Lake Myvatn and the River Laxá

Updated 2001-04-20

The aim is to monitor the Lake Myvatn and the river Laxá ecosystem for (1) detecting trends, (2) detecting background variability in the system, (3) assess the efficiency of management measures, (4) observe perturbations in order to generate hypotheses about causal relationships.

This is not a National Implementation Plan (NIP) project
Comments and additional information:

1) Waterbird census (a) breeding populations (b) production 2) Fish populations (CPUE, age distribution, condition) 3) Chironomid and simuliid Diptera population indices from traps 4) Benthic and planktonic Crustacea 5) Macrophytes (from aerial photographs) 6) Water temperature 7) Water levels and runoff (carried out by the National Energy Authority, Iceland) 8) Seston in the outlet 9) Chemistry of inflowing groundwater

Time frame

Status
Ongoing
Project time span
1975 -
Data collection
not specified
Data processing
1975 - 2000
Data reporting
1975 - 2000

Contact information

Contact person
Árni Einarsson
Address
Myvatn Research Station IS-660 Myvatn Iceland
Phone
+354 4644281 / +354 5254616
Fax
+354 4644281 / +354 5254281
Email
si.ih@ntavym

Parameters and Media

Parameter groups measured/observed/modelled
Biological effects
Climate change effects
Media sampled/studied/modelled
Algae (algae, phytoplankton)
Freshwater benthos
Freshwater fish
Freshwater sediments
Higher plants
Precipitation/snow
Additional information or further specification of types of data / information collected, species / tissues / organs sampled, etc.

1) Waterbird census (a) breeding populations (b) production 2) Fish populations (CPUE, age distribution, condition) 3) Chironomid and simuliid Diptera population indices from traps 4) Benthic and planktonic Crustacea 5) Macrophytes (from aerial photographs) 6) Water temperature 7) Water levels and runoff (carried out by the National Energy Authority, Iceland) 8) Seston in the outlet 9) Chemistry of inflowing groundwater

Geography

Regions studied
Climate change effects
Climate change effects
Other areas
volcanic area
Stations or areas where observations are made

All the Lake Myvatn basin and the river Laxá. Three other areas for comparison (all in North Iceland): 1) Svartárvatn - Svartá 2) Lake Víkingavatn 3) Svarfaðardalur

Data availability

Are data archived or planned to be archived at an AMAP Thematic Data Centre?
no
References to key publications (or planned publications) and data reports
See a complete bibliography at: http://www.hi.is/HI/Stofn/Myvatn
Samples/specimens archived in specimen banks?
Yes
Specimen banking information

Chironomid and simuliid Diptera. Preserved in alcohol. Benthic and planktonic Crustacea. Preserved in alcohol.

Methods & Procedures

Not specified

Additional Information

Is this a bi- AND multi-lateral project (i.e. a project involving cooperation between different countries)?
No
Other institutes involved in the project

National Energy Authority (Orkustofnun) Iceland Science Institute, University of Iceland Institute of Biology, University of Iceland Institute of Freshwater Fisheries Iceland Icelandic Meteorological Institute

Is this project reporting to other organizations/programmes?

No

Indigenous AND traditional knowledge used in this project

Yes. Records of char and trout fisheries and waterfowl egg harvesting are used to extend the data series to around 1900.

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