First paper: a new broad picture of the role of biological filtering in self-purification and self-bioremediation of aquatic ecosystems
Article:
Biological filtering and ecological machinery for self-purification and bioremediation in aquatic ecosystems: towards a holistic view.
by: S. A. Ostroumov
Rivista di Biologia, Vol. 91, No. 2. (1998), pp. 221-232.
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It is the first paper in which a synthesis of both authors new experimental data and international literature was made, which led to a new broad picture of the role of biological filtering in self-purification and self-bioremediation of aquatic ecosystems.
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ABSTRACT:
NEW IDEAS, NEW CONCEPTUALIZATION: According to one of the approaches to the definition of criteria for the phenomenon of life, the key attribute is the ability of the system for some self-regulating and self-supporting. Part of such holistic functions of aquatic ecosystems as self-regulating and self-supporting is their cleaning the water via a multitude of various mechanisms. The goal of this paper is to present some fundamental elements of the theory of ecosystem self-purification which emphasizes the importance of the four functional biological filters that are instrumental in purification and upgrading the quality of water in aquatic ecosystems. These functional filters are: (1) direct water filtering by aquatic organisms that are filter-feeders; (2) the filter (represented mainly by communities of aquatic plants/periphyton) which prevents input of pollutants and biogenic elements (N, P) from land into water bodies; (3) the filter (represented by benthic organisms) which prevents re-entry of pollutants and biogenic elements from the bottom sediments into the water; (4) the filter (represented by microorganisms attached to particles which are suspended in the water) that provides microbiological treatment of water column. NEW FACTS: New experimental data by the author reveal the role of man-made effects on the ecological machinery which purifies water. The analysis and discussion lead to the holistic theory of the natural process of bioremediation of aquatic ecosystems.
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Available online:
PMID: 9857844; PubMed – indexed;
http://www.scribd.com/doc/42830557; http://www.citeulike.org/user/ATP/article/9750710;
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Keywords, tags for this article:
aquatic, bioremediation, bivalves, communities, contaminants, control, ecology, ecosystems, environmental, filter, filtering, freshwater, water quality, hydrobiology, improving, lakes, marine, natural, pollutants pollution processes purification reservoirs safety sciences seas self-purification streams supply surface sustainability sustainable toxicant water xenobiotics
