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

http://www.hi.is/HI/Stofn/Myvatn

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

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)

Additional information or further specification of types of data / information collected, species / tissues / organs sampled, etc.

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.