Abstract
In this work we present the complicated situation of a faunistically and floristically valuable ecosystem of the Rakutowskie Lake wetlands complex, which is part of the Special Protection Area for Birds of “Błota Rakutowskie” (PLB40001) and “Błota Kłócieńskie” Habitats Directive Sites (PLH040031) included in the Natura 2000 network. Numerous ornithological observations have drawn our attention to the problem of rapidly progressing overgrowth of the lake and significant fluctuations in its water surface area. These fluctuations, especially in the spring period, significantly limit safe reproduction possibilities of very rare species of water–marsh birds. A multidirectional and comprehensive spectrum of research works allowed us to determine the genesis of the ecosystem and show that the shallow lake is undergoing the final stage in its evolution. The economic aspect of human activity (changes in land use and land development works) has contributed to serious degradation of the ecosystem. Climate changes observed in recent years (increased air temperature and, consequently, higher evaporation) additionally deepen and accelerate this process. The research made it possible to determine how the ecosystem functions today, but it is also an attempt to determine our predictions about its future.
Highlights
Wetlands are “hot spots” in terms of broadly understood environmental protection and, in the fields of biogeography and biodiversity [1,2]
Its basin is almost flat with the maximum depth recorded during the bathymetric works reaching 2.0 m and with medium depths ranging between 0.5 and 1.0 m
Based on the terrain model, the lake surface area was calculated at different water levels, taking the maximum possible variants
Summary
Wetlands are “hot spots” in terms of broadly understood environmental protection and, in the fields of biogeography and biodiversity [1,2]. Do wetlands play a substantial role in maintaining their biodiversity [3] but they are invaluable as natural habitats or bird migration hubs [4,5]. Wetlands have proved to be sensitive ecosystems which can be altered or even obliterated by the smallest of changes, especially that of a hydrological character. Land improvement activities combined with a shift in land use in Europe have caused about 60% of the continent’s wetlands to disappear in recent decades [9,10], posing a remarkable threat to biodiversity, Water 2019, 11, 32; doi:10.3390/w11010032 www.mdpi.com/journal/water
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