The ecology of the hyporheic zone of running waters. Patterns, processes and bottleneck functions. 2009. (Advances in Limnology, Vol. 61). figs. 28 tables. 224 p. gr8vo. Paper bd.

Contains 12 peer reviewed, original papers focusing on the hyporheiczone of running waters (the transient zone in fluvial sediments betweenground water and surface water). The papers of this special issue address new studies carried out in the River Lahn (Germany), a right-bank tributary in the middle reach of the River Rhine. The studies wereconducted in order: i) to perform interdisciplinary research as a basisfor understanding the processes relevant to hyporheic zone ecology.ii) to identify relevant spatial and temporal scales of abiotic andbiological processes and iii) to consider a river ecosystem located ina lanscape with "average" human impact. 12 original papers deal with four major tobics: Hydrology and hydraulics, emphasizing near bottomand hyporheic flows including bed load transport and colmation (reduction of hydraulic conductivity) of the river bed. Spatial andtemporal dynamics of water constituents and coupling with hydraulicexchange processes. Microbiology and conversion of water constituentsand considering community respiration and nitrification/denitrificationprocesses. The taxonomic and functional structure of meio-and macrobenthic communities in the hyporheic zone was studied and relatedto abiotic factors (1-3 above). Special attention was given to biological colmation and decolmation processes of hyporheic intersticesand the reproductive success of gravel spawning fish in relation toeutrophication patterns. The results presented here emphasize theimportant role of the hyporheic zone as a critical factor of the ecological integrity of many streams and rivers. Therefore, in bothriver ecology and water resources management, the hyporheic zone must beconsidered in detail and very carefully in order to analyze its relevance for the ecological functioning of running waters.