Csilla Stenger-Kovács from University of Pannonia (Hungary) with her colleagues investigated diatom assemblages and different environmental variables from 31 shallow, saline lakes from 2 different regions of the Carpathian basin (Europe) to select the principle variables affecting the diatom communities and show the relevance of diatoms as ecological bioindicators. The statistically most significant factors that affect the diatom communities were salinity and temperature.

We noticed this paper because it attracts attention to the Carpathian Basin where saline steppes, lakes and marshes are especially threatened by the lowering water table due to groundwater withdrawal, loss of periodic spring floods, and excessive drainage of the surrounding areas. In the last few decades, the number of these alkaline habitats has decreased in Hungary and Austria and are now restricted to only 2 regions: the Danube-Tisza Interfluve and the Fertő-Hanság regions. Indeed, this is vanishing world.