The Relationships Between Environmental Factors and the Submerged Potametea Associations in Lakes of North-eastern Poland

Abstract

A comparative analysis of submerged Potametea communities in lakes of north-eastern Poland was conducted with respect to 16 water chemistry and 14 substrate parameters. The analysis of 187 releves based on TWINSPAN clustering showed the existence of 8 aquatic vegetation types. Each of them is characterized by a strong dominance of one of the following macrophytes: Potamogeton lucens, P. perfoliatus, Myriophyllum spicatum, M. verticillatum, Elodea canadensis, Ceratophyllum demersum, Ranunculus circinatus and Hydrilla verticillata. The above vegetation types correspond to the plant associations distinguished using the Braun-Blanquet method (Potametum lucentis, Potametum perfoliati, Myriophylletum spicati etc.) It was demonstrated that among properties of water analysed, COD-KMnO4, SO42−, pH, Na+, K+, Ca2+, total hardness, total Fe, Cl− and colour appear to be most important in differentiating the habitats of the communities studied. In the case of substrates the properties which best differentiated the habitats compared were hydration, organic matter content, total N, PO43−, K+, dissolved SiO2, SO42−, Cl− and pH. Most of the aquatic plant communities investigated are distinct with respect to their phytocoenotic structure and ecology and could be good indicators of various types of habitats in lake ecosystems.