Hidrológiai Közlöny 1955 (35. évfolyam)

11-12. szám - Sebestyén Olga: A magyar hidrobiológia útja

Sebestyén O.: A magyar hidrobiológia útja Hidrológiai Közlöny 35. évf. 1955. 11—12. sz. 393 Among the first works wliieh may be qualified as hvdrobiological studies and especially worthy of mention, are those of R. Francé, wliich appeared in Hungárián 1893 in and in Germán 1894. In 1893 he writes, in connection witli the examinatioii of the contosts of the stomacli of fish, that tlie life of lakes is after all based on the unicellular algae wich indirectly offer a kind of primary nutrition to all the inhabitants of the water. As a member of Lóczy's Balaton-commission, his task was the study of protozoán fauna, he recognized phenomena typical of the life of standing water, and in faot typical of that of Laké Balaton. He not only describes them but sees correlations, raises problems and gives impetus to furter researcli. 5. The publication of certain parts of the Balaton monograph mentionod belongs to the first two deoades of our century. To this period fali the work of Gy. Vutskits, G. Entz Jun.'s study 011 cray fish (Astacus) and many of Daday's works. Tliore are many papers dealing with the avifauna of Laké Balaton. Worthy of mention are the recognition of the biological effeet of the wind on the Balaton region (Mágócsy-Dietz), the Balaton plantkon studies by G. Entz Jun., and Arndt's finding that the sponges found in large masses by T. Margó at Balatonfüred can be qualified as a subspecies of Spongilla Carteri. 0. The 1920-ics and 1930s and the years of the second world war fali into the" period of modern limnology. This, as we know, came about tlirough the recognition by A. Theinemann and E. Naumann, one may say suddenly, that there is a correlation between the character of the laké and its bottom fauna and between the character of the laké and its 0

2 condition. As elswhere, there was increased interest in Hungary in limnological research (Balaton, Fertő, nátron ponds, bogs otc), the ecological attitűdé comes into prominence, the chief problem is the rclationship between the environment and the living world, the structure and functioning of the associations. The adaptation to limnological investigation of the Hungárián chemist, L. Winkler's 0

2-determiniiig metliod (1888) became important in knowing the cliemical peculiarities of environmental waters. This method, not to mention others of Winkler's in connenction with other elements, is in world-wide use, not only in hydrobiology but in physiology. The International Limnological Association förmed in 1922 has six Hungárián members and t'our Hungárián scientist presentod four papers at its second Cóngresa at Innsbruck. During this period the long — felt ambition of Hungárián zoologists and Balaton researchers was achieved, the "lakeside laboratory" at Tihany. The Révfülöp Station of the Hungárián National Museum's Zoological Department, after running for a short time, was combined with the Hungárián Biological Research Institute, established by the Hungárián Stato Ministry for Education, one of its chief tasks being the study of the biological conditions in Laké Balaton. Tho Balaton research oarried on at the Tihany institute was directed by G. Entz Jun. from 1929 until his death in 1943. Át Tihany it became possible for many Hungárián and foreign researchers to investigate somé detailed problems striking into his own speciality. G. Entz with A. Scherffel offered expert help to many researchers In this way from details, but according to a more or less definite scheme (here was assombled together rich material on the biology of Laké Balaton. The timo was ripe for svnthesis (Entz—Sebestyén, 1940, 1942, 1940). Before the seeond world war many papers on aquatic life had already been published in Hungary. Most of them are deseriptive, many rather of botanical and zoological interest. Others pointed out the cori'elation between environment and life, the relationsliip within the associations, and we ha ve a limnological picture of somé of our waters. Maucha initiated tho theoretical and experimentál approach. (A paper summarizing the results was presented at tlie 1955 annual meeting of the Hungárián Academy of Sciences.) Hydrobiological research work is variod not merely because of our springs, bogs, nátron ponds, thermal etc, but tliore is by now a limnological attitűdé as well. The professional studv of waste- and drinkingwater biology has begun. By the end of this period the need for a certain organization on a national scale is already felt. 7. In oharacterizing tho last ten years, in hydrobiology as in other branches of science, three circumstanoes may be mentionod: 1. national planning, 2. the creatioti of the material bases for research work, and 3. practical considerations. The Limnological Division, förmed in 1949 within the Hungárián Ilvdrological Society, for the first time united the Hungárián liydrobiologists and those intorested in this branch. The fact that the research work throughout the country has become centralized under the Hungárián Academy of Sciences assures that hydrobiological research takes an integrál part in biological research in generál in Hungary. Besides tho fisheries and lakc husbandry, branches which alreadv have a long past behind them, other aspects of what is called applied limnology such as balneology, drinking-water and wastewater biology are today intensively functioning as independent territories. A survcy from a historical standpoint of the evolution of sucli branches from the beginning mi'ght be expected from experts working on thoir various fields. The limnobiological study of our natural waters progresses. With the dovelopment of our attitűdé we alsó became interested in how to use our natural waters to best advantagc — ü' necessary emploving artificial means. In kryobiology Hungárián science rejoices in international renown. In the study of springs and other running waters many tasks still avait us. In Laké Balaton quantitative studies dominate at present. A commencement was made of horizont al investigations and studv of inflowing waters. In the fields of fishery and public liealth is has been possible to make use of the results of research work oarried out in Laké Balaton. Biological investigation ofdifferent water areas has disclosed that somé of them should be taken under protection. 8. In rospect to the work of the near future, first of all we must put on record that in our profession today the emphasis is on tho study of biological productivitv (+ ciroulation of food material) which forms part of the upper lovel of limnological investigations (Thienemann). This means that the productionbiological attitűdé is in the foreground. We seck for our themes with this in mind, methods are chosen accordingly, results evaluated accordingly, and we work out tlie extension of our field of rosearcli from this aspect. Quantitative investigation dominates and the introduction of the physiological tendencv is inevitable. In rospect to the circulation of food materiül in tho course of production is still unpredictable what may come to light with the use of tracers. Pushing the production-biological aspect into the foreground does not mean that investigation belonging to the idiographioal and ceonographical levels can be dispensed with, in fact it is just in the light of the new attitűdé that the laeks in tho sphere of the foregoing levels best show up. Practical points of view can wcll be adapted along the advance of the dominating attitűdé. We see more clearly the difference between tho fish ponds and natural waters. Spocial tasks for this country are tho study of the limited possibilities in shallow wators, salt marshes etc. and tlieir suitable exploitation. The relationship of peoplo ot the waters alsó dcvelops according to social points of view and in responding to tho dovelopment of agrarian and technical sciences This must be recognized in örder that in tho future we may takc part to an increased extent in working out tho detailed problems relating to our profession. For supplying tliese tasks and considering the inner and outer endowmonts of the individual researcher, a wav must bo found so that our work is not merely a satisfaction of the thirst for knowlodge but a building up of the country as well.