Transnational Access
PROJECT SUMMARY REPORT
The project leader of the user group fills in the form and returns it to 1) the station manager and 2) WP4
coordinator (hannele.savela@oulu.fi) within 4 weeks at the end of the study period.
Project Acronym (ID)
Project Title
Name of Group Leader
General discipline (select from
list)
Specific discipline (select from
list)
Name of organisation
E-mail address
Telephone
Dates spent at the station
(specify if several stations)
Persons who used access:
Number of mandays used
(specify for persons and/or
stations)
Changing mire fauna
Changes in the invertebrate community along natural and anthropogenic
gradients in mires
Gert-Jan van Duinen
Earth Sciences & Environment
Ecosystems & Biodiversity
Bargerveen Foundation, Radboud University Nijmegen,
P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
G.vanDuinen@science.ru.nl
+31 24 7410709
30th May-15th June 2012
Gert-Jan van Duinen, Jan Kuper, Sjoerd van Keulen, Niels Eimers
Shapsha-Mukhrino Field Station, Russia, 17 days with 4 persons: 68
mandays
1. Short project description (for public use), max. 250 words
Pristine raised bogs are extremely nutrient poor, as they receive their nutrients only by atmospheric
deposition and recycling of nutrients. Thus, increase of atmospheric nitrogen deposition affects the
functioning and species composition of raised bogs. This has been shown by many research projects on
vegetation composition, but until now little attention has been paid on changes in the fauna. In addition,
changes in the climate influence ecosystem functioning of raised bogs and the plant and animal species
composition. An increase in the nutrient availability and in the temperature sum, respectively, may enable
species non-native to bogs to invade the bog ecosystem and causing decline of poor competitors.
The aim of this project is to extend a comparative study on aquatic invertebrates of bog ecosystems
between The Netherlands and Estonia to a third area where the nitrogen deposition is lower than in
Estonia and the climate is colder, in order to increase our understanding of environmental changes on the
composition of the invertebrate community of raised bogs, including climate change and increased
nutrient availability.
We hypothesize that with increasing nutrient availability and increasing length of the growing season the
number of invertebrate species increases. These changes enable species that are not characteristic for the
most nutrient poor water bodies in raised bogs to invade the water bodies. The invasion of species nonnative to raised bogs cause a decrease in the abundance of poor competitors that are characteristic for the
nutrient poor water bodies.
2. Specific project objectives for the field season in question (max. 250 words)
The objective of the field work in the first half of June was to collect data on invertebrate species
composition in the natural variety of water bodies in bog ecosystems in Western-Siberia in the spring
period comparable to the spring sampling period during which samples were taken in The Netherlands and
Estonia in previous years.
3. Main achievements and difficulties encountered during the field season in question (max. 250 words)
Samples of aquatic macroinvertebrates, surface water and organic material were collected in 20 water
bodies representing the natural variation along the gradient from the ombrotrophic mire expanse (raised
bog) to the edges of the bog ecosystem (transitional mire/fen). 15 sites were sampled in the raised bog
ecosystem next to the Mukhrino Field Station. The board walk present here makes access more easily to a
variety of water bodies not too far from the board walk. Two longer excursions were done to take samples
in a system of larger bog pools and a bog stream. In addition, 5 sites were sampled in a mire ecosystem
about 250 km west of Mukhrino to get data of 3 water bodies in a transitional mire and fen more strongly
influenced by ground water and 2 pools situated in another raised bog. In addition, the vegetation of the
sampling sites was described and samples of surface water and (sedimented) organic material were
analysed at the laboratory of Shapsha Field Station and Yugra State University for the content of main
nutrients and minerals. Finally, temperature loggers were placed in a selection of pools.
Similar methods were used as in the previous comparative study in Estonia and the Netherlands.
Invertebrates of various taxonomic groups, including oligochaetes, nymphs of dragonflies, water bugs,
larvae of biting and non-biting midges and caddisflies, and water beetles were collected and conserved in
alcohol. In the coming period the invertebrates will be identified to species level, if possible, and classified
to functional groups.
4. Publications related to the access granted, acknowledging the support by EC. Please specify the type of
publication or presentation (scientific journal, book, patent, abstract, proceedings, article on internet) and
provide the full reference or link.
Article on internet: http://www.natuurbericht.nl/?id=8587&Eid=10057
Further publications planned after identification of collected invertebrates.
5. Feedback about your experiences on INTERACT TA. What worked well concerning the INTERACT TA
administration (WP4 office and coordination) and arrangements related to your access visit at station?
What needs further development? Your opinions are warmly welcome when we develop TA further!
The information provided beforehand by the INTERACT TA administration was clear and useful. The
arrangements by Elena Lapshina and her team at Yugra State University and the Shapsha-Mukhrino Field
Station were good. All practical assistance for transport, equipment, accommodation, field work, and
laboratory analyses of surface water and organic material was well provided.