Brochure – Life Resque AlPyr https://liferesquealpyr.eu Conservation of aquatic habitats and species in high mountains of the Alps and Pyrenees Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:20:32 +0000 fr-FR hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 Published the third brochure of the project https://liferesquealpyr.eu/fr/blog/published-the-third-brochure-of-the-project-2/ Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:18:03 +0000 https://liferesquealpyr.eu/?p=4828 The high mountain lakes are isolated from the rivers below by physical barriers that have prevented fish from colonising them naturally. However, we find fish in a substantial number of lakes as a result of a historical process of introduction.

In addition to being introduced species, they are considered invasive species, as they have a negative impact on the ecosystem.

Salmonids introduced in the Pyrenees include brown trout (Salmo trutta), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The European minnow (Phoxinus sp.), a small Cyprinid, has also been introduced in many of the lakes in the Pyrenees, but in this case, the arrival is related with its use as live bait for fishing trout.

The species introduced in Mont Avic Natural Park are Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), the European minnow (Phoxinus spp.), the Italian riffle dace (Telestes muticellus), brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss); and the species introduced in Gran Paradiso National Park are brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta).

The proliferation of fish in these lakes has had negative consequences on the native fauna, has affected the structure and balance of the entire ecosystem and altered its trophic food web. Furthermore, the impact of introductions can also have consequences on terrestrial fauna populations such as birds, bats and small mammals such as the Pyrenean desman, which depend on aquatic insects as a food source.

The brochure can be consulted in digital format on the project’s website, but it can also be found at the tourist offices of the Alt Pirineu Natural Park and the Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici National Park in Catalonia, and the Mont Avic Natural Park and Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy.

]]> We have published the second brochure of the project https://liferesquealpyr.eu/fr/blog/we-have-published-the-second-brochure-of-the-project-4/ Tue, 12 Mar 2024 12:14:04 +0000 https://liferesquealpyr.eu/?p=4390 A characteristic feature of high mountains, especially in areas composed of granite or slate, is the abundance and diversity of surface waters. This richness is a result of high precipitation, the low permeability of the rocks, and glacial terrain. As a result, there is an abundance of springs and other water sources, such as streams, ponds, and wetlands.

In flat areas, water flows through tortuous streams or forms small ponds, saturating the soil along the riverbanks. This creates a high mountain wetland environment known as a mire.

In this second publication, we elaborate the characteristics of these ecosystems and their significance. Furthermore, we delve into the primary threats they encounter and outline the key conservation efforts undertaken by the project.

The brochure is available on the project’s website and also at the tourist offices of the Alt Pirineu Natural Park and the Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici National Park, in Catalonia, and of the Mont Avic Natural Park and the Gran Paradiso National Park, in Italy.

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