In order to carry out the program of protection and rational exploitation of Kovilj Marsh (Serbia, Yugoslavia), which is a part of special natural reserve called the Marsh of Kovilj and Petrovaradin, we have done an ecological analysis of the fish community. The research was conducted during the period of "low water", in the autumn 2000, on the following locations: Slajz, Tonja and Arkanj, and we have established the presence of 12 species from 6 different families. The saprobic index of the majority of bioindicative species shows that the water belongs to the beta-mesosaprobic type (the saprobic index according to Pantle-Buck is 2.1). The presence and abundance of certain ecological groups of fish is examined in relation to migration, type of food and type of substrate on which the fish lay their eggs. The results of this examination point to main features of certain localities in this floodplain, as well as to the necessity of taking appropriate measures of protection of this valuable water resource.

Although confined animal production generates enormous per-unit-area quantities of waste, wastewater from dairy and swine operations has been successfully treated in constructed wetlands. However, solids removal prior to wetland treatment is essential for long-term functionality. Plants are an integral part of wetlands; cattails and bulrushes are commonly used in constructed wetlands for nutrient uptake, surface area, and oxygen transport to sediment. Improved oxidation and nitrification may also be obtained by the use of the open water of marsh-pond-marsh designed wetlands. Wetlands normally have sufficient denitrifying population to produce enzymes, carbon to provide microbial energy, and anaerobic conditions to promote denitrification. However, the anaerobic conditions of wetland sediments limit the rate of nitrification. Thus, denitrification of animal wastewaters in wetlands is generally nitrate-limited. Wetlands are also helpful in reducing pathogen microorganisms. On the other hand, phosphorus removal is somewhat limited by the anaerobic conditions of wetlands. Therefore, when very high mass removals of nitrogen and phosphorus are required, pre- or in-wetland procedures that promote oxidation are needed to increase treatment efficiency. Such procedures offer potential for enhanced constructed wetland treatment of animal wastewater.

Swine waste is commonly treated in the USA by flushing into an anaerobic lagoon and subsequently applying to land. This natural system type of application has been part of agricultural practice for many years. However, it is currently under scrutiny by regulators. An alternate natural system technology to treat swine wastewater may be constructed wetland. For this study we used four wetland cells (11 m width 40 m length) with a marsh-pond-marsh design. The marsh sections were planted to cattail (Typha latifolia, L.) and bulrushes (Scirpus americanus). Two cells were loaded with 16 kg N ha-1 day-1 with a detention of 21 days. They removed 51% of the added N. Two additional cells were loaded with 32 kg ha-1 day-1 with 10.5 days detention. These cells removed only 37% of the added N. However, treatment operations included cold months in which treatment was much less efficient. Removal of N was moderately correlated with the temperature. During the warmer periods removal efficiencies were more consistent with the high removal rates reported for continuous marsh systems - often > than 70%. Phosphorus removal ranged from 30 to 45%. Aquatic macrophytes (plants and floating) assimilated about 320 and 35 kg ha-1, respectively of N and P.