Chemical properties and similarity of habitats of Utricularia species in Lower Silesia, Poland

Piotr Kosiba

doi:10.5586/asbp.2004.044

Abstract

The study object consisted of 28 microhabitats of five Utricularia species localized in the Province of Lower Silesia, Poland. The aim of the study was to analyse the chemical properties of water and to present the differentiation of microhabitats in respect of their chemism, i.e., whether there are differences between the microhabitats, and which of the Utricularia species show the highest tolerance to the chemical properties of water. Analysed were the contents of NO-2, NO-3, NH+4, PO-24, K+, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+, Fe+3, SO-24, total hardness of water, organic substance, pH and trophicity of water. The differentiation of microhabitats of Utricularia intermedia and U. minor appeared to be small, but much higher in case of U. vulgaris, U. australis and U. ochroleuca. The similarity of microhabitats has been determined by cluster analysis. The tree plot showed the least similarity of U. minor and U. intermedia, which occupy an extreme position in relation to microhabitats of the remaining species. Such a grouping suggests that this species is clearly distinct because of its connection with water properties.

Highlights

Carnivorous plants are represented, among other, by bladderworts
The bladderworts are represented in Poland by five species: U. vulgaris L., U. australis R
Twenty eight microhabitats were selected, and the study object consisted of five species: U. vulgaris, U. intermedia, U. ochroleuca, U. australis and U. minor (Table 1, Fig. 8)

Summary

Introduction

Carnivorous plants are represented, among other, by bladderworts (genus Utricularia, family Lentibulariacae). The bladderworts are represented in Poland by five species: U. vulgaris L., U. australis R. BR., U. minor L., U. intermedia Hayne and U. ochroleuca R. The sixth species, U. bremii Heer, was present several decades ago and is probably extinct (Zaj1c, Zaj1c 2001; Mirek et al 2002). A common species is U. vulgaris occurring frequently in the Lower Silesian Province (Fig. 1) ( ̄ukowski 1974; Zaj1c, Zaj1c 2001). U. intermedia (Fig. 2), U.ochroleuca (Fig. 3) and U. australis (Fig. 4) are data deficient (DD) species (K1cki 2003). According to Zarzycki et al (1992) U. ochroleuca like U. minor (Fig. 5) are most rare in Poland and are recognized as vulnerable (VU) (K1cki 2003). The position of U. bremii (Fig. 6) is uncertain and occurred, according toukowski (1974), decades ago in the vicinity of Zgorzelec and Lubañ (Lower Silesia) and near Reszel (Mazurian Lake District)

Objectives

Methods

Results