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Wu Q, Jin L, Duan C, Xu J, Peng S, Shen S, Pan Y, Lauridsen TL, Jeppesen E. Relationship between phosphorus stoichiometric homeostasis and deepwater adaptability of submerged macrophytes in Erhai Lake, China: Insights from allometric plasticity. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 267:122468. [PMID: 39303579 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
The state transition theory suggests that the decline of submerged macrophytes in shallow lakes is closely associated with reduced stoichiometric homeostasis, particularly phosphorus homeostasis (HP). The degradation typically progresses from deeper to shallower regions, indicating a potential positive correlation between the deepwater adaptability (DA) and HP values of submerged macrophytes. Here, we investigated the distribution pattern of submerged macrophytes across different water depths of Erhai Lake to test this hypothesis. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between the DA and HP values of submerged macrophytes. Allometric analysis indicated that the morphological plasticity of submerged macrophytes was linked to their HP. Species with higher HP values, like Potamogeton maackianus, had robust plasticity strategies, particularly "real plasticity", that enabled them to cope with deeper water stress. In contrast, species with lower HP values (Ceratophyllum demersum and Hydrilla verticillata) experienced nutrient declines, which hindered their adaptation. Additionally, species with higher HP values exhibited closer connections within the plant traits-environment network, indicating that their morphological plasticity adjustments allow better adaptation to the environmental changes caused by increasing water depth. These results confirm the relationship between DA and HP in submerged macrophytes and explain the mechanisms underlying the correlation, thus expanding regime shift theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihang Wu
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China; International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management of Yunnan, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China
| | - Ling Jin
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China; International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management of Yunnan, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China
| | - Changqun Duan
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China; International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management of Yunnan, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China
| | - Jiaqing Xu
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Trans-Boundary Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Song Peng
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Trans-Boundary Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Shili Shen
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China; International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management of Yunnan, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying Pan
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China; International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management of Yunnan, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, China.
| | | | - Erik Jeppesen
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
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Cui Z, Huang Q, Sun J, Wan B, Zhang S, Shen J, Wu J, Li J, Yang C. The Secchi disk depth to water depth ratio affects morphological traits of submerged macrophytes: Development patterns and ecological implications. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167882. [PMID: 37858823 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Water clarity, represented by Secchi disk depth (SD), and water depth (WD) alter bottom light availability, and SD/WD is critical for morphological trait development of submerged macrophytes in freshwater ecosystems. However, the underlying mechanism and trait development patterns of submerged macrophytes to a decreasing SD/WD gradient remains largely unknown. Here, we performed a 42-day mesocosm experiment with the erect type submerged macrophyte, Hydrilla verticillata, along a decreasing SD/WD gradient to study the relationship of morphological trait development with light availability, to determine the critical SD/WD at which changes in the development of morphological traits occur, and to gain insights into the potential mechanism involved. The results indicate that most of the morphological traits, including biomass, relative growth rate, number of clonal propagules, and the root/shoot ratio decreased with a decrease in the SD/WD ratio. Conversely, plant height and shoot increment rate increased with a decrease in the SD/WD ratio. Principal component analysis indicated that the SD/WD ratio is critical in determining the growth, stability, and reproduction of H. verticillata, and that only SD/WD ratios ≥ 0.45 and ≥0.55 ensured growth ability and stability, respectively. Possible development patterns of functional traits in relation to SD/WD reduction were investigated, and patterns of key traits of H. verticillata were distinct from those of Vallisneria natans, indicating different strategies for the adaptation to conditions of decreasing light availability. These results highlight the role of adaptive changes in morphology, resource allocation and life strategies for the maintenance of growth, stability and resilience of submerged macrophytes in low light conditions. Our present study provides a basis from which we could enhance our understanding of the critical transition mechanisms involved in morphological trait development in response to bottom light availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Cui
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Research Center for Aquatic Ecology of East Taihu Lake, Suzhou 215200, China
| | - Qinghui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; International Joint Research Center for Sustainable Urban Water System, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jiajia Sun
- Bureau of Water Resource of Wujiang District, Suzhou 215228, China
| | - Bin Wan
- Bureau of Water Resource of Wujiang District, Suzhou 215228, China
| | - Shaohua Zhang
- Bureau of Water Resource of Wujiang District, Suzhou 215228, China
| | - Jianwei Shen
- Bureau of Water Resource of Wujiang District, Suzhou 215228, China
| | - Jingwen Wu
- Bureau of Water Resource of Wujiang District, Suzhou 215228, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Changtao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Research Center for Aquatic Ecology of East Taihu Lake, Suzhou 215200, China.
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Dong H, Xie L, Cao H, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Xing J, Fu X, Wang J, Han D, Zhong H, Luo C, Qu Y, Ni H, Wang J. Propagation strategies of Deyeuxia angustifolia in heterogeneous habitats. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1082661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants utilize different strategies in different environments to maximize population expansion. Understanding plant reproductive strategies in heterogeneous habitats is therefore important for explaining plant ecological adaptability, and for effectively managing and conserving ecosystems. We wanted to explore the reproductive strategy transformation of D. angustifolia in heterogeneous habitats, as well as the environmental factors driving and affecting its reproductive characteristics. To do this we measured the reproductive characteristics of D. angustifolia, as well as the soil physical and chemical properties of these heterogeneous habitats. The density, biomass per unit area, and proportion of aboveground biomass in swampy meadows were significantly higher compared to other habitats. The proportion of rhizome node buds gradually increased from swampy to typical to miscellaneous grass meadows, while the proportion of tillering node buds decreased. The allocation of sexual reproduction within D. angustifolia populations was significantly and positively correlated with plant rhizome biomass and negatively correlated with the number of tillering node buds. The propagation strategies of D. angustifolia in heterogeneous habitats were consistent with CSR theory (Competitor, Stress-tolerator, and Ruderal). The proportions of inflorescence (2.07 ± 0.52%; 1.01 ± 0.15%) and root (23.8 ± 1.5%; 19.6 ± 1.4%) biomass in miscellaneous and typical meadows were high, which tended toward the “Ruderal” adaptation strategy. In swampy meadow, D. angustifolia invested mostly in vegetative growth to produce tiller node buds (14426.67 buds/m2; 46%) and ramets (1327.11 ± 102.10 plants/m2), which is characteristic of the “Competitor” strategy. Swamp D. angustifolia resisted flooding by maintaining a resource balance in its body, and was therefore biased toward the “Stress-tolerator” strategy. Environmental factors accounted for 74.63% of reproductive characteristic variation, in which the interpretative proportions of soil water content, dissolved organic carbon, ammonia nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen were significant (p < 0.01). When soil water content, dissolved organic carbon, and nitrate nitrogen increased, D. angustifolia tended toward the C strategy; in contrast, when soil water content decreased, amine nitrogen and available phosphorus increased, and D. angustifolia tended toward the R strategy. In a stressful environment, the escape mechanism constitutes an increased rhizome and sexual reproduction investment. In contrast, for suitable habitats, tillering node buds increased in order to expand the population via new plant production, which was the propagation strategy of D. angustifolia in heterogeneous habitats.
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Wu Z, Wang Z, Xie D, Wang H, Zhao A, Wang Y, Wang H, Xu X, Li T, Zhao J. Effects of highland environments on clonal diversity in aquatic plants: An interspecific comparison study on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1040282. [PMID: 36340384 PMCID: PMC9632175 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1040282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Clonal reproduction is one of the most distinctive characteristics of plants and is common and diverse in aquatic macrophytes. The balance between sexual and asexual reproduction is affected by various conditions, especially adverse environments. However, we know little about clonal diversity of aquatic plants under suboptimal conditions, such as at high altitudes, and having this information would help us understand how environmental gradients influence patterns of clonal and genetic variation in freshwater species. The microsatellite data of four aquatic taxa in our previous studies were revisited to estimate clonal and genetic diversity on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Clonal diversity among different genetic groups was compared. Local environmental features were surveyed. Beta regressions were used to identify the environmental factors that significantly explained clonal diversity for relative taxon. The level of clonal diversity from high to low was Stuckenia filiformis > Hippuris vulgaris > Myriophyllum species > Ranunculus section Batrachium species. A positive correlation between clonal and genetic diversity was identified for all taxa, except H. vulgaris. Clonal diversity was affected by climate in S. filiformis and by the local environment in H. vulgaris. For Myriophyllum spp., low elevation and high sediment nutrition were significant for sexual recruitment. The environmental effects on clonal diversity were not significant in R. sect. Batrachium spp. Clonal diversity of aquatic plants is moderate to high and varies greatly in highlands. The effects of breeding systems and environmental factors on the patterns of clonal variation were identified. Elevational gradients, climates and local conditions play different roles in clonal diversity among relative taxon. Our results highlight the importance of sexual recruitment in alpine aquatic plant populations and the influence of environmental factors on the genetic patterns in freshwater species at local and regional scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Wu
- The State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhong Wang
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- School of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa, China
| | - Dong Xie
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- The National Wetland Ecosystem Field Station of Taihu Lake, National Forestry Administration, Suzhou, China
| | - Huijun Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Aiwen Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- School of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa, China
| | - Yalin Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hanling Wang
- Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xinwei Xu
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tao Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jindong Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Preston R, Blomster J, Schagerström E, Seppä P. Clonality, polyploidy and spatial population structure in Baltic Sea Fucus vesiculosus. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9336. [PMID: 36188503 PMCID: PMC9486819 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic characteristics of populations can have substantial impacts on the adaptive potential of a species. Species are heterogeneous, often defined by variability at a range of scales including at the genetic, individual and population level. Using microsatellite genotyping, we characterize patterns underlying the genetic heterogeneity in marine macroalga Fucus vesiculosus, with a particular focus on two forms: attached and free-living. Here we demonstrate that sympatric populations representing the two forms display marked differences in characteristics of reproduction and genetic diversity. Asexual reproduction was ubiquitous in the free-living form despite being almost entirely absent in the attached form, while signals of polyploidy were common in both forms despite the distinct reproductive modes. Gene flow within and between the forms differed, with barriers to gene flow occurring between forms at various spatial scales due to the reproductive modes employed by individuals of each form. The divergent genetic characteristics of F. vesiculosus demonstrate that intraspecific differences can influence the properties of populations with consequential effects on the whole ecosystem. The differing genetic patterns and habitat requirements of the two forms define separate but closely associated ecological entities that will likely display divergent responses to future changes in environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Preston
- Ecosystems and Environment Research ProgrammeFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Tvärminne Zoological StationUniversity of HelsinkiHankoFinland
| | - Jaanika Blomster
- Ecosystems and Environment Research ProgrammeFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Ellen Schagerström
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- Stockholm University Baltic Sea CentreStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Perttu Seppä
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research ProgrammeFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
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Yang C, Shi X, Nan J, Huang Q, Shen X, Li J. Morphological responses of the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans along an underwater light gradient: A mesocosm experiment reveals the importance of the Secchi depth to water depth ratio. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:152199. [PMID: 34890676 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bottom light availability (BLA), represented by the ratio of the Secchi disk depth to water depth (SD/WD), plays a fundamental role in the growth and reproduction of submerged macrophytes. However, studies thus far have mainly explored the interactions between macrophyte responses and BLA through field investigations; this means that knowledge of such responses to various underwater light conditions in mesocosm experiments is rudimentary at best. We hypothesized that the growth and clonal reproduction of submerged macrophytes decrease with decreasing BLA and collapse beyond a critical threshold. Here we performed a 42-day outdoor mesocosm experiment with a species of perennial submerged macrophyte, Vallisneria natans, along a decreasing SD/WD gradient. Over this gradient, the primary morphological traits (plant height, root length, plant biomass), relative growth rate, and shoot increment rate of V. natans exhibited a significant trend of initial increase followed by a decrease. The photoinhibition occurred at high and low-light stress, indicating that an intermediate SD/WD (0.55-0.65) provides optimal growth conditions. The number of ramets, ramet biomass, ramet/total biomass ratio, and root/shoot ratio all decreased with decreasing SD/WD ratio, suggesting that V. natans allocates more resources for clonal reproduction and population stability rather than increased shoot biomass at higher BLA conditions. The results of principal component analysis and threshold detection indicated that the growth traits of V. natans had a higher SD/WD tipping point value (0.55 vs. 0.50) than the reproductive capacity and stability, indicating that only values of SD/WD ≥ 0.55 ensured the growth and the vegetative reproduction of V. natans. Additionally, an inverted U-shaped relationship between growth traits and a linear relationship between reproduction and stability reflect the resource allocation strategies and resilience of V. natans to decreasing underwater light conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changtao Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Research Center for Aquatic Ecology of East Taihu Lake, Suzhou 215200, China
| | - Xinyi Shi
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Research Center for Aquatic Ecology of East Taihu Lake, Suzhou 215200, China
| | - Jing Nan
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qinghui Huang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Xiaobing Shen
- Bureau of Water Resource of Wujiang District, Suzhou 215228, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Reynolds LK, Rohal CB, Scheffel WA, Adams CR, Martin CW, Slater J. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Species and Populations Within Species Respond Differently to Environmental Stressors Common in Restorations. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 68:477-490. [PMID: 34386831 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-021-01517-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) improves environmental conditions by acting as a sediment stabilizer and nutrient retention tool; therefore, reintroduction of SAV is a common freshwater restoration goal. Initial plant establishment is often difficult in suboptimal conditions, and planting material with specific traits may increase establishment rates. Here we evaluate the variability in plant traits based on collection location. We find consistent differences in traits of plants collected from different natural water bodies, and those differences persist in plants grown from seeds under common garden greenhouse conditions-presumably because of genetic differentiation. In three separate mesocosm experiments, we tested the interactive impacts of collection location and environmental condition (control conditions, reduced light, elevated nutrients, or a combination of reduced light and elevated nutrients) on plant reproduction and on traits that might indicate future restoration success (plant height, number of leaves, and rhizome diameter). In most cases, plant traits at the end of the experiments varied by collection location, environmental condition, and an interaction between the two. The best performing plants also depended on response variable (e.g., plant height or number of new shoots produced). Together these results suggest that unpredictable environmental conditions at restoration sites will make selection of a single high-performing plant source difficult, so we suggest incorporating a diverse set of collection locations to increase the probability of incorporating desirable traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Reynolds
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
| | - Christine B Rohal
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Gainesville, 32611, FL, USA
| | - Whitney A Scheffel
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Cedar Key, FL, 32625, USA
| | - Carrie Reinhardt Adams
- Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Gainesville, 32611, FL, USA
| | - Charles W Martin
- Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Cedar Key, FL, 32625, USA
| | - Jodi Slater
- St. Johns River Water Management District, Palatka, FL, 32177, USA
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Effects of Water Depth on the Growth of the Submerged Macrophytes Vallisneria natans and Hydrilla verticillata: Implications for Water Level Management. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13182590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Water level is one of the most important factors affecting the growth of submerged macrophytes in aquatic ecosystems. The rosette plant Vallisneria natans and the erect plant Hydrilla verticillata are two common submerged macrophytes in lakes of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. How water level fluctuations affect their growth and competition is still unknown. In this study, three water depths (50 cm, 150 cm, and 250 cm) were established to explore the responses in growth and competitive patterns of the two plant species to water depth under mixed planting conditions. The results show that, compared with shallow water conditions (50 cm), the growth of both submerged macrophytes was severely suppressed in deep water depth (250 cm), while only V. natans was inhibited under intermediate water depth (150 cm). Moreover, the ratio of biomass of V. natans to H. verticillata gradually increased with increasing water depth, indicating that deep water enhanced the competitive advantage of V. natans over H.verticillata. Morphological adaptation of the two submerged macrophytes to water depth was different. With increasing water depth, H. verticillata increased its height, at the cost of reduced plant numbers to adapt to poor light conditions. A similar strategy was also observed in V. natans, when water depth increased from 50 cm to 150 cm. However, both the plant height and number were reduced at deep water depth (250 cm). Our study suggests that water level reduction in lake restoration efforts could increase the total biomass of submerged macrophytes, but the domination of key plants, such as V. natans, may decrease.
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Xiangdong L, Zhiyong H, Yonghong X, Xiaoying Y, Xu L, Jing Z. Influence of water level on four typical submerged plants in wetlands of Lake Dongting. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021. [DOI: 10.18307/2021.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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10
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Effects of origin and water depth on morphology and reproductive modes of the submerged plant Vallisneria natans. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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11
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Ersoy Z, Scharfenberger U, Baho DL, Bucak T, Feldmann T, Hejzlar J, Levi EE, Mahdy A, Nõges T, Papastergiadou E, Stefanidis K, Šorf M, Søndergaard M, Trigal C, Jeppesen E, Beklioğlu M. Impact of nutrients and water level changes on submerged macrophytes along a temperature gradient: A pan-European mesocosm experiment. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6831-6851. [PMID: 32893967 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Submerged macrophytes are of key importance for the structure and functioning of shallow lakes and can be decisive for maintaining them in a clear water state. The ongoing climate change affects the macrophytes through changes in temperature and precipitation, causing variations in nutrient load, water level and light availability. To investigate how these factors jointly determine macrophyte dominance and growth, we conducted a highly standardized pan-European experiment involving the installation of mesocosms in lakes. The experimental design consisted of mesotrophic and eutrophic nutrient conditions at 1 m (shallow) and 2 m (deep) depth along a latitudinal temperature gradient with average water temperatures ranging from 14.9 to 23.9°C (Sweden to Greece) and a natural drop in water levels in the warmest countries (Greece and Turkey). We determined percent plant volume inhabited (PVI) of submerged macrophytes on a monthly basis for 5 months and dry weight at the end of the experiment. Over the temperature gradient, PVI was highest in the shallow mesotrophic mesocosms followed by intermediate levels in the shallow eutrophic and deep mesotrophic mesocosms, and lowest levels in the deep eutrophic mesocosms. We identified three pathways along which water temperature likely affected PVI, exhibiting (a) a direct positive effect if light was not limiting; (b) an indirect positive effect due to an evaporation-driven water level reduction, causing a nonlinear increase in mean available light; and (c) an indirect negative effect through algal growth and, thus, high light attenuation under eutrophic conditions. We conclude that high temperatures combined with a temperature-mediated water level decrease can counterbalance the negative effects of eutrophic conditions on macrophytes by enhancing the light availability. While a water level reduction can promote macrophyte dominance, an extreme reduction will likely decrease macrophyte biomass and, consequently, their capacity to function as a carbon store and food source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Ersoy
- Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- 'Rui Nabeiro' Biodiversity Chair, MED - Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Ulrike Scharfenberger
- Department of River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Didier L Baho
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tuba Bucak
- Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- Nature Conservation Centre, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tõnu Feldmann
- Centre for Limnology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartumaa, Estonia
| | - Josef Hejzlar
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Eti E Levi
- Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Aldoushy Mahdy
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University (Assiut Branch), Assiut, Egypt
| | - Tiina Nõges
- Centre for Limnology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartumaa, Estonia
| | | | - Konstantinos Stefanidis
- Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rio, Greece
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavissos Attiki, Greece
| | - Michal Šorf
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Søndergaard
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Silkeborg, Denmark
- Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cristina Trigal
- Species Information Center, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik Jeppesen
- Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Silkeborg, Denmark
- Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Centre for Ecosystem Research and Implementation (EKOSAM), Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Meryem Beklioğlu
- Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- Centre for Ecosystem Research and Implementation (EKOSAM), Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
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Hou J, Liu Y, Fraser JD, Li L, Zhao B, Lan Z, Jin J, Liu G, Dai N, Wang W. Drivers of a habitat shift by critically endangered Siberian cranes: Evidence from long-term data. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:11055-11068. [PMID: 33144948 PMCID: PMC7593143 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Many waterbird populations have become increasingly dependent on agricultural habitats for feeding. While habitat destruction has been proposed as a key reason forcing waterbirds to move from natural habitats to agricultural habitats, few have used long-term data to test this hypothesis. The Siberian crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus) is an IUCN Critically Endangered species. About 98% of its global population winters at Poyang Lake, China. Recently, many cranes shifted from feeding in natural wetlands to agricultural habitats. Here, we integrate bird surveys, Vallisneria tuber (the traditional food of cranes in natural wetlands) surveys, water level data, and remotely sensed images from 1999 to 2016 to explore the drivers of this habitat shift. Changes in Siberian crane numbers in natural wetlands and agricultural fields indicated that the habitat shift occurred in the winters of 2015-2016. Analyses using generalized linear mixed models suggested that crane numbers in natural wetlands were positively related to tuber density and the interaction between dry season (October-March) water level and tuber density. The changes in tuber density and dry season water level in 2015-2016 indicated that tuber disappearance may have been the primary driver of the habitat shift, with a smaller effect of high water level. Submerged plants at Poyang Lake have degraded seriously in the past two decades. The plant degradation at Shahu Lake, a sublake of Poyang Lake, may have been caused by high spring water, high winter temperature, and low summer temperature. However, the drivers of tuber disappearance at Poyang Lake may not be restricted to these variables. Because Poyang Lake is an important refuge for many waterbirds in the Yangtze River floodplain, it is urgent to take effective measures to restore its submerged plants and ecosystem health. Agricultural fields can be important refuges for Siberian cranes, mitigating the negative impacts of wetland deterioration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjin Hou
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and BiodiversityCenter for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life ScienceNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Yifei Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, and Shanghai Institute of EcoChongming (SIEC)Fudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - James D. Fraser
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia Tech UniversityBlacksburgVAUSA
| | - Lei Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and BiodiversityCenter for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life ScienceNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource UtilizationNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland Conservation and Restoration National Permanent Scientific Research BaseNational Ecosystem Research Station of Jiangxi Poyang Lake WetlandNanchangChina
| | - Bin Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, and Shanghai Institute of EcoChongming (SIEC)Fudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Zhichun Lan
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and BiodiversityCenter for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life ScienceNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource UtilizationNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland Conservation and Restoration National Permanent Scientific Research BaseNational Ecosystem Research Station of Jiangxi Poyang Lake WetlandNanchangChina
| | | | - Guanhua Liu
- Jiangxi Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve AuthorityNanchangChina
| | - Nianhua Dai
- The Institute of Biology and ResourcesJiangxi Academy of SciencesNanchangChina
| | - Wenjuan Wang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and BiodiversityCenter for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life ScienceNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource UtilizationNanchang UniversityNanchangChina
- Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland Conservation and Restoration National Permanent Scientific Research BaseNational Ecosystem Research Station of Jiangxi Poyang Lake WetlandNanchangChina
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Zhou Y, Li L, Song Z. Plasticity in Sexual Dimorphism Enhances Adaptation of Dioecious Vallisneria natans Plants to Water Depth Change. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:826. [PMID: 31333692 PMCID: PMC6617988 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in vegetative and reproductive traits is associated with contrasting strategies of males and females for response to varied environmental conditions, causing sex-specific reproduction success and consequently long-distance dispersal and colonization. Aquatic plants usually exhibit rich phenotypic plasticity and great diversity in reproductive systems, but the influence of aquatic conditions on the plasticity of sexual dimorphism has received less attention. Using a common garden experiment with dioecious submerged plant Vallisneria natans grown at various water depths simulating different light availability, we measured variations in 20 traits for females and 19 traits for males (total = 540 plants from 30 seed families) including morphology, reproductive traits and photosynthesis. We investigated sex-specific plastic responses and variation of sexual dimorphism in response to water depth change. Females displayed much greater leaf length, vegetative biomass and resource allocation to reproduction than males at all depths, whereas spathe number and gamete production per spathe displayed reverse pattern. Besides most traits in each sex (16 in female and 12 in male) showing striking phenotypic plasticity, the degree of sexual dimorphism increased significantly for total biomass and reproductive investment, but decreased for leaf length, spathe number and flowering ramet percentage in low light and deep water. Females varied more than males in leaf length, total biomass, reproductive investment, length and biomass of reproductive organs and rate of photosynthesis in response to decreased underwater light availability, suggesting that female has greater plasticity than male. These findings illustrated considerable plasticity in the degree of sexual dimorphism in a variety of vegetative and reproductive traits across different environments driven by the contrasting reproductive functions of the sexes in relation to pollen and seed dispersal. Females of V. natans responded more plastically than males to low light conditions resulted from water depth variation in either aboveground vegetative growth or reproduction. This study provides novel insight into adaptive strategies of submerged dioecious macrophytes to survive and increase fitness in freshwater habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- National Ecosystem Research Station of Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhiping Song
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Wang Y, Chen X, Liu J, Hong Y, He Q, Yu D, Liu C, Dingshanbayi H. Greater Performance of Exotic Elodea nuttallii in Response to Water Level May Make It a Better Invader Than Exotic Egeria densa During Winter and Spring. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:144. [PMID: 30858854 PMCID: PMC6397868 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The strategy of producing rapid initial growth and establishing early in the growing season is important, and it is employed by invasive macrophytes. Elodea nuttallii and Egeria densa, two Hydrocharitaceae species, became weeds after invading many countries in recent years. Comparative studies on their invasive traits in relation to native species during winter and spring are limited. In the present study, we compared the growth performance of these two exotic species with a perennial native species, Potamogeton maackianus, in different water depths (1, 2, and 3 m) during winter (January and February) and spring (March and April). Three morphological traits (shoot number, root number and shoot length), total biomass, relative growth rate (RGR) and two physiological photosynthetic traits (total chlorophyll content and the maximum quantum yield of PSII [Fv/Fm]) were measured for each macrophyte. All three species could overwinter as entirely leafy plants. Biomass, RGR, morphological traits and physiological traits were all different among species. However, water depths had a significant effect only on morphological traits. At all water depths, E. nuttallii had significantly higher values for morphological traits, total biomass and RGR than P. maackianus, while E. densa had significantly fewer roots and a lower total chlorophyll content than P. maackianus. Except for Fv/Fm at a 3 m water depth, morphological and physiological photosynthetic traits, biomass and RGR of E. nuttallii were significantly higher than those of E. densa. In addition, a large number of adventitious roots developed from E. nuttallii but not from the other two species. These results indicate that the advantages of E. nuttallii to grow in winter and spring may make it more prone to expansion than E. densa in China.
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Li L, Barrett SCH, Song Z, Chen J. Sex-specific plasticity of reproductive allocation in response to water depth in a clonal, dioecious macrophyte. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:42-50. [PMID: 30629301 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Sex-specific differences in reproductive investment contribute to sexual dimorphism in dioecious plants. Along environmental gradients, males and females may plastically adjust reproductive allocation differently because of contrasting reproductive costs. In dioecious macrophytes, variation in water depth is likely to influence reproductive allocation but has not been investigated in detail. METHODS Vallisneria spinulosa was grown in aquatic mesocosms at water depths of 50, 100 and 150 cm for 14 weeks. Plasticity in allocation was measured to investigate whether sexual dimorphism in reproductive allocation and vegetative growth changed in response to varying water depths. KEY RESULTS Females invested a higher fraction of resources to sexual reproduction than males across all water depths and decreased proportional allocation to sexual structures in shallow and deep water compared to intermediate water depth. In contrast, males maintained similar sexual allocation across all water depths. Females displayed larger vegetative size than males, despite greater sexual investment, but decreased vegetative biomass more than males in shallow or deep water. The sexes invested similarly in clonal propagation by tubers at all water depths, but a trade-off with sexual reproduction was only evident in females. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that females of V. spinulosa have mechanisms to compensate for the costs of sexual reproduction in heterogeneous environments. Compared to males, females expressed greater plasticity in biomass allocated to sexual reproduction and vegetative growth in response to water depth variation. Environmental variation in underwater light availability probably caused the sex-specific allocation strategies found in V. spinulosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- National Ecosystem Research Station of Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland, Nanchang, 330038, China
| | - Spencer C H Barrett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3B2
| | - Zhiping Song
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Jiakuan Chen
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
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