Growth forms and life-history strategies predict the occurrence of aquatic macrophytes in relation to environmental factors in a shallow peat lake complex
Temmink, Ralph J.M.; Dorenbosch, Martijn; Lamers, Leon P.M.; Smolders, Alfons J.P.; Rip, Winnie; Lengkeek, Wouter; Didderen, Karin; Fivash, Gregory S.; Bouma, Tjeerd J.; van der Heide, Tjisse
(2021) Hydrobiologia, volume 848, issue 17, pp. 3987 - 3999
(Article)
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems provide vital services, and macrophytes play a critical role in their functioning. Conceptual models indicate that in shallow lakes, plants with different growth strategies are expected to inhabit contrasting habitats. For shallow peat lakes, characterized by incohesive sediments, roles of growth forms, life-history strategies and environmental factors in
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determining the occurrence of aquatic vegetation remain unknown. In a field survey, we sampled 64 points in a peat lake complex and related macrophyte occurrence to growth forms (floating-leaved rooted and submerged), life-history strategies for overwintering (turions, seeds, rhizomes) and environmental factors (water depth, fetch, and porewater nutrients). Our survey showed that macrophyte occurrence relates to water depth, wind-fetch, and nutrients, and depends on growth form and life-history strategies. Specifically, rooted floating-leaved macrophytes occur at lower wind-fetch/shallower waters. Submerged macrophytes occur from low to greater wind-fetch/water depth, depending on life-history strategies; macrophytes with rhizomes occur at greater wind-fetch/depth relative to species that overwinter with seeds or turions. We conclude that growth form and life-history strategies for overwintering predict macrophytes occurrence regarding environmental factors in peat lakes. Therefore, we propose an adapted model for macrophyte occurrence for such lakes. Altogether, these results may aid in species-selection to revegetate peat lakes depending on its environment.
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Keywords: Fetch, Floating-leaved rooted macrophytes, Nutrients, Submerged macrophytes, Vegetation, Water depth, Aquatic Science
ISSN: 0018-8158
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Note: Funding Information: R.J.M.T., G.S.F., K.D. and W.L. were funded by de Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek/Toegepaste en Technische Wetenschappen-Open Technology Programme (NWO)/TTW-OTP grant 14424, in collaboration with the following private and public partners: Natuurmonumenten, STOWA, Rijkswaterstaat, Van Oord, Bureau Waardenburg, Enexio and Rodenburg Biopolymers. T.v.d.H. was funded by NWO/TTW-Vidi grant 16588. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).
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