Abstract
Aquatic plants anchored in streams are under pressure from various constraints linked to the water flow and display strategies to prevent their damage or destruction. We assume that the responses of aquatic plants to fast-water flow are a manifestation of a trade-off consisting in either maximizing the resistance to damage (tolerance strategy) in minimizing the hydrodynamic forces (avoidance strategy), or both. Our main hypothesis was that Potamogeton alpinus demonstrate the avoidance strategy. We analyzed architecture traits of the modules of this clonal plant from slow- and fast-flowing streams. In fast-flowing waters, the avoidance strategy of P. alpinus is reflected by the following: (1) the presence of floating leaves that stabilize the vertical position of the stem and protect the inflorescence against immersion; (2) elongation of submerged leaves (weakens the pressure of water); and (3) shoot diameter reduction and increase in shoot density (weakens the pressure of water, increases shoot elasticity), and by contrast in slow-water flow include the following: (4) the absence of floating leaves in high intensity of light (avoiding unnecessary outlays on a redundant organ); (5) the presence of floating leaves in low intensity of light (avoidance of stress caused by an insufficient assimilation area of submerged leaves).
Highlights
The aquatic plant species anchored in streams are under the pressure of hydrodynamic forces and other environmental factors related with the flow of water, such as water turbidity, changes in sediment composition, and granulometry (Paterson and Black 1999)
In the case of plant species occurring in streams, their responses to hydrodynamic forces could be a manifestation of maximizing the resistance to flow or minimizing the effects of flow, or both these reactions manifested simultaneously in various proportions, as variants of a trade-off strategy
It is worth mentioning that the southern border of the geographical range of P. alpinus in Europe lies in this area, the center of which lies on the Scandinavian Peninsula
Summary
The aquatic plant species anchored in streams are under the pressure of hydrodynamic forces and other environmental factors related with the flow of water, such as water turbidity, changes in sediment composition, and granulometry (Paterson and Black 1999). The responses of anchored plant species to hydrodynamic forces in water bodies are indicative of a trade-off strategy (Bociazg et al 2009), which in the case of aquatic plants Puijalon et al (2011) developed and documented using comprehensive factual material. In the case of plant species occurring in streams, their responses to hydrodynamic forces could be a manifestation of maximizing the resistance to flow (tolerance strategy) or minimizing the effects of flow (avoidance strategy), or both these reactions manifested simultaneously in various proportions, as variants of a trade-off strategy
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
