Common Reed Phragmites Australis Research Articles

The influence of mowing frequency on the growth and development of Phragmites australis

The research focused on the evaluation of the growth and development of common reed Phragmites australis and its yield depending on the frequency and time of mowing, as well as hydrothermal conditions in particular years of the study. The foundation for the study was proper classification of the habitat, which is wet meadows. The research confirmed the hypothesis that after mowing, the Phragmites australis does not develop inflorescences in the same growing season, regardless of the time of mowing. Therefore, the presence of old common reed inflorescences in a wet meadow proves that it was not mown last year, assuming mowing after June 15. The height and density of reed shoots and biomass yield depended on hydrothermal conditions, especially on the amount and distribution of precipitation and the groundwater table. Frequent mowing (twice or thrice) stimulated the density of common reed shoots. Such treatments also reduced reed growth, while a single autumn mowing had the least impact on this feature. The development of reed inflorescences was observed to be eliminated by frequent mowing, as well as by mowing performed in the late spring period. On the other hand, throughout the growing season, inflorescences occur only in plots without any treatments and those mown in autumn. The obtained results will help field inspectors to properly assess the controlled wet meadows. For managers and farmers, it will support rational management of common reed cultivation.

Характеристика прибережних угруповань риб гирлової ділянки р. Віта та проток Дніпра

Purpose. To investigate the current state of nearshore fish communities and peculiarities of aquatic plants and zoobenthos distribution in the Vita River mouth and Dnipro River channels. Methodology. The study was carried out in summer and autumn 2022 at 4 sampling sites in the Vita River mouth and at 3 sampling sites in Dnipro River straits in the Zhukov Island area. Fishes were caught by a beach seine (6 m in length, 1.5 m in height, 1.5 сm mesh size). Two to three hauls were made at every site depending on the riverbank and bottom structure. Fishes were identified to the species level keeping them in containers with fresh water. Then they were released alive to the river. Findings. Higher aquatic vegetation of the investigated area of the Dnipro River straits was presented mainly by high grasses and attached vegetation with free-floating leaves (associations of common reed Phragmites australis – crisp-leaved pondweed Potamogeton crispus; common reed Phragmites australis + lesser bulrush Typha angustifolia – Potamogeton crispus; yellow water-lily Nuphar lutea). These sites were characterized by optimal oxygen regime for the development of periphyton and lithophilic groups of zoobenthos, the main prey for benthophagous and euryphagous fishes. The biomass of benthic invertebrates was 9.44 g/m2, and their abundance was 24400 ind./m2. In the Dnipro straits, 25 fish species of 5 genera were recorded. Two thirds of them were native species; the most abundant were white bream (Blicca bjoerkna Linnaeus, 1758), roach (Rutilus rutilus Linnaeus, 1758), and monkey goby (Neogobius fluviatilis Pallas, 1814). The share of neolimnetics was 28%, among which gobies (Gobiidae) dominated. In general, long-cycle fishes dominated (44%). Of total species number, 52% were limnophiles, and 32% were reophiles. The share of the psamolithophiles was 40%, and phytophiles were 40%. It shows that these river reaches are very important for spawning the mentioned ecological groups of fish. In the Vita River mouth area, the free-floating vegetation dominated, which was represented by associations of salvinia or floating fern (Salvinia natans) and common or small duckweed (Lemna minor). The dominant phytophilous group of zoobenthos had a biomass of 5.78 g/m2 and abundance of 8365 ind./m2. In the this area, 14 fish species of 7 genera were registered, the most abundant of which were white bream (Blicca bjoerkna Linnaeus, 1758), rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus Linnaeus, 1758), and roach (Rutilus rutilus Linnaeus, 1758). The native species formed the maximal share of the fish fauna. Of total species number, 14.3% were neolimnetics and 14.3% remote invaders. Fish community of coastal areas of the Vita River was presented by long and medium cycle species. The share of indifferent and limnophiles fish species were 50 and 43% respectively. Phytophiles dominated in relation to the spawning substrate (57%). Five fish species are included into the protection lists of various levels: knife (Pelecus cultratus Linnaeus, 1758), European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus Bloch, 1782), ide (Idus idus Linnaeus, 1758), common nase (Chondrostoma nasus Linnaeus, 1758), asp (Aspius aspius Linnaeus, 1758). Originality. A comprehensive analysis of vegetation associations, zoobenthos and fish communities of the Vita River mouth area and Dnipro River straits was carried out. Ecological structure of the littoral fish communities was established by species composition and relative abundance, the feeding type, life cycle, spawning type and relation to the water current. In the studied area, the pumpkinseed or common sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus Linnaeus, 1758) was recorded for the first time. This indicates its naturalization and range expansion. Practical value. The preservation of the landscape and biotope conditions of the Vita River mouth area and adjacent Dnipro straits is important for the reproduction of typical ichthyological communities of the Dnipro River middle section. The detection of rare species in these areas provides grounds for expansion of the Emerald Network for fishes included in Resolution 6 of the Bern Convention, as well as for the protection of natural habitats, which are included in Resolution 4 of the Bern Convention. Key words: fish communities, rare species, alien species, Emerald Network.

Effects of a Diet of Phragmites australis instead of Triticum aestivum L. on Immune Performance and Liver Tissue Structure of Ctenopharyngodon idellus

This experiment aimed to study the effects on liver tissue structure and immune performance of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus when the common reed Phragmites australis is in its diet, instead of wheat Triticum aestivum L. Seventy-two healthy grass carps (145.52 ± 2.56 g) were randomly divided into three groups according to their body weight. Fishes in each group were fed an essential diet with 0% (control group), 50% and 100% (test group) common reed, instead of wheat, respectively. After feeding for 41 days, the changes of serum biochemical indices, liver tissue structure and immune related indices of grass carp were detected. The results showed that, compared with the control group, the activities of serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in the substitution groups were significantly increased (p < 0.05), but still at a normal level. The contents of total protein, albumin and globulin did not change significantly (p > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the liver cells of grass carp in the substitution groups had clear boundaries, tight arrangement and less vacuolation. The contents of serum interleukin-1 (IL-1) and complement 3 (C3) in the 100% substitution group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05), and the contents of liver IL-1 and total complement (CH50) in the 100% substitution group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The contents of IL-1, C3 in serum and IL-1, CH50 in liver in the 50% substitution group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The mRNA relative expression levels of C3, IL-1, MHC-I and interferon (IFN) in the head-kidney, kidney, liver and spleen of grass carp were significantly affected by feeding the grass carp with different common reed substitution ratios (p < 0.05). In summary, common reed, instead of wheat, in feed can improve the liver tissue structure, and increase the non-specific immune response level, of grass carp.

Response of the Common Reed (Phragmites Australis) to Nutrient Enrichment Depends on the Growth Stage and Degree of Enrichment: A Mesocosm Experiment

Response of the Common Reed (Phragmites Australis) to Nutrient Enrichment Depends on the Growth Stage and Degree of Enrichment: A Mesocosm Experiment

Restoration of cross-border Ukrainian-Polish man-made territories of Roztochia by phytomeliorative methods

Extraction leads to the formation of specific anthropogenic landscapes, which are mining. They are inferior in the area to agriculture and forestry. As a result, the lithogenic basis of landscapes is broken, and there is a fast alteration of a surface therefore the man-made neo relief is formed.The purpose of the work is theoretical substantiation of phytocoenotic bases of afforestation of dump landscapes and practical realization of biological-coenotic grounds of technology of creation of forest cultures on the reclaimed lands which correspond to concepts of nature conservation paradigms and are based on data of morphophysiological monitoring and application of mycorrhizal technologies.The object of comparative studies are selected syngenetic phytomeliorants: common reed (Phragmites australis); buttercup caustic (Ranunculus acris); horsetail (Equisetum arvense); Reed warbler (Phalaroides arundinacea); goat willow (Salix coprea). The experimental material was taken from the territory of underground smelting of sulfur, areas adjacent to Yavoriv quarry, control samples – from the adjacent intact area. Quantitative determination of pigments was performed by the standard spectrophotometric method, as well as by the method of derivative spectroscopy. The activity of the photosynthetic apparatus was studied by photoinduced chlorophyll fluorescence.Studies have shown statistically significant changes in the quantitative composition of plastid pigments in plant leaves in all studied areas compared to their appropriate background values.The technology of forest reclamation of anthropogenic geocomplexes has been developed and tested by creating silvicultural areas based on mycorrhized planting material. The system of landscape-ecological reclamation measures, together with complex ecological monitoring, serves as a basis for sustainable development of cross-border Ukrainian-Polish man-made territories of Roztochia.

A translocation analysis of organophosphate pesticides between surface water, sediments and tissues of common reed Phragmites australis

This study investigated the ability of common reed, Phragmites australis to take up organophosphate pesticides (OPPs). The study site was the agriculturally polluted Sundays Estuary in South Africa. Surface water, leaves, roots, and deep-rooted-sediments of P. australis were collected along the length of the estuary and analysed for 13 different OPPS. The extraction of OPPs in plant tissues was performed by QuEChERS method followed by GC-MS analysis. The highest concentration of OPPs was found in leaves (16.41–31.39 μg kg−1 dw), followed by roots (13.92–30.88 μg kg−1 dw), and sediments (3.30–8.07 μg kg−1 dw). Of the 13 targeted OPPs, only one compound was not detected across the four sample matrices, thus reflecting widespread contamination in the Sundays Estuary. The biota sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) values of pyraclofos, quinalphos, fenitrothion, phosalone, EPN, diazinon, chlorpyrifos, pyrazophos, and isazophos were higher than one implying that P. australis possesses the ability to bioaccumulate these compounds. The root-leaf translocation factors (TFr-l) of these pesticides were higher than 1, suggesting that P. australis possesses the capacity to move these pesticides from roots to leaves. The insignificant correlation observed between log BSAF and log Kow and log TFr-l and log Kow implies that OPPs uptake by P. australis tissues were not dependent on log Kow. Our study demonstrates that P. australis possesses the potential to effectively remove OPPs from contaminated water and sediment.

General characteristics of the intensity of elimination in the early ontogenesis of colonial bird species

This paper examines the rate of elimination in the early ontogeny of colonial bird species. The research objects were colonial nesting species black-necked gull (Larus ridibundus L.) and black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis C.L. Brehm), which form monospecific and poly-species colonial settlements. The rate of elimination was determined taking into account the stage of completion of the clutch, as well as the position of the nest in the structure of the colonial settlement: in the biological center or at the periphery of the colony. The nesting life of colonially nesting species was studied according to the generally accepted method, taking into account the choice of a place for building a nest by birds, the morphology of the nest, the intensity of oviposition and other characteristics. In the course of many years of research 3 types of nest placement within the colony have been identified. The maximum elimination rate has been proven for fixing the nest on the floodplain of common reed. The minimum rate of elimination was found for black-headed gull nests built on the fold of common reed (Phragmites australis) and narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia). Near-nesting vegetation is located around the nests of black-necked gull and black-necked grebe. The variant of placing vegetation around the nest prevails. Less common are options in which vegetation is located on one side. Observations have not revealed a relationship between the rate of elimination and the nature of the distribution of vegetation around the nest. The authors have compared the rate of elimination of black-headed gull nests located in the biological center and at the periphery of the colony. Elimination is possible both during the laying of the first egg and after the end of the clutch. Observations have shown that the rate of elimination is higher for nests from the periphery of the colony, which may be associated with differences in the size of the nests, the rate of their construction, as well as with the behavior of birds incubating eggs. The maximum rate of elimination of nests and eggs at the periphery of the colony is also manifested in the early ontogenesis of the black-necked grebe. The intensity of elimination and the forms of its manifestation affect the structure of the colonial settlement of birds and characterize the level of individual and group adaptation of birds to the conditions in which the nesting period takes place.

Effects of different day length and wind conditions to the seedling growth performance of Phragmites australis

BackgroundTo understand shade and wind effects on seedling traits of common reed (Phragmites australis), we conducted a mesocosm experiment manipulating day length (10 h daytime a day as open canopy conditions or 6 h daytime a day as partially closed canopy conditions) and wind speed (0 m/s as windless conditions or 4 m/s as windy conditions).ResultsMost values of functional traits of leaf blades, culms, and biomass production of P. australis were higher under long day length. In particular, we found sole positive effects of long day length in several functional traits such as internode and leaf blade lengths and the values of above-ground dry weight (DW), rhizome DW, and total DW. Wind-induced effects on functional traits were different depending on functional traits. Wind contributed to relatively low values of chlorophyll contents, angles between leaf blades, mean culm height, and maximum culm height. In contrast, wind contributed to relatively high values of culm density and below-ground DW.ConclusionsAlthough wind appeared to inhibit the vertical growth of P. australis through physiological and morphological changes in leaf blades, it seemed that P. australis might compensate the inhibited vertical growth with increased horizontal growth such as more numerous culms, indicating a highly adaptive characteristic of P. australis in terms of phenotypic plasticity under windy environments.

Herbivore identity and intensity interact to influence plant metabolic response to herbivory

Herbivore identity and intensity are important in mediating plant defense responses, but the effects of their interaction on the plant metabolome have not yet been fully explored. Here, gas chromatography mass spectrometry was utilized to detect the metabolic changes in leaves, stems and roots of the common reed Phragmites australis infested with different intensity combinations of leaf-chewing Laelia coenosa and stem piercing-sucking Dimorphopterus pallipes. The supervised partial least squares-discriminant analysis showed that feeding by the two insects distinctly changed the metabolic profiles of all plant tissues. Furthermore, different intensities of the two herbivores resulted in significantly different metabolites in leaves. Only a high intensity of D. pallipes activated a distinct metabolic profile in roots, whereas there was no difference in stem metabolites in response to different herbivore intensities. Significant combined feeding effects of the two herbivores on plant metabolic composition was only detected in leaves infested with high herbivore intensity. Generally, D. pallipes feeding had a stronger effect on metabolite contents in different tissues compared to L. coenosa feeding. There was mostly a linear relationship between responses of leaf metabolites and herbivore intensity, whereas root metabolites generally showed non-linear responses to herbivore intensity. Additionally, there were significant interactions during simultaneous feeding of the two herbivores in leaves, which tended to be antagonistic. In general, our study suggested that plant responses to herbivory vary among tissues and are affected differently based on herbivore identity and intensity, which may vary in their interactions on plant metabolites at the whole-plant level.

Checklist of fungi and fungi-like organisms on the common reed Phragmites australis

This report provides an updated checklist of fungi on the common reed Phragmites australis (Cavanilles) Trinius ex Steudel. For each fungus or fungi-like organism species, we indicate the family, the part of the plant on which the fungus was found, the geographical location, and the authors who found it. The list includes fungal species on living and dead plants in the air, soil and water environment. The list contains two kingdoms, Fungi and Chromista (fungi-like organisms). The fungus kingdom is represented by 562 species belonging to 328 genera, 143 families, 58 orders, and 21 classes in three taxonomic phyla: Mucoromycota (6 species), Ascomycota (508), Basidiomycota (48). The Chromista includes 37 species belonging to eight genera, four families, three orders, and one class under one taxonomic phylum, Oomycota. From the fungus kingdom, 230 species were discovered on leaves, 124 on leaf sheaths, 336 on stems, 75 on roots, 435 in the freshwater environment, 195 in seawater, 262 on submerged plant parts, 79 in dry soil, 324 in aerial plant parts, 321 on dead plants, and 296 on live plants. From the Chromista kingdom, six species were discovered on leaves, three on leaf sheaths, three on stems, zero on roots, 26 in freshwater, zero in seawater, five on submerged plant parts, 32 in dry soil, three in aerial parts, two on dead plants, and 37 on live plants. The maximum number of the fungal species on the reed was 33 species from the family Halosphaeriaceae (19 genera, Ascomycota) and 33 species from the family Pythiaceae (three genera, Chromista).

Distribution patterns of epiphytic reed-associated macroinvertebrate communities across European shallow lakes

So far, research on plant-associated macroinvertebrates, even if conducted on a large number of water bodies, has mostly focused on a relatively small area, permitting limited conclusions to be drawn regarding potentially broader geographic effects, including climate. Some recent studies have shown that the composition of epiphytic communities may differ considerably among climatic zones. To assess this phenomenon, we studied macroinvertebrates associated with the common reed Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud in 46 shallow lakes using a common protocol. The lakes, located in nine countries, covered almost the entire European latitudinal range (from <48°N to 61°N) and captured much of the variability in lake size and nutrient content in the region. A Poisson Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) showed the number of macroinvertebrate epiphytic taxa to be negatively associated with water conductivity and positively associated with medium ice cover duration (approximately 1 month). A Gamma GLMM showed a positive effect of chlorophyll a on the density of macroinvertebrates, and a significantly greater density in lakes located at the lowest and highest latitudes. Individual taxa responded differently to lake environmental conditions across climate zones. Chironomidae dominated in all climate zones, but their contribution to total density decreased with increasing latitude, with progressively greater proportions of Naidinae, Asellidae, Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera. Our study demonstrates that epiphytic macroinvertebrate fauna, even when analyzed at low taxonomic resolution, exhibits clear differences in diversity, relative abundance of individual taxa and total density, shaped both by geographic and anthropogenic variables. The results were discussed in the context of climate change. To our best knowledge this is the first study to examine epiphytic fauna carried out on a European scale.

Is there evidence of local adaptation of Phragmites australis to water level gradients and fluctuation frequencies?

Greater differences in hydrologic conditions are expected between coastal and inland wetlands with global climate change. Local adaptation has been considered as a significant driver of intraspecific differentiation in heterogeneous habitats. The common reed Phragmites australis is a cosmopolitan wetland species with high genetic variability and adaptability. In our study, reeds collected from coastal and inland wetlands were subjected to three stable water level gradients and two fluctuation frequencies in a common garden experiment. We measured their aboveground and belowground biomass, height, density, stem diameter, leaf water potential, specific leaf area, and photosynthetic parameters. Our results showed that P. australis exhibited high tolerance to stable and fluctuating water levels up to 30 cm depth. Increased shoot elongation rate and water-use efficiency promoted the establishment of P. australis in flooding habitats. The common reeds in the high-frequency water level fluctuation had a shorter shoot height and a lower shoot density than those in the low-frequency one. The coastal populations performed better under high (30 cm) and low (0 cm) water levels than the inland populations, which preferred shallow water (15 cm). The adaptation strategies of coastal and inland reeds to fluctuation frequencies were no different. We concluded that local adaptation might occur in P. australis populations due to different water levels rather than fluctuation frequency in coastal and inland wetlands. Our findings could provide a theoretical basis on the effects of flooding on intraspecific variation of wetland plants in future environmental change scene.

Intraspecific variation in Phragmites australis: Clinal adaption of functional traits and phenotypic plasticity vary with latitude of origin

Abstract Widespread plant species generally have high intraspecific variation in functional traits, which is reflected in their great variety of phenotypes. This variety can result from both genetic differences due to local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. With high intraspecific variation and nearly global distribution, the common reed Phragmites australis is a suitable model species for studying the underlying mechanisms of intraspecific trait variation. In this study, 71 genotypes of P. australis from seven phylogeographic groups were transplanted into two replicate common gardens located in very different climates: northern Europe and mid‐east Asia. We measured seven functional traits of all these genotypes over the growing season, including shoot height, maximum biomass per shoot, shoot density, node number per stem, leaf life span, flowering occurrence and flowering date. Our aim was to assess the relative effects of genetic (phylogeographic origin) and environmental (common garden) status, and interactions between them, on intraspecific variation in functional traits of P. australis. We found common garden having the strongest influence on most functional traits studied. All traits except flowering occurrence varied significantly across gardens, revealing the important role of phenotypic plasticity on trait variation in P. australis. We also found significant differences in trait variation among the different phylogeographic groups of P. australis and, thus, evidence for genetically determined intraspecific variation in the morphological and life‐history traits addressed in this study. All functional traits showed significant (p ≤ 0.0054), albeit minor to moderately explained (R2 ≤ 0.57), latitudinal patterns in both gardens. Covariation of multiple traits was similar in the two gardens. Phenotypic plasticity was trait‐ specific, and the plasticity of shoot height and maximum biomass per shoot increased towards higher latitude of genotypic origin. Our results indicate that the latitude of origin affects the evolution of functional traits, as well as their phenotypic plasticity. Since phenotypic plasticity is a crucial mechanism for acclimation and evolution, our findings support the role of gene‐based adaptive phenotypic plasticity in plant evolution. The intraspecific spatial variation in functional traits and their phenotypic plasticity can help predict species distribution, persistence and invasion under global climate change.

Disorders of the initial ontogenesis of seed progeny of the common reed (Phragmites australis) from water bodies within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

The peculiarity of seeds germination of the common reed Phragmites australis, which is a cosmopolitan plant and widespread at littoral zone of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone water bodies, was studied. The complex of vitality, physiological and morphological indices of seedling as seed germination, germination energy, seedling survivability and seed vitality, length of initial leaf and root and abnormalities of seedlings were investigated. The current average absorbed dose rate on the reed vegetative plants ranged from 0.05 to 34 μGy h−1. Data demonstrated correlation between dose rate and seed progeny vitality. All investigated indices of the common reed's progeny from impacted water bodies significantly differed from reference ones – viability indices were decreased, seedling growth was slower and number of seedling abnormalities were increased. Logistic regressions were found for growth of seedlings initial root and leaf from impacted sites and mostly exponential and linear for reference ones. An essential abnormalities percentage up to 75% was registered for reed seedlings from the impacted sites. Significance of dormancy for improvement of reed seeds germination from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was discussed.

Differences in fish assemblage structures between tidal marsh and bare sandy littoral habitats in a brackish water lake, eastern Japan

Fish assemblage structures and environmental properties (e.g., water quality, sediment condition and prey abundance) were compared between tidal marshes, dominated by the common reed Phragmites australis, and bare sandy areas in the brackish-water Lake Hinuma, eastern Japan, by daytime seine net sampling in October 2014, and January, April and July 2015. A total of 4,076 fish individuals from 30 species and 5,431 individuals from 23 species were collected in the tidal marshes and sandy areas, respectively. Higher species richness in the former habitat was due to the restricted occurrence of ten species, including threatened or near threatened, only to that habitat. Species composition and the abundances of several dominant species, such as the commercially important icefish Salangichthys microdon and the goby Acanthogobius lactipes, also differed between the two habitats, although no interhabitat differences in the mean species and individual numbers per haul were found. Moreover, the individual number of small benthic and epiphytic crustacean feeders, including A. lactipes, was greater in the tidal marshes than in the sandy areas, whereas zooplankton feeders, including S. microdon, showed the opposite pattern. Such interhabitat differences in fish assemblage structures may be partly related to food availability, sediment condition and/or the presence or absence of vegetative structures. Because each of the two habitats harbored a unique fish assemblage, conservation efforts for both habitats are important for enhancing overall fish species diversity and sustaining fishery resources in Lake Hinuma.

Динамика зарастания нерестовых участков Псковского озера на примере залива Анохово

The dynamics of overgrowing of spawning grounds in the southern area of Peipsi-Pihkva Lake complex is considered, based on 28 years of observations from Anokhovo Bay. The history of the study of the water area is analyzed in detail, the species and syntaxonomic composition of plant associations in the littoral areas of the bay is described, and the dominant species are established. Over the entire observation period, the total number of macrophyte species increased by almost 2.5 times, and the number of plant associations increased approximately twofold. The area of the bay overgrown with macrophytes increased by 9.5%, with a simultaneous increase in the overgrowth density. The dominant species are common reed Phragmites australis, lakeshore bulrush Schoenoplectus lacustris, and yellow water-lily Nuphar lutea.

Morphometric Parameters of Common Reed (Phragmites australis) in the Flood-Littoral Ecosystems of the Danube River Lower Section

Morphometric Parameters of Common Reed (Phragmites australis) in the Flood-Littoral Ecosystems of the Danube River Lower Section

Evaluating the performance of rope-wick herbicides applicator to control common reed

This study was carried out in an ordinarily field of common reed Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin, one of invasive perennial weed in Iraq. originally focused on investigating the feasibilityof an applied herbicide treatment by using systematic herbicides of glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl glycine) and fluazifop-butyl to control the common reed. Doses of glyphosate and fluazifop-butyl were used and experiments were set using complete randomize block design (CRBD) with three repetitions. Seven treatment methods of herbicides (T1–T7) were involved. Results indicated the superiority of T7 to control common reed compared to other treatment methods and showed highest control rate of 61.74% using T7. More specifically, T7, T6, and T5 presented the lowest average regrowth rates of Phragmites australis that reached up to 61.74%, 57.94%, and 52.47%, respectively. The positive contribution of herbicides was continued around 180 days after the treatment. Moreover, T7 has accomplished a significant difference in the reduction of the plant height compared to other treatments. Also, the application of rope-wick of T7 has depicted the lowest total dry weight of vegetative (480.67 g/m2) compared to T1, T5, and T6. In the contrast, insignificant differences of the total dry weight of vegetative were noticed for T3, T4, and T5. The lowest rhizomes dry weight was observed for T2, T5, and T3 221.33 g/m2, 248.33 g/m2, and 270.67 g/m2, respectively. Glyphosate presented a prosperous controlling of common reed compared to fluazifop-butyl., The application of rope-wick has also gave a promising controlling of common reed compared to sprayers, which in turn reduced the usage of herbicides concentration that would be in line with mitigating the environmental pollution.

Why has Phragmites australis persisted in the increasingly saline Gippsland Lakes? A test of three competing hypotheses

Common reed Phragmites australis is the dominant vascular plant species of the shorelines of the Gippsland Lakes, south-eastern Australia. Although substantial declines have been reported for over 50 years, with increasing salinity posited as the cause, P. australis still occurs around the Gippsland Lakes, including in environments with near-oceanic salinities. The occurrence of P. australis in highly saline environments cannot be explained in terms of either seasonal variations in surface water salinity or a freshwater subsidy provided by intrusions of non-saline groundwater into the root zone. An experimental growth trial with plants of different provenance showed that P. australis grew vigorously even at 8–16PSU (with maximum aboveground biomass at 2–4PSU). There was some evidence that specimens from saltier sites were more salt tolerant than those from fresher sites. The selection of salt-tolerant strains is the most likely explanation for the occurrence of P. australis in saline sites. However, anthropogenic salinisation is unlikely to be the only factor involved in the historical loss of reed beds, and lower and more stable water levels following the permanent opening of the Gippsland Lakes to the ocean in 1889 are probably also contributing factors.

Inland Coal Mine Settling Pond as a Habitat for the Brackish-Water Plant Ruppia maritima

The research conducted in settling ponds located in the coal basin in Upper Silesia (southern Poland), detected in one of them presence of the widgeon grass Ruppia maritima. Currently, it is the only inland site of this species in Poland. The widgeon grass creates underwater meadows in the shore zone of the settling pond and it grows in dense communities together with the common reed Phragmites australis in the coastal zone. Apart from these two plants, no other species were found. The morphological features of the vegetative and generative organs of the studied population of R. maritima is similar to those that have been reported from Europe. The bottom of the pond is atypical for R. maritima – it is covered by mine waste. The water of the settling pond has a high salinity and the water chemistry corresponds to the more natural environments that are inhabited by widgeon grass. This substitute habitat, which imitates the natural environment of R. maritima contributes to the good development of these species. However the studied settling pond offers unstable conditions due to the ongoing mining activity and requires permanent monitoring.