Similar to the first survey, JDS 2 had several specific objectives:
· To produce a homogenous data set for the Danube River based on a single sampling procedure and laboratory analysis of specified determinands and biological quality elements;
· Screening of EU WFD priority pollutants and other relevant hazardous substances;
· Microbiological analysis;
· To provide a forum for riparian/river basin country participation for sampling and inter-comparison exercises;
· To facilitate specific training needs and improve in-country experience;
· To promote public awareness.
In addition to these aims, new objectives have been identified arising mostly from the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive:
· Compare the results with JDS 1 results;
· Biological validation of the Danube typology;
· Ecological assessment of the Danube River in line with the EU WFD;
· Assessment and confirmation of the pressures and impacts as stated in the roof report 2004;
· Contribution to the Danube Intercalibration Exercise;
· General overview of the habitat morphology of the Danube River;
· Analysis of radioisotopes.
Tree boats of the JDS2 traveled 2,375 km downstream the Danube River, through 10 countries, to the Danube Delta until late September. The ice breaker Széchenyi as the Hungarian in-kind contribution served the expedition as the place of accommodation and daily meal for the Core Team. The German built laboratory ship Argus was the site for sampling and the lab work during the day time provided by the Serbian Government. A rented Slovakian yacht Vienna 115 (alias Piscius) helped the Fish Core team in their fish sampling during the entire travel.
The full-time International Team included 18 scientists from Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania and Denmark. The Core Team with a Team Leader, Béla Csányi from Hungary (VITUKI), and a large group of biologists included biologists, chemists, microbiologists and experts in hydromorphology worked during seven weeks on board. All of them were nominated by top scientists within their countries to represent Danubian countries on the expedition. The Fish Team includes experts from the Upper Danube as well as Lower Danube and was led by Christian Wiesner from Austria.
National Teams of scientists in all subsequent Danube sections were also helping with sampling and testing on board the ships on river stretches in their countries.
The 96 sampling locations included 76 Danubian and 19 tributary sites. However, 28 additional sites on the upper stretch of the 18 main tributaries were investigated by the given National Teams also. The following matrices were investigated along the longitudinal sampling program:
Water, Suspended solids, Sediment, Mussel/Fish tissues.
Altogether more than 250 physical and chemical compounds were sampled. All of the five biological elements were included in the sampling program that is suggested by the EU WFD for the estimation of the ecological status of surface waters:
Phytoplankton, Phytobenthos, Macrophytes, Aquatic macroinvertebrates, Fish.
There were different sampling methods used for investigating the aquatic macroinvertebrates. As the Austrian in-kind contribution, an Air Lift Sampler was used in deeper zone to collect 3-3 sub-samples on both sides of the Danube at each of the 96 sampling cross sections. Together with the Air Lift we used kick and sweep (K&S) method also in the shallow zones of both bank sides at the same time. Dredging was used on the Lower Danube, downstream the Iron Gate I and II Reservoir section due to the increased water level.
The results of detailed comparative data analysis referring to all of the investigated compounds will be reported in the Final Report by the end of April 2008.
Béla Csányi, Momir Paunovic, Jarmila Makovinska
Theodoxus transversalis was an abundant species earlier but a very rare snail in the Dabube at present
JDS2_IAD.doc