Potamogeton Perfoliatus Research Articles

Composition of the Low Molecular Weight Metabolome of Potamogeton perfoliatus (Potamogetonaceae) as an Indicator of the Transformation of the Ecological State of the Littoral Zone

The composition and nature of changes in the low-molecular-weight metabolome (NM) of Potamogeton perfoliatus L., growing in 6 biotopes of Lake Ladoga with different types of the anthropogenic load has been analyzed. According to the research results, it was found that the total number of low molecular weight organic compounds (LMWOCs) in the P. perfoliatus NM composition is directly dependent on anthropogenic load, which is well marked by the development of cyanobacteria. The greater the intensity of pollution or eutrophication of waters, or the higher the number of cyanobacteria, the lower the total number of LMWOCs and their concentration. A strongly pronounced dependence of the total concentrations of groups of NM compounds on the anthropogenic disturbance of the biotope and the concentration of cyanobacteria was revealed. A decrease in the number, relative amount, total concentration of carboxylic acids, number and content of unsaturated fatty acids, and, at the same time, an increase in the composition and content of phenols and the total content of aldehydes and ketones depends on an increase in anthropogenic pressure. The specific composition of NM of pierced pondweed depends on its response to biotic and abiotic factors of the aquatic environment, including anthropogenic ones. The revealed features of the change in the composition of P. perfoliatus NM make it possible to use it as an integral indicator of the anthropogenic impact on the littoral biotopes of water bodies and the deterioration of their ecological state.

Retraction: Potamogeton perfoliatus L. extract attenuates neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain in sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury-induced peripheral neuropathy in rats.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.799444.].

Characteristics of Phytoplankton Community Structure in Lakes of Wetlands Dominated by Different Aquatic Plants and Its Driving Factors

In wetland ecosystems, small shallow lakes are critical transition zones of land and water, which are usually dominated by aquatic plants with different growth forms. However, the differences and key influencing factors of phytoplankton communities in shallow lakes dominated by different aquatic plants are unclear. On this basis, nine surveys were conducted at five sampling sites of three lakes in Zhangye National Wetland Park from June to November in 2022, which were respectively dominated by the emergent Phragmites australis （LL）, the submerged Potamogeton perfoliatus （CL）, and the floating-leaved Nymphaea tetragona （SL）. During the study period, the three lakes showed obvious habitat differences. A total of 237 species of phytoplankton in seven phyla and 93 genera were identified in the three lakes, including 189 species, 151 species, and 147 species in the LL, CL, and SL lakes, respectively. Among them, Ulnaria acus, Scenedesmus quadricauda, Achnanthidium minutissimum, Nitzschia stagnorum, Navicula radiosa, and Gymnodinium aeruginosum were shared dominant species of all three lakes, indicating that they had strong environmental adaptability, whereas Navicula lanceolala, Encyonopsis cesatii, and Eunotia diodon and Cymbella aequalis were only dominant in the CL, LL, and SL lakes, respectively. Simultaneously, these dominant algae appeared with obviously distinct statuses of niche width, niche overlap, and interspecific correlation among the three lakes. Using principal coordinate analysis （PCoA） and permutational multivariate analysis of variance （PERMANOVA）, significant differences were found in algal community composition among the three lakes （P<0.001）. Multiple regression on （dis）similarity matrices analysis （MRM） showed that the heterogeneity of phytoplankton communities among the three lakes was positively affected by NO3--N and pH and negatively affected by dissolved oxygen （DO） and was closely positively correlated with the abundance of six dominant species, namely, S. quadricauda, U. acus, N. stagnorum, Pseudoanabaena sp., Merismopedia punctata, and A. minutissimum. These results indicate that aquatic plants with different growth types could affect the composition, structure, and stability of phytoplankton communities in the same habitat with them by shaping their habitat heterogeneity. Therefore, selecting specific growth types of aquatic plants for aquatic ecosystem restoration in wetland construction and management will be conducive to regulate the state of water habitat and phytoplankton community structure effectively.

Root puppet masters: Infauna shift trait-productivity relationships in submerged aquatic vegetation communities.

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) growth can be limited by light and nutrient availability. Infauna are common inhabitants of SAV meadows. Their activity increases nutrient mobility, and they can positively affect plant growth, but we do not know their role in plant trait-biomass production relationships. We approached this problem using a 15-week insitu transplant experiment in the Baltic Sea with experimental additions of Macoma balthica, a sedentary bivalve, to experimental SAV communities. Experimental plant communities were tricultures with varying species composition, compiled from a pool of six different species, to create an experimental gradient of trait community weighted means that allowed us to detect changes more clearly in plant trait-biomass production relationships in response to the M. balthica treatment. We evaluated the relationships between plant height, leaf area, maximum root length (MMRL), specific root length (SRL), and SAV biomass production, then compared M. balthica condition index (soft tissue biomass [WW, mg]/valve length [mm]) to plant community leaf tissue nutrient concentrations (N (%DW), δ15N). Community biomass production was significantly related to plant height in the control treatment, but this relationship was decoupled in the M. balthica treatment, where community biomass production was instead significantly related to MMRL and SRL. This suggested a shift in the predominant SAV growth strategy, from height-related to root-related community biomass production. Leaf tissue δ15N was significantly related to M. balthica condition index. The growth of one species, Potamogeton perfoliatus, was significantly inhibited by the M. balthica treatment. Our results show that infauna have an important role in the plant traits related to community biomass production, and they have the potential to shape plant community structure via selective influences on different plant species.

Composition of the Low Molecular Weight Metabolome of Potamogeton perfoliatus (Potamogetonaceae) as an Indicator of the Transformation of the Ecological State of the Littoral Zone

Composition of the Low Molecular Weight Metabolome of Potamogeton perfoliatus (Potamogetonaceae) as an Indicator of the Transformation of the Ecological State of the Littoral Zone

Relationship between potentially toxic elements and macrophyte communities in the Sava river

Freshwater ecosystems are at significant risk of contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) due to their high inherent toxicity, their persistence in the environment and their tendency to bioaccumulate in sediments and living organisms. We investigated aquatic macrophyte communities and the concentrations of As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, Ni and Fe in water and sediment samples to identify a pollution pattern along the Sava River and to investigate the potential impact of these PTEs on the diversity and structure of macrophyte communities. The study, which covered 945 km of the Sava River, showed a downstream increase in sediment concentrations of the analyzed elements. Both species richness and alpha diversity of macrophyte communities also generally increase downstream. Ordinary and partial Mantel tests indicate that macrophyte communities are significantly correlated with sediment chemistry, but only weakly correlated with water chemistry. In the lowland regions (downstream), beta diversity decreases successively, which can be attributed to an increasing similarity of environmental conditions at downstream sites. Species richness is relatively low at sites with low concentrations of Cr, Cd, Fe, and Cu in the sediment. However, species richness increases to a certain extent with increasing element concentrations; as element concentrations increase further, species richness decreases, probably as a result of increased toxicity. Some species that are generally more tolerant to high concentrations of PTEs are: Ceratophyllum demersum, Iris pseudacorus, Najas marina, Butomus umbellatus, Vallisneria spiralis, Potamogeton gramineus and Bolboschoenus maritimus maritimus. Potamogeton perfoliatus and the moss species Cinclidotus fontinaloides and Fontinalis antipyretica have narrow ecological amplitudes in relation to the concentrations of PTEs in the sediment.

The impact of drought duration on two Potamogeton species with different growth forms

When facing new climate extremes, aquatic plant communities may experience more frequent or increasing durations of water shortages. Aquatic macrophytes of permanently inundated habitats (true hydrophytes) may lack the physiological or morphological characteristics that protect terrestrial plants from drying out. Aquatic hydrophytes with floating or emergent leaves are expected to be more resilient to droughts than completely submerged plants, as they have morphological characteristics adapted to air-exposed conditions. Therefore, we expected the latter to survive longer periods of air exposure and perform better with increasing drought than a completely submerged growing species. Here, we conducted a microcosm experiment and exposed two Potamogeton species—the completely submerged growing Potamogeton perfoliatus and the areal leaf producing Potamogeton nodosus—to different drought conditions (1, 5, and 15 days). We aimed to detect how two species with different growth strategies cope with and respond to increasing air exposures with waterlogged sediment. Both species showed a resistance to 1–5 days of drought but showed high mortality after 15 days. They displayed significant differences in all measured morphological responses (shoot length, side shoot, and leaf counts), plant chemistry (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate), and the produced biomass (shoot, root, leaves), and reacted significantly to increasing drought durations. Differences in their resistance were observed based on the mortality rate and morphological responses. To prevent long-term droughts and keep mortality low, we recommend to the water managers to identify areas of risk and increase water levels during dry periods.

Dynamics of 137Cs content in higher aquatic plants of Kyiv and Kaniv Reservoirs

The study aimed to determine the temporal parameters of 137Cs specific activity in higher aquatic plants of Kyiv and Kaniv reservoirs. Parameters characterizing the dynamics of 137Cs content for hydrophytes (Potamogeton perfoliatus and Ceratophyllum demersum) and helophytes (Phragmites australis and Typha angustifolia) were determined based on the results of 137Cs specific activity determination in the aboveground plant organs. Plant samples were collected in 1989–2021 from a polygonal area in the upper part of Kyiv reservoir (shallow waters near Strakholyssia village) and in 2000–2021 from a polygonal area in the middle part of the Kaniv reservoir (shallow waters near Rzhyschiv and the Borispol islands). A model of specific activity of aquatic organisms was substantiated (or developed) in case of exponential decrease in radionuclide levels in the environment. The main parameter of the model is the period of resulting halving of organism specific activity due to the decrease in radionuclide concentration in water, its irreversible fixation in bottom sediments, and radioactive decay. During 1989–2021, the half-life period of 137Cs specific activity in Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Phragmites australis of Kyiv reservoir was 5.4 years. Two time intervals were identified, characterized by different intensities of radionuclide specific activity decrease. During the periods of 1989–1996 (1998), the specific activity of 137Cs in the studied plant species decreased by half in approximately 2 years. For the time interval of 2011(2012)–2021, the half-life period of 137Cs content in Potamogeton perfoliatus and Ceratophyllum demersum increased on average to 12 years. A tendency towards a slowdown in the rate of specific activity decrease was observed for Phragmites australis. During 1987–1996, the half-life period of maximum 137Cs specific activity in higher aquatic plants of Kaniv reservoir was 2.1 years. Thus, during the first decade after the accident, the rates of 137Cs content decrease in plants of Kyiv and Kaniv reservoirs did not differ. In 2000–2021, the rate of 137Cs specific activity decrease in Potamogeton perfoliatus and Ceratophyllum demersum of Kaniv reservoir corresponded on average to a half-life period of about 20 years. For Phragmites australis and Typha angustifolia, only a tendency to decrease in 137Cs activity was noted, corresponding to a half-life period of about 40 years. Over time, the half-life period of 137Cs specific activity in higher aquatic plants of Kyiv and Kaniv reservoirs increases, which is explained by the slowdown in the rate of decrease in volumetric activity of 137Cs in the waters of the Dnipro and Pripyat rivers. A model of 137Cs specific activity in higher aquatic plants of reservoirs for periods exceeding 20 years after accidental radionuclide entry into ecosystems of large plain reservoirs has been proposed. The parameters of the model describing the dynamics of 137Cs specific activity can be used for predictive assessments of 137Cs content in higher aquatic plants in the event of accidental radionuclide entry into ecosystems of large plain reservoirs.

Composition of fatty acids of higher aquatic plants in Lake Kotokel as valuable biological raw materials

Fatty acids, as part of cell membranes, determine their fluidity and dielectric constant. In addition, they play an important role in human and animal nutrition. This work examines the composition and fatty acid content of dried higher aquatic plants from Lake Kotokel (Republic of Buryatia, Russia) and their potential as a raw material for the production of feed and biologically active food supplements. A modified Bligh-Dyer method was used to extract lipid fraction. Fatty acids in the form of their methyl esters were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Palmitic C16:0 acid was the main saturated fatty acid found in Myriophyllum sibiricum, Elodea canadensis, Persicaria amphibia and Potamogeton perfoliatus in Lake Kotokel. The main unsaturated acid found in plants, regardless of their type, was the α-linolenic C18:3-ω3 acid. In addition, a relatively high content of stearic C18:0, myristic C14:0 and pentadecanoic C15:0 acids was noted. Branched acids (i-C14:0, i-C15:0, i-C16:0, i-C17:0, i-C20:0, a/i-C15:0, a/i-C17:0 and 10Me-C16:0) and odd carbon numbered acids (C13:0, C15:0, C17:0, C19:0, C21:0 and C23:0) were identified. An analysis of the authors’ and literature data revealed that the studied species of higher aquatic plants in reservoirs in the Asian part of Russia are characterised by a high content of α-linolenic C18:3-ω3 (up to 56%) and a low content of oleic C18:1-ω9 (up to 1.81%) acids. The content of α-linolenic C18:3-ω3 acid in plants from reservoirs in the European part of Russia was lower (up to 42%), while that of oleic acid C18:1-ω9 was higher (up to 14%).

Vertical optical complexity shaped by submerged macrophytes

The influence of macrophytes on the optical environment of the littoral zone was assessed by studying the effect of monospecific Potamogeton perfoliatus on the quantitative and qualitative properties of light and the response of plants to this altered environment. P. perfoliatus was shown to alter the optical environment and consequently its own architecture: in high-density pondweed patches, 67 percent of incident light was absorbed in the top 10 cm, while spectral properties of light was significantly altered. Leaf morphology and photophysiology adapted to these changes, with photosynthetically active biomass concentrated in the upper water layer and stem biomass increasing in the basal parts due to self-shading. This study highlights the importance of submerged macrophytes in shaping the optical environment and ecological dynamics of littoral zones. Not only do pondweed plants from different sites show very similar vertical patterns of morphological and physiological parameters, but they also contribute to similar vertical spatial variability in water optics, thus increasing habitat complexity. This added optical heterogeneity not only increases the diversity of the littoral zone, but also enriches the entire aquatic ecosystem of shallow lakes by providing additional optical ecological niches.

Ecological and phylogenetic aspects of the spring diet of three palaearctic species of swans

The quality of swans' nutrition at spring migration stopovers is important for their successful breeding. It is of great interest to study the differences in nutrition of different swan species when sharing the same habitat. Microscopic analysis of Cygnus olor, C. cygnus, and C. columbianus bewickii feces collected in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland in February-April 2014–2019 was performed. We measured food preferences of the three swan species using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). The width and overlap of dietary niches were also calculated. The diet of C. olor consists almost entirely of soft submerged aquatic vegetation, mainly macroalgae. Samples of the other two species except macroalgae contained large amounts of young shoots and roots of rigid semi-submerged and coastal vegetation. The dietary niche of C. cygnus is the most isolated because it is dominated by thick rhizomes of Phragmites australis, which are hardly used by other swan species. The diet of Bewick’s swans was similar in many respects to that of the Mute swan, but Bewick’s swans much more often preferred vegetative parts of submerged and semi-submerged plants, such as Stuckenia pectinata, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Sparganium sp., Nuphar lutea, and others. Notably, the dietary niches of Mute swan and Whooper swan overlapped as much as possible in February March during a period of severe food shortage, in contrast to later periods in spring when food was more abundant and varied. In general, differences in diets are well explained by differences in the morphology of birds. Comparison of tarsometatarsus indices shows that C. olor is the most water-related species. C. olor has the longest neck and its beak has the strongest filter features, whereas beaks of the other two species shows noticeable “goose-like grazing” features. Moreover, C. Cygnus has the most powerful beak. These features are due to the history of species. The formation of C. olor occurred during the Miocene-Pliocene of the Palaearctic in the warm eutrophic marine lagoons of the Paratethys with abundant soft submerged vegetation. The evolution of C. cygnus and C. c. bewickii took place in Pleistocene. At that time, periglacial and thermokarst water bodies on permafrost became widespread in the Palearctic, as well as dystrophic peat lakes with much poorer submerged aquatic vegetation, but well-developed coastal and semi-submerged vegetation.

Spatial distribution and population density of submerged aquatic vegetation in Shatt Al-Arab River

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is an integral component of aquatic ecosystems and provides essential habitats and ecosystem services. This study investigated the distribution and abundance of SAV in the Shatt Al-Arab River, located in Southern Iraq, and examined its relationship with changing environmental factors. Monthly surveys were conducted at three stations from October 2015 to September 2016 to assess the percentage cover of vegetation, biomass, and the physicochemical properties of water and sediment. Three SAV species belonging to the Potamogetonaceae family have been recorded. Canonical correspondence analysis showed a negative relationship between Potamogeton perfoliatus and depth/reactive phosphorus. The abundance of plants in this area was significantly lower than that reported in previous studies. Species richness and abundance were analyzed at all stations during the same period using biodiversity indices. The analysis revealed differences in species richness between the stations. This decline in abundance was likely due to increased salinity, nutrients, and anthropogenic pressures. This study demonstrates the impact of environmental changes on ecologically important SAV and emphasizes the necessity of implementing conservation and management strategies.

Distribution of Aquatic Macrophytes in the Littoral of Lake Bohinj (Slovenia)

In alpine Lake Bohinj, which is an LTER site and a part of the national park, the occurrence and depth distribution of submerged and emerged aquatic macrophytes were analyzed. Nine submerged and one emergent macrophyte taxa were found in the lake: Myriophyllum spicatum, Chara virgata, Chara aspera, Potamogeton lucens, Potamogeton alpinus, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Potamogeton pusillus, Ranunculus circinatus with the synonym Batrachium foeniculaceum and the emergent species Phragmites australis. The depth of the vegetation zones was measured using a depth meter and their coordinates were recorded using a GNSS antenna with RTK receiver. These data were used along with a DEM of lake depths to accurately map the potential zone of macrophyte growth, which was based on the depths of macrophyte distribution. The potential zone of macrophyte growth consisted of 28 different transects and covered 240.14 ha of the lake. The macrophytes covered 5.55 ha. The most common and abundant species was M. spicatum. A significant difference in macrophyte cover was found between the south and north shores of the lake, with the south shore having more patches with a larger total area. A clear difference in macrophyte cover was also noted between the main inflow and outflow of the lake. The presence of macrophytes and their diversity varied in different parts of the lake due to differences in slope, depth and type of substrates.

Structure of the macrophyte communities of small rivers in Saratov under anthropogenic load

The article presents the results of investigations of the flora of small rivers within the city of Saratov (Yelshanka, Nazarovka, 1st Gusyolka, and 2nd Gusyolka). The species composition of aquatic plants of the streams studied is represented by 37 macrophyte species belonging to 23 genera, 17 families and three divisions (Charophyta, Polypodiophyta, and Magnoliophyta). The families Potamogetonaceae, Cyperaceae and Lemnaceae predominate by the number of represented species. The values of the Menchinik index indicate that the greatest floristic diversity is characteristic of the Yelshanka and Nazarovka rivers (3.1 and 3.4, respectively). The species composition of aquatic plants of the studied rivers within the urban area has a low similarity coefficient with the flora of rivers with relatively low anthropogenic load. Hydrophytes are the most numerous ecological group (22 species). According to the Paley–Kownacki dominance index, among the macrophytes of the studied rivers, most species are subdominant (57.28%) (Potamogeton perfoliatus, Typha angustifolia, Lemna trisulca, etc.). 37.18% (Phragmites australis, Potamogeton pectinatus, Lemna minor, Ceratophyllum demersum) belong to dominants, and the rest (11.54%) is defined as subdominants of the first order. Exceptional predominance is characteristic of Ceratophyllum demersum and Phragmites australis, which acted as dominants in all studied rivers. A significant part of the rivers is characterized by a low degree of overgrowth by hydrophilous vegetation, from slightly overgrown to not overgrown. The main types of distribution of aquatic and riparian-water vegetation are belted and fragmentary. Macrophyte communities are characterized by a simplified structure (one- or two-tiered), with absolute predominance of one plant species and the presence of two to four associated species with low values of projective coverage. The results of our calculations of indices (macrophyte index for small rivers (Sm), Indice Biologique Macrophytique in Riviere (IBMR)) based on the structural parameters of macrophytes showed that the studied rivers have a satisfactory ecological status.

Implications of Macrophyte Distribution Patterns in the Curonian Lagoon for Monitoring of Submerged Vegetation in Transitional Water Bodies

For the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, numerous indicators based on macrophytes have been developed in coastal and shelf zones. However, transitional water bodies (e.g., estuaries, lagoons) have multiple overlaying strong environmental gradients that limit the assessment of the relationships between macrophyte ecological patterns and anthropogenic pressures. The aim of this study was to assess the abundance and distribution of macrophytes in the Curonian Lagoon and to analyze the spatial patterns of macrophyte species considering their morphofunctional properties (i.e., community surface index, which is the sum of the ratios between the specific surface of thallus structure elements and biomass of each macrophyte species in a sampling site) in relation to environmental factors, such as Secchi depth, salinity, wave exposure and area of wetlands. In the estuarine part of the Curonian Lagoon, the sampling of macrophytes was carried out in 2014–2015. Data on hydro-physical parameters were obtained from the water monitoring and hydrological model, while the CORINE data were used for the delineation of wetlands. The species diversity in the studied part of the Curonian Lagoon consisted 12 species (7 of them belong to phylum Chlorophyta and 5 to Magnoliophyta). From dominant algae, Chara contraria and Chara aspera mainly occurred along the northeastern part of the study area, whereas Cladophora glomerata mainly grew as epiphyte along the eastern shore of the lagoon. From dominant angiosperms, Potamogeton perfoliatus and Stuckenia pectinata occurred in the whole study area, while Myriophyllum spicatum rarely formed dense stands and usually was within the stands of charophytes or pondweeds. The salinity was the most important environmental factor, where the relative coverage of Zannichellia palustris, Potamogeton rutilus and all algae species, except Nitellopsis obtusa, correlated with salinity. The Secchi depth was of less importance and correlated with the relative coverage of N. obtusa, while a negative correlation was determined for S. pectinata. The mean community surface index depended on the depth gradient where it was significantly higher at ≤ 1.0 m depth than at 1.1–2.0 m depth. The community surface index significantly negatively correlated (the Spearman rS = −0.65) with the area of wetlands, which surrounded the eastern shore of the study area. Therefore, the tested morphofunctional index has a potential to define the ecological status considering macrophyte communities in the transitional water bodies.

Hepatoprotective effect of protein extract of the Potamogeton perfoliatus L. against carbon-tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury in mice

This article demonstrates the hepatoprotective action of the protein extract of the aquatic plant Potamogeton perfoliatus L. based on the histopathologic changes in the liver of mice with CCl4-induced liver damage. Using the chromatography, 4 fractions of the protein extract were obtained. It has been suggested that a fourth fraction corresponding to low molecular weight protein should most likely exhibit hepatoprotective properties. SDS-PAGE of P. perfoliatus L. revealed a protein with molecular weight of 21 kDa corresponding to the fourth peak of a chromatogram.

The Effect of Environmental Variables on the Distribution of some Submerged Aquatic Plants Eastern Al-Hammar and Al-Chebiyesh

This study aims to determine some physical and chemical factors and their impact on the abundance and distribution of some submersible aquatic plants for four selected stations in the southern marshes, two stations in the Eastern Hammar marshes (Al-Burga and Al-Sada) and two stations in the Al-Chebiyesh marshes (Abu-Sobat and Al-Baghdadia). Water and plant samples were collected seasonally during the year 2018. The water temperature, electrical conductivity, water depth were estimated physical variables, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and phosphate concentration as well as chemical variables for water samples, as well as estimation of biomass, percentage of vegetation cover, and frequency of submerged plant species. The results showed that the highest water temperature was 34.45 °C in the Abu Sobat station during the summer, while the lowest temperature was recorded at 10.85 °C in the Al-Burga station during the winter. The highest depths of water during the winter in the Al-Sada station and the lowest depths in Al-Baghdadia station during the summer. The lowest value of dissolved oxygen was 4 mg/L in Al-Baghdadia during the summer, while the highest value was 9. The biomass, vegetation cover, and frequency were estimated for four plant species, which are the most present and widespread in the various study stations, which are includedCeratophyllum demersum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Najas marina, Potamogeton perfoliatus. The percentage of similarity between the different study stations was also calculated.

Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals Pollution in Lakes of Kyiv (Ukraine) Using Submerged Macrophytes and Assessment of Their Phytoremediative Potential

The possibility to use the submerged aquatic plants (macrophytes) &lt;i&gt;Cera-tophyllum demersum&lt;/i&gt; L., &lt;i&gt;Myriophyllum spicatum&lt;/i&gt; L. and &lt;i&gt;Potamogeton perfoliatus &lt;/i&gt;L. for biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution of the water bodies in urbanized areas was considered. The degree of the metals' (Mn, Pb, Ni, Cd) accumulation by the considered plants was determined and correlation with their concentration in water of the lakes of Kyiv (Ukraine) was established. The coefficients of the metals' biological accumulation by the submerged macrophytes were calculated. It was established that maximal amount of heavy metals was accumulated by the aquatic macrophytes in the lakes Minske, Luhove, Bohatyrske, Kyrylivske and Yordanske (Opechen lake system). The minimal content of heavy metals was in the aquatic macrophytes in the lakes Redchyne, Verbne, Synie, Tyagle and Telbin. The use of &lt;i&gt;C. demersum, M. spicatum&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;P. perfoliatus&lt;/i&gt; for phytoremediation and restoration of ecological state of the water bodies contaminated by heavy metals is recommended.

COMPONENT COMPOSITION OF ESSENTIAL OIL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF POTAMOGETON PERFO-LIATUS L. (POTAMOGETONACEAE) GROWING IN THE ASTRAKHAN REGION

For the first time, the component composition of the low-molecular-weight metabolome of perfoliate pondweed (Potamogeton perfoliatus L., family Potamogetonaceae), which grows in the Astrakhan region (lower zone of the Volga river delta), has been investigated. Low molecular weight organic compounds (LMWOCs) in the composition of essential oil were obtained from dried plants by steam hydrodistillation using the Clevenger apparatus. The qualitative and quantitative compositions of the LMWOCs were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS complex TRACE ISQ (Thermo Scientific) with a quadrupole mass analyzer). The low molecular weight metabolome of P. perfoliatus contained 164 components, of which 151 were identified. Major LMWOCs were carboxylic acids – tetradecanoic (69.7%) and hexadecanoic (10.1%), as well as phytol (3.4%) and phyton (1.4%), characterized by diverse biological activities. The antioxidant activity of an aqueous-alcoholic extract of P. perfoliatus was investigated by a photometric method based on the reaction of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) dissolved in ethanol with an antioxidant sample. It has been shown that P. perfoliatus extract has more pronounced antioxidant properties than the tested drugs (ascorbic acid and emoxipine). P. perfoliatus from the lower zone of the Volga River delta can be considered as a naturally renewable resource for obtaining raw materials for creating effective composites of new generation algicides to combat cyanobacterial "bloom", as well as for obtaining valuable natural forms of LMWOCs of plant origin for various types of application in pharmacology, medicine, cosmetology, food industry, and other industries.

Above- and belowground habitat complexity created by emergent and submerged vegetation drives the structure of benthic assemblages

The contrast in habitat complexity between emergent (EMV) and submerged vegetation (SUV) zones in aquatic ecosystems results from the differences in the structure of plant above- and belowground parts, subject to seasonal changes. Comparative studies on the influence of habitat complexity created by vegetation on benthic macroinvertebrates in coastal areas are scarce. In order to fill this knowledge gap, we performed a study on a seasonal basis in the brackish Vistula Lagoon (southern Baltic Sea) in two zones: EMV, dominated by a dense belt of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud, and SUV, with scattered stands of Potamogeton perfoliatus L. We assumed the following: i. Species richness, diversity, and density of invertebrates are higher in the EMV zone due to greater and less seasonally variable structural complexity than in the SUV zone, ii. High belowground complexity in the EMV zone due to the presence of the rhizome/root matrix, much more robust and denser than in the SUV zone limits the vertical distribution of macroinvertebrates. Both hypotheses were supported. Overall, our results pointing to higher animal diversity and density in more complex aquatic habitats are consistent with other studies, inferred mostly from comparative surveys of bare bottom and that covered with submerged vegetation. The results of this study highlight potentially far-reaching implications for benthic invertebrate fauna and their role in the aquatic ecosystem in the context of increasingly rapid loss of aquatic vegetation due to multiple anthropogenic stressors.