Naslov
Chemical indicators of anthropogenic impacts on the Plitvice Lakes (Croatia) – lessons for lakes conservation and environmental management

Autori
Ahel, Marijan ; Mikac, Nevenka ; Terzić, Senka ; Dautović, Jelena ; Mikac, Iva

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u zbornicima skupova, cjeloviti rad (in extenso), znanstveni

Izvornik
Proceedings of the 12th World Lake Conference / - Delhi, 2007, 332-337

Skup
World Lake Conference (12 ; 2007)

Mjesto i datum
Jaipur, Indija, 25.10.2007. - 02.11.2007

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Plitvice lakes ; anthropogenic contaminants ; environmental management

Sažetak
The Plitvice Lakes National Park is situated in a pristine and sparsely populated area of the northwestern Dinarides, central Croatia. The basic geomorphological phenomenon of the Park is a unique hydrological system, which consists of 16 karst lakes interconnected by numerous cascades and waterfalls, formed by travertine barriers. Owing to their exceptional natural amenities, in 1979 the Lakes were included on the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. During the last century, the area experienced significant changes regarding the prevailing anthropogenic activities, which posed a major challenge for the environmental protection and lake conservation. Since the area was proclaimed a National park in 1949, the traditional economy, based on timber cutting and sawmill activities, was replaced by a fast expanding tourism, accompanied by construction of several hotel capacities near the lakes’ shore. In this study, water and dated recent sediments (0-30 cm) were analysed for different inorganic and organic contaminants, using highly specific analytical methods, in order to assess possible impacts of various anthropogenic activities on that protected ecosystem. The concentrations of typical anthropogenic contaminants (trace metals, hydrocarbons, synthetic surfactants and their metabolites) in the water column of the Plitvice Lakes are generally low, which revealed a pristine nature of the Lakes. However some of the contaminants indicated slightly enhanced levels in the tributaries, which might be indicative of some, still unrecognized, contamination inputs into the Lakes. Moreover, the distribution of some contaminants in the recent lake sediments was found to be highly indicative of characteristic historic phases of anthropogenic activities in the area. The most useful indicators of specific contamination sources were aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, surfactants and some ecotoxic metals, such as lead, chromium and cadmium. Based on the assessment of the currently most prominent anthropogenic pressures, some priority mitigation measures were proposed.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Geologija

POVEZANOST RADA