Assessment of the ecological functionality of anthropogenically created habitats in the impoundment of the hydropower plant Freudenau (Vienna, Austria) with bi- and multivariate statistical analyses

Tarkus, MartinVolkmann, ChristianDrexler, Silke-SilviaWaidbacher, HerwigStraif, Michael

The construction of the hydropower plant Freudenau was accompanied by the introduction of new structures and habitats. This study processes and evaluates the ecological fish data for the periods 1999/2000 and 2003/2004. The area was subdivided into five sections and 19 habitats (stream kilometer 1914.50 to 1994.60). Bi- and multivariate analyses were inducted with SPSS© (SPSS 2007). The CPUE values show that most fish remain in the Transition Zone and in the Head of Reservoir. The cluster analyses of the individual habitats show that these can be characterized primarily by abiotic factors. There was a strong statistical relationship between the individual habitats and the Danube mainstream. We conclude that fish have access to the habitats and that there is interconnectivity between these habitats. In general, the habitats were highly accepted by the fish species: all contained both juvenile and adult fish. The differentiated spectrum of species points to complex relationships. In principle the newly created habitats can be considered to be good replacement environments.

1. Aquatic ecosystems
2. hydraulic engineering
3. fish ecology
4. river management