Vascular plant and bryophyte species richness in response to water quality in lowland spring niches with different anthropogenic impacts

Katarzyna Puczko,Elżbieta Jekatierynczuk-Rudczyk,Piotr Zieliński,Szymon Jusik,Anita Kołakowska

doi:10.1007/s10661-018-6703-6

Katarzyna Puczko, Elżbieta Jekatierynczuk-Rudczyk + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6703-6

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Abstract

Many freshwater ecosystems face severe threats from anthropogenic disturbances. In the field, we investigated the morphology of spring niches and the species richness of vascular plants and bryophytes in 16 springs, draining the quaternary aquifers, located in two different environments—an urban area (city of Białystok) and a protected area (Knyszyn Forest Landscape Park, NE Poland). In total, 47 vascular plant and 45 bryophyte species were recorded, representing mostly crenophytes including protected species. The most important water quality parameters that can be used to evaluate variations of the spring water chemistry in NE Poland are the mineral-related parameters (electrolytic conductivity, Ca2+, SO42−, and Cl−). The organic-related parameters (DOC) and nutrients (TP, NO3−-N) were negatively involved in water quality variations. Our results show that anthropogenic activity significantly affects the biodiversity of plant communities in lowland springs. The presence or absence of crenophytes and bryophytes is indicative of the ecological status of the groundwater outflow complexes.

Highlights

Many freshwater ecosystems face severe threats from anthropogenic disturbances
Our results show that anthropogenic activity significantly affects the biodiversity of plant communities in lowland springs
The study involved two limnocrenes: one from the forested area in Knyszyn Forest Landscape Park (KFLP) and one artificial limnocrene from the urban environment in Białystok. Due to their location and relationship to the area morphology, most springs were classified as valley-edge, and only a few occurred in the river valleys (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Many freshwater ecosystems face severe threats from anthropogenic disturbances. In the field, we investigated the morphology of spring niches and the species richness of vascular plants and bryophytes in 16 springs, draining the quaternary aquifers, located in two different environments—an urban area (city of Białystok) and a protected area (Knyszyn Forest Landscape Park, NE Poland). Springs occur more frequently in mountains and upland areas, and there are fewer reports on the biology and ecology of typical springs in lowlands of Central Europe (Chełmicki et al 2011; Osadowski and Strzelczak 2010). Their presence in urban areas is very rare (Jekatierynczuk-Rudczyk 2008). Springs have been considered to be stabile habitats that harbor stable communities (Juutinen 2011) Spring niches such as algae habitats indicate the species richness of diatoms (Żelazna-Wieczorek and Maninska 2006; Wojtal 2013). The energy exchange processes at the soil-water-air interface mean that in temperate climates, the outflows never freeze (Czarnecka and Janiec 2007)

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