Fish-based assessment of the ecological status of the kis-balaton-balaton reservoir-lake system, hungary

Abstract

In Europe, the implementation of the WFD requires the use of fi sh-based tools to assess the ecological status of all lentic water bodies, including reservoirs with an area of over 50 ha. The fi rst multimetric, fi shbased index developed by Karr has been mostly adapted to lotic systems; much less emphasis has been put on similar assessment of ecological conditions of lentic systems, especially reservoirs. In our study, a spatial analysis was done to assess the ecological status of three different, but geographically connected, water bodies: two reservoirs of the Kis-Balaton Water Protection System (KBWPS) and the western basin of Lake Balaton. The KBWPS was designed to function as a natural fi lter zone and to protect the water quality of Lake Balaton. The main aim of our study was to lay out the framework for assessing the ecological status of the Kis-Balaton Water Protection System and Lake Balaton and to present a preliminary approach to investigate what are the most applicable attributes and metrics which can be used later on in a more detailed study. © 2012 WIT Press.