Abstract
The aim of the study was to identify the vegetation pattern in the different types of watercourses basing on survey in reference conditions in a wide geographical gradient, including mountain, upland and lowland rivers. We tested relationship between composition of macrophytes to environmental variables including: altitude, slope, catchment area, geology of valley, land use, hydromorphological features, water physical and chemical measurements. Analysis based on 109 pristine river sites located throughout major types of rivers in Central Europe. Qualitative and quantitative plant surveys were carried out between 2005 and 2013. Based on TWINSPAN classification and DCA analysis, six macrophyte types were distinguished. The lowland sites were divided into the following three types: humic rivers and two types of siliceous rivers depending on the catchment area, including medium-large and small rivers. The mountain and upland rivers were divided into three geological types: siliceous, calcareous and gravel. We found that the variation of macrophyte communities was determined by several habitat factors (mainly altitude, flow type, riverbed granulometry, conductivity and alkalinity), whereas the spatial factor was rather limited; further, the plant diversity was not reflected accurately by the European ecoregion approach.
Highlights
The EU Water Framework Directive, adopted in 2000, provided a framework for the EU water policy
The identification of biological attributes developing under reference conditions as well as the refinement of the freshwater typology is key issues in effective ecological classification systems, and more generally, a principle of water monitoring and water policy in the EU (Noges et al, 2009; Mao & Richards, 2012)
The reference site selection was based on four criteria: (1) catchment land use, (2) hydromorphological conditions, (3) physical and chemical parameters of water, and (4) nature protection
Summary
The EU Water Framework Directive, adopted in 2000, provided a framework for the EU water policy (the European Commission, 2000). It introduced a new approach to the assessment and classification of surface waters, which is based on biological components such as macrophytes, phytoplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates and fish. To accurately assess the ecology of a water body, the description of the actual state of these organism groups should be compared with their development in an undisturbed reference situation. For each surface water body type, type-specific biological reference conditions must be established. The identification of biological attributes developing under reference conditions as well as the refinement of the freshwater typology is key issues in effective ecological classification systems, and more generally, a principle of water monitoring and water policy in the EU (Noges et al, 2009; Mao & Richards, 2012). In Central Europe, we have been destroying and polluting rivers for many decades; it is difficult to locate pristine conditions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
