Element constitution of selected aquatic vascular plants from Pennsylvania: Submersed and floating leaved species and rooted emergent species

Abstract

Thirty species of submersed and floating leaved Aquatic Vascular Plants (AVPs) and fifteen species of rooted emergent AVPs were collected from fourty-four and forty-two locations, respectively, in the Delaware, Susquehanna and Allegheny river watersheds in Pennsylvania (USA) and analysed by emission spectrometry for element constitution of eleven potentially-polluting ions including: phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), boron (B), aluminium (Al), zinc (Zn) and sodium (Na). Nine species of submersed and floating leaved AVPs were collected from four or more locations including: Elodea canadensis, thirteen locations; Potamogeton crispus, ten locations; Vallisneria americana, seven locations; Myriophyllum exalbescens, five locations; Nuphar variegatum, five locations; Potamogeton illinoensis, five locations; Ceratophyllum demersum, four locations; Eleocharis acicularis, four locations and Elodea Nuttallii, four locations. Seven species of rooted emergent AVPs were collected from three or more locations including; Typha latifolia, four locations; Sparganium americanum or S. chlorocarpum, twenty-one locations; Sagittaria latifolia, seven locations; Dulichium arundinaceum, three locations; Eleocharis palustris, four locations; Pontederia cordata, four locations and Justicia americana, eleven locations. These species were characterised according to intraspecific variation in element constitution, significant statistical variation for each ion within each species between locations and species potential for monitoring nutrient pollution.