role of aquatic macrophytes in microhabitatual transformation of physical-chemical features of small water bodies

• Published in: Hydrobiologia Vol. 584; no. 1; pp. 101 - 109
• Main Authors: Joniak, Tomasz, Kuczyńska-Kippen, Natalia, Nagengast, Barbara
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Kluwer Academic Publishers 01.06.2007; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Anthropogenic factors; Aquatic environment; Aquatic plants; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Fresh water ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; hydrochemistry; Lakes; Macrophyte habitats; nutrients; Plant biomass; Planting density; Ponds; Shallow lakes; Suburban areas; Synecology; Vegetation; Water analysis; Water chemistry; Water sampling; Water trophy; Water chemistry; Body fluid; Transformation; Nutrients·Water trophy; Water distribution; Shallow water; Body composition; Aquatic environment; Hydrobiology; Lakes; Nutrient; Shallow lakes, Macrophyte habitats; Habitat; Aquatic plant
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1007/s10750-007-0595-8

The paper presents the results of an examination of the phycical-chemical parameters of water together with an analysis of the chlorophyll a concentration of 12 small water bodies situated within urban and suburban areas of the city of Poznań (mid-west Poland)--typical mid-forest, strongly anthropogenically modified in the urban landscape, strongly antropogenically modified in an agricultural area and clay-pits. There were zones of open water (Unvegetated Zone) as well as zones of rush and aquatic vegetation (Vegetated Zone) distinguished in the examined ponds. The influence of the rush vegetation, nymphaeids and elodeids on the abiotic parameters of an aquatic environment was examined. Water samples were taken during the summer of 2004 from 12 stations within the open water and 24 within macrophytes. The plant matter was randomly collected in triplicate from the central part of the vegetated stand. The influence of macrophytes on the abiotic features of water was estimated using the parameter of the plant length (cm l-¹) and the plant biomass (g l-¹). In the studied ponds 12 aquatic macrophyte communities were distinguished. A salient feature of submerged macrophytes was a great density of plant stems along with considerebly low biomass, however, the rush vegetation (Phragmitetum communis, Typhetum latifoliae) when compared to nymphaeids (Polygonetum natantis, Potametum natantis) and elodeids (Potametum lucentis) was characterised by lower stem densities and higher biomass. The water bodies were alkaline and of pronounced hardness. In most of them high trophy conditions were found with especially high concentrations of phosphorus (96 μg l-¹ on average). There was significant differentiation in the water chemistry (mainly in respect to mineral compounds) between the Vegetated and Unvegetated Zones as well as between particular aquatic macrophyte communities.