Diversity Of Aquatic Vegetation Research Articles

Variations in Aquatic Vegetation Diversity Responses to Water Level Sequences during Drought in Lakes under Uncertain Conditions

Water level variability and temporal change are critical for shaping the structure of aquatic vegetation. Much research has examined the response of aquatic vegetation to hydrological metrics. However, the hydrological sequence is a fundamental driver of aquatic ecosystem structure and function. Given the aleatory uncertainty of future water levels under an unstable climate, how aquatic vegetation responds to changing dynamics in hydrological processes, especially shifting water level sequences, remains insufficiently explored. In this paper, we establish an evaluation framework to study the response of vegetation diversity to variation in water level sequences during a drought event. To do this, the uncertainty and variability of water level processes are both considered. Altering water level processes was achieved using two types of scenarios in order to explore the effects of differing water level sequences (i.e., changing the order of high vs. low water levels) on the probability distribution of four indexes of aquatic plant diversity (e.g., Margalef’s, Simpson’s, Shannon’s, and Pielou’s evenness index). Our results show that altering the order of water level state can lead to differences in the diversity of aquatic vegetation, with a pronounced impact on vegetation complexity. This suggests that the specific sequence of water level events is critical for shaping aquatic vegetation structure. In addition, we found that a uniform distribution of water level state is beneficial for enhancing a species’ dominance in aquatic vegetation. Our findings provide guidance for improving the future development of freshwater ecosystem protection and lake management.

Effect of Buffer Zone Structure on Diversity of Aquatic Vegetation in Farmland Water Bodies

Farmland water bodies (FWBs) are marginal habitats in the agricultural landscape. However, regardless of their small size, they are refuges for natural vegetation and species-rich animal assemblages. They are especially important in areas where the intensification of agricultural activities reduces the ecological quality of the landscape. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of the habitat structure of the FWB buffer zone on macrophyte association diversity in the FWBs (n = 49). As many as 175 species of vascular plants, three stoneworts, and 40 (41–49 according to Chao2 estimator) plant associations were recognized, including 19 of high conservation priority. The occurrence of threatened associations (0–5 per FWB) was not correlated with the number of common (unthreatened) ones. The most important predictors of plant diversity (at the species level and the association level) were the connection of the FWB with a watercourse (positive effect), and the distance from the FWB to the nearest built-up areas (positive effect). The results suggest that even though the high percentage cover of perennial vegetation mitigates the effect of diffused pollutions of agricultural origin on FWB biota, its significance may become low when the distance from a built-up area to FWBs is small.

Diversity of the Aquatic Vegetation in the Irrigation Canals of Mulya Sari village, Banyu Asin Regency, South Sumatra

Mulya Sari village in Banyuasin Regency is a sub-optimum tidal land with sulfuric acid characteristics which utilize irrigation canal to provide water used in household, fishing, and agriculture. Information on the diversity of aquatic vegetation in the Mulya Sari village is still not much. The purpose of this research to identified and analyzed the diversity aquatic vegetation in the irrigation canal of Mulya Sari village. The method used in this research is purposive sampling method. Aquatic vegetation data are collected trough direct study and using the square of the wooden frame size of 1 m x 1 m (transect methode), then observation are made for identification. Environmental condition in the irrigation canal is still good, with the environmental parameters in the form of Temperature, DO, BOD, TSS, TDS and pH still meet environmental quality standard. The irrigation canal in Mulyasari village was found 7 species of aquatic vegetation belonging to 3 class of Liliopsida, 3 class Monocotyledoneae, and 1 class of Dicotyledoneae, with the value of diversity index between 0,57 – 1,53 and low diversity. Corellation Pearson between water quality and sediment characters of diversity has shown Temperature, DO, BOD, TDS and pH have corellation to diversity.

Aquatic vegetation responses to island construction (habitat restoration) in a large floodplain river

AbstractThe Upper Mississippi River is maintained in its current navigable state through impoundments, dredging, and other engineering projects. These stressors, along with anthropogenic impacts and natural system processes, led to declines in aquatic vegetation and the loss of fish and wildlife habitat, with a major downturn the late 1980s and early 1990s. Large‐scale restoration projects, such as the one evaluated here, are primarily designed to rehabilitate and enhance fish and wildlife habitat. We determined whether an individual restoration project, construction of an island complex, fulfilled a programmatic goal of re‐establishing diverse and abundant native aquatic vegetation. Eighteen years of aquatic vegetation monitoring data from impact and reference areas were compared to evaluate the anticipated direct effects (within 400 m of the constructed islands) and indirect effects (>400 m downstream of constructed islands) of restoration. Impact areas were also compared with an unrestored negative reference area ~200 km downstream of the project and with a positive reference area in adjacent, relatively natural backwaters. Only indirect effects of restoration were evident. Prevalence and species richness of aquatic vegetation in both of the impact areas and in the negative reference area increased prior to restoration, suggesting large‐scale improvement independent of the project examined here. Indirect effects were demonstrated as further increases in both prevalence and species richness coinciding with restoration in the area >400 m downstream of the restoration. We conclude that increased abundance and diversity of aquatic vegetation was partially achieved, with observed improvements potentially linked to reduced wind fetch.

Thigmomorphogenetic responses of an aquatic macrophyte to hydrodynamic stress.

The response of aquatic plants to abiotic factors is a crucial study topic, because the diversity of aquatic vegetation is strongly related to specific adaptations to a variety of environments. This biodiversity ensures resilience of aquatic communities to new and changing ecological conditions. In running water, hydrodynamic disturbance is one of the key factors in this context. While plant adaptations to resource stress (nutrients, light…) are well documented, adaptations to mechanical stress, particularly flow, are largely unknown. The submerged species Egeria densa was used in an experiment to detect whether the presence or absence of hydrodynamic stress causes plant thigmomorphogenetic responses (i) in terms of plant biogenic silica (BSi), cellulose and lignin concentrations, and (ii) in terms of plant strength. Plant silica concentrations, as well as lignin concentrations were significantly higher in presence of hydrodynamic stress. These physiological changes are accompanied by some significant changes in stem biomechanical traits: stem resistance to tensile forces (breaking force and breaking strength) and stiffness were higher for plants exposed to hydrodynamic stress. We conclude that the response of this aquatic plant species to mechanical stress is likely the explaining factor for a higher capacity to tolerate stress through the production of mechanically hardened shoots.

Influence of limnology on temporal changes in species diversity of aquatic vegetation in two tropical ponds (Kolkata, India)

Monthly changes in species diversity of aquatic macrophytes (richness and Simpson’s diversity index) were studied in relation to various limnological predictors (including their time lag effects) of two tropical ponds, over a period of three years, using regression analysis with correction for temporal autocorrelation.The monthly mean ± SD number of total plant species was 6±2 and 2±1 in Pond 203 and Pond 206, respectively, with significant pond effect. Immediate and 2-months lag of water temperature in the ‘species rich’ pond (Pond 203) appeared to be the significant predictors for Simpson’s diversity index and total plant species richness, respectively. Secchi depth (1-month lag) was found to be the significant predictor for Simpson’s diversity index in ‘less species rich’ pond (Pond 206), while total plant species richness was not found to be influenced by any limnological predictor. Comparative literature review on maximum number of plant species per pond revealed low richness in tropical and subtropical ponds than their temperate counterparts. Among different growth forms, maximum number of emergent and submerged plant species per pond was also less in tropical climates.

The influence of Ceratophyllum demersum L. and Stratiotes aloides L. on richness and diversity of aquatic vegetation in the lakes of mid-eastern Poland

The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of Ceratophyllum demersum L. and Stratiotes aloides L. on the species richness and phytocoenotic diversity of aquatic vegetation in lakes. The study was based on field investigations in the Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District located in mid-eastern Poland. The studied lakes (32) included both polymictic and dimictic reservoirs. Both in the polymictic and dimictic lakes, statistically significant correlation coefficients were obtained between the parameters that characterize Stratiotes aloides (the frequency in the phytosociological relevés, the percent share of Stratiotetum aloidis association in the phytolittoral) and those characteristic for species richness (the total number of hydromacrophytes, the number of charophytes, elodeids, nymphaeids and lemnids), phytocoenotic richness (the mean number of species in the phytosociological relevés) and phytocoenotic diversity (the Shannon–Wiener Index). The communities with a share of S. aloides are characterized by higher species richness. However, not a single case of statistically significant dependency was reported between the parameters that describe C. demersum (the frequency in the phytosociological relevés, the percent share Ceratophylletum demersi association in the phytolittoral) and the vegetation traits in both lake groups. Common occurrence of Stratiotes aloides might be considered to be evidence for good status of an aquatic ecosystem and a very good indicator of species richness and diversity of aquatic vegetation.

Resources and reproductive performance in Mute swans Cygnus olor

Around Oxford, breeding pairs of mute swans maintained territories throughout most of the year and these territories varied considerably in potential food availability in the form of aquatic vegetation, bread supplied by the public and pasture for grazing. On territories with abundant aquatic vegetation females laid earlier larger clutches than on those with little aquatic vegetation. Clutches were also larger on territories with a high potential bread supply. In addition, adult females were heavier on territories with a high diversity of aquatic vegetation. However, contrary to expectation, there were no direct relationships between territory quality measures and other aspects of reproductive performance including number of young fledged, egg volume, cygnet weight or size, or adult male weight. Instead, the number of young fledged was related to clutch size; egg volume was related to laying date; and cygnet weight was related to age and egg volume. Adult male weight was positively related to age.