Research Article

Relationships of macrophyte species richness and environment in different water body types in the Central European region

¹ Water Research Institute, Nábrežie arm. gen. L. Svobodu 7, 812 49 Bratislava, Slovakia
² Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 23 Bratislava, Slovakia

^* Corresponding author: katka.bubikova@gmail.com

Received: 18 April 2018
Accepted: 15 October 2018

Abstract

Individual types of waterbodies are characterised by their specific environmental conditions controlling growth of aquatic macrophytes. We focused on effects of environmental factors on macrophyte species richness in canals, ponds, rivers and streams within Central European region. We employed generalised linear models (GLM) to assess separately overall macrophyte species data and data on wetland species (true aquatic plants and helophytes). No significant difference was revealed by comparing species richness among water body types, though canals were the richest water bodies and streams supported the lowest diversity of macrophytes. The models for all the waterbodies, except streams, contained at least two variables and the explained variability ranged from 37% to 77%. The most recurring variables were the coverage of fine substrate, turbidity, shading by bank and shore trees and shrubs, and altitude. Nevertheless, no obvious pattern of factors was observed for particular water body types. Our study confirmed that aquatic macrophyte species richness is shaped by a complexity of factors and necessity of targeting survey and further generalisation of results not only on one specific water body.