017) 377-389
Special issue - Biology and Management of Coregonid Fishes - 2023
Open Access

Impact of fishing activities on the population dynamics of European whitefish in four peri-alpine lakes

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Our study introduces the first Bayesian Delay-Difference model adapted to whitefish fisheries in peri-alpine lakes. By analyzing various data, the model accurately estimates annual biomass, recruitment, stage structure of landings, and fishing mortality. These insights are invaluable for comprehending the historical trends and impacts of fishing activities on these stocks.

Int. J. Lim., 60 (2024) 15
Recent articles (published in the past 5 years)
Free Access

The increasing of maximum lake water temperature in lowland lakes of central Europe: case study of the Polish Lakeland

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The study showed significant changes in the maximum annual water temperatures in post-glacial lakes located in Poland in the years 1971-2015. The highest rate of increase in monthly maximum water temperature was recorded in April and the lowest in January and February. The value of maximum water temperature trends was lower than annual air temperature trends.

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim., 55 (2019) 6
Free Access

Occurrence of potentially toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa in aquatic ecosystems of central Kerala (south India)

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The occurrence of M. aeruginosa bloom in two freshwater ponds along central Kerala has been addressed along with the variations in the hydrobiological characteristics of the ecosystem during bloom and non-bloom conditions of the species. Histological studies highlight hepatotoxicity of M. aeruginosa signifying regular monitoring of bloom events in these ecosystems.

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim., 56 (2020) 18
Free Access

Effects of salinity on species composition of zooplankton on Hau River, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

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Zooplankton was found to change proportionally with salinity changes in the Mekong Delta (MD) estuarine areas. Rotifera and Cladocera were inversely proportional while Protozoa and Copepoda were positively proportional to salinity. This first time ever findings can be applied to predict change in biological productivity of the estuarine ecosystem in the MD.

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim., 56 (2020) 20
Free Access

Longitudinal distribution of macroinvertebrate in a very wet North African Basin: Oued Melloulou (Morocco)

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The Melloulou River presented 161 invertebrate taxa, most new for northeast Morocco. Multivariate analyses showed an invertebrate distribution governed by altitude, slope and current velocity in a highly flow dynamic. Three assemblages and a great number of ubiquitous taxa were also found. These findings are of crucial concern for managing actions.

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim., 56 (2020) 17
Free Access

Land use change causes environmental homogeneity and low beta-diversity in Heteroptera of streams

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Environmental change affected the beta-diversity of the Heteroptera and of Nepomorpha, also negatively affecting both Gerromorpha beta-diversity and richness. These results show that Gerromorpha is more sensitive to physical changes in streams caused by the loss of environmental integrity and deforestation.

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim., 56 (2020) 9