Functional macrophyte trait variation as a response to the source of inorganic carbon acquisition

Background This study aims to compare variation in a range of aquatic macrophyte species leaf traits into three carbon acquisition groups: HCO3−, free CO2 and atmospheric CO2. Methods The leaf functional traits were measured for 30 species from 30 softwater lakes. Macrophyte species were classified into (1) free CO2, (2) atmospheric CO2 and (3) bicarbonate HCO3− groups. In each lake we collected water samples and measured eight environmental variables: depth, Secchi depth, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), pH of water, conductivity, calcium concentration, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. In this study we applied the RLQ analysis to investigate the relationships between species functional traits (Q) and their relationship with environmental variables (R) constrained by species abundance (L). Results The results showed that: (1) Aquatic macrophytes exhibited high leaf trait variations as a response to different inorganic carbon acquisition; (2) Traits of leaves refer to the acquisition of carbon for photosynthesis and serve to maximise this process; (3) In the wide softwater habitat, macrophyte species exhibited an extreme range of leaf economic spectrum (leaf area, leaf dry weight and specific leaf area) and wide range of shape trait expressed as circularity; (4) Macrophyte leaf traits are the result of adaptation to carbon acquisition in ambient environment

Phenotypic responses to water flow and wave exposure in aquatic plants

Plastic responses of 10 aquatic plant species from 5 rivers and 5 lakes in NW Poland were examined. Chara fragilis, C. delicatula, Potamogeton pectinatus, P. perfoliatus, P. natans, Spirodela polyrhiza, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Salvinia natans, Nymphoides peltata and Juncus bulbosus were the subject of research. In the running water of rivers, rhizophytes were generally bigger and they allocated from 0.6% to 58.6% more biomass for anchoring in the substrate than in stagnant water (ox bow lakes). In both flow variants rhizophytes allocated a similar biomass fraction for generative reproduction. On the other hand, under the influence of water flow pleustophytes reduced the mass of an individual (Spirodela by 25%, Hydrocharis 67%, Salvinia 77%) and emergent structures (p<0.001), and the number of sporangia (p<0.001). In both flow variants the input of biomass to generative reproduction was the same (Salvinia), or it was greater in running water (Hydrocharis; an increase from 4.9±1.3% to 15.1±3.6%). Under the conditions of strong wave action, in comparison with the lack of this environmental factor, Chara delicatula was several times shorter (p<0.001). However, it was also stouter, and as a result it had similar mass. In the areas of wave action the plant allocated 88.8% of its mass for anchoring in the substrate, whereas when there were no waves, only 22.7%

The effect of water conditions on the phenology and age structure of Luronium natans (L.) Raf. populations

The study presents the results of the analysis of development stages of Luronium natans (L.) Raf. depending on water conditions (pH, light, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, organic carbon) in 21 populations in north-western Poland. The fractions of seedlings, juvenile, mature and generative stems, as well as the course of phenological phenomena were determined. Seedlings are sparse and can be found from May to July. Most of them occur in waters ranging from slightly acid to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0) with TP concentrations of 10-20 µg dm-3, TN concentrations < 1.0 mg dm-3 and DOC concentrations of 3.5-5.0 mg dm-3, on a mineral (5-10% OC) and fairly well lit (31-40% PAR) substrate. The generative phase lasts from May to October. The flowering period is between August and mid-September. Only 35.2±9.4% of flowering stems produce fruits. The plant flowers abundantly in waters with total nitrogen concentrations > 1.2 mg dm-3, that is above the level of TN concentrations most favourable to seedlings and both juvenile and mature individuals. TP and DOC concentrations, and light intensity (PAR) do not influence the size of the generative stems fraction in populations. However, sediment structure is of importance in this respect: about 62.9% of stems flower and fruit on a mineral substrate (< 1% OC), whereas only 17.4% do so on an organic one. The results of this study may be useful in the conservation of this endangered European endemic species

The relationships between structural and functional diversity within and among macrophyte communities in lakes

We studied the relationships between structural and functional diversity within and among macrophyte communities of softwater lakes. Diversity was assessed based on Simpson’s diversity index (SD), species richness (S), Rao’s functional diversity (FDQ) and shared plant traits along a gradient of pH. A total of 10,800 cover-plant samples (area=0.1 m2) were analysed, collected from 241 sections of the bottom (with a depth resolution of 1.0 m) of 38 lakes in Poland. We identified 59 species of macrophytes and recognized four communities. Along a gradient of increasing pH we found i) an increase of species richness; ii) a uniformity of abundance in communities; and iii) an increase in the quantitative contribution of life history traits such as perennials, submerged anchoring, leaf placement along an orthotropic shoot and generative reproduction. On the other hand, there was a decrease in unanchored and evergreen perennials. In our study, we found that the variety of these traits within communities is greater than that between them. Within lakes, structural diversity was low, whereas it was high between lakes. Functional diversity exhibited an opposite pattern: it was high at lake scale, and low between lakes. A combination of partitioning diversity and utilizing environmental variables significantly improves the prediction of community structure and the conservation of lakes

Mechanical strength of stems in aquatic macrophytes

In populations of submerged macrophytes, individuals are selected in terms of resistance to the effect of hydrodynamic forces. The aim of this study was to check whether individuals growing in river water are more tensile and bending resistant than plants occurring in places not exposed to flow stress. We determined the ultimate tensile strength of stems in four macrophyte species, Potamogeton natans, P. pectinatus, Batrachium fluitans and Chara fragilis, which occur in two environmental variants: in running (current velocity of 0.1-0.6 m/s-1) and stagnant water. In addition, flexure of P. natans stems from both environmental variants was examined. What is more, the type and arrangement of strengthening structures in stems of the plants under study were determined. Potamogeton natans stems are the most resistant to stretching (15.6±4.7 N), while stems of P. pectinatus (3.3±1.0 N) and Batrachium fluitans (2.6±0.8 N) are less resistant. Chara fragilis (0.6±0.3 N) has the least resistant stems. Batrachium, Chara and P. pectinatus are more resistant to stretching if they occur in a river current, whereas P. natans, in stagnant lake water. Ultimate bending moment of P. natans stems from lakes is also much greater than of stems from a river (9.75•10-3 – 4.25•10-3 Nm as compared to 2.12•10-3 – 1.00•10-3 Nm). The resistance of stems to breaking is directly proportional to the stem and thallus cross sectional areas. On the one hand, in all the studied Cormophyta species, the more resistant stems (in P. natans from stagnant water, in the others from running water) are thicker and characterised by a higher contribution of air spaces in the overall stem cross-section. On the other hand, the stems retain their species specific structure and have a similar proportion of strengthening elements

Biomass allocation to anchoring structures in the aquatic macrophytes from the subcontinental and Atlantic climates in Europe

Biomass allocation to anchoring structures in 10 species of aquatic macrophytes in two types of the cool and humid temperate climate in Europe, subcontionental (NW Poland) and Atlantic (W France), was examined. The study focused on the weight of anchoring organs in Chara delicatula Ag., Ch. fragilis Desv., Juncus bulbosus L., Littorella uniflora (L.) Asch., Luronium natans (L.) Raf., Potamogeton pectinatus L., P. perfoliatus L., P. natans L. and Ranunculus fluitans (Lam.) Wimm., as well as submerged structures in Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L. The plants were collected from 10 geographically distant lakes and 2 rivers with a current velocity of 0.3-0.5 m s-1. It was assumed that biomass allocation to anchoring structures in rooting macrophytes depends on the time that mechanical forces, which can remove the plants from the occupied area, exert their effect. It was found that, in the Atlantic and subcontinental climates, the ratio between the biomass of underground (or submerged) and above-ground structures (U/A index), calculated for the ramets of Chara fragilis, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae and Ranunculus fluitans, has similar values (p>0.05). Nevertheless, among seven species of Cormophyta, which were anchored in the lake or pond littoral, six (Juncus bulbosus, Littorella uniflora, Luronium natans, Potamogeton pectinatus, P. perfoliatus and P. natans) had higher values of the U/A index in the Atlantic climate than in the subcontinental type (p < 0.05). This can be explained by the lack of ice cover and, consequently, a longer time of wave action than in the subcontinental climate