Macrophyte communities as indicators of the ecological status of drainage canals and regulated rivers (Eastern Poland)

Monika Tarkowska-Kukuryk; Antoni Grzywna

doi:10.1007/s10661-022-09777-0

Macrophyte communities as indicators of the ecological status of drainage canals and regulated rivers (Eastern Poland)

Environ Monit Assess. 2022 Feb 22;194(3):210. doi: 10.1007/s10661-022-09777-0.

Authors

Monika Tarkowska-Kukuryk¹, Antoni Grzywna²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hydrobiology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, B. Dobrzańskiego 37, 20-262, Lublin, Poland.
² Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Live Sciences in Lublin, Leszczyńskiego 7, 20- 069, Lublin, Poland. antoni.grzywna@up.lublin.pl.

Abstract

Macrophytes are one of the biological elements for assessing the ecological status. Macrophyte communities were studied in six artificial (drainage canal and ditches) or modified watercourses (regulated rivers). In order to assess the ecological status of the watercourses, studies were carried out with the use of the Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR) proposed in the Water Framework Directive. Macrophyte communities were mainly represented by helophytes (12 species in total), and the highest percentage area cover (50-75% of the site) was observed for pleustophytes (Lemna spp.). Macrophytes communities were affected by the gradients of hydromorphological (canal modification, flow type, and shading) and parameters water quality (nutrients and water transparency). The relationships were highly species-specific. In accordance with the MIR values, the ecosystems were classified as having poor (drainage canal), moderate (regulated rivers), or good (drainage ditches) ecological status.

Keywords: Artificial watercourses; Chemical parameters; Hydromorphological Index for River; Macrophyte Index for River.

MeSH terms

Ecosystem*
Environmental Monitoring
Poland
Rivers*
Water Quality