Abstract Detail

Biology of Isoetales, a colloquium in honor of Dr. W. Carl Taylor

Ctvrtlikova, Martina [1], Vrba, Jaroslav [2], Znachor, Petr [1], Kopacek, Jiri [3], Hekera, Petr [4], Hejzlar, Josef [1], Wade, Andrew [5], Roy, Shovonlal [5].

Aquatic quillworts as bioindicators of lake water and sediment acidification.

Quillworts (Isoëtes) represent highly specialised flora of softwater lakes that is sensitive to acidification. Environmental drivers of recovery of Isoëtes echinospora and I. lacustris were studied in two acidified lakes in Bohemian Forest (Central Europe). Both populations survived a 30-year period of severe acidification, when they failed to reproduce. Unlike I. lacustris in ?erné Lake, a renewal of I. echinospora in Plešné Lake has been observed during the past decade. Our in vitro experiments revealed that germination of the quillworts in situ has been controlled by lake water acidity and aluminium toxicity as well as species-specific phenology. Analyses of environmental forcing of the I. echinospora recovery showed that sporeling growth is related to lake water pH and ionic aluminium thresholds while deep rooted juveniles are responsive to water temperature. As quillworts do not grow clonally, the long-term survival of both populations relies entirely on the resistance of long living adult plants. Our study brings novel findings to widely discussed issues of long-term degradation of softwater lakes, which represent an important component of the European biodiversity.

1 - Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sadkach 702/7, Ceske Budejovice, 37005, Czech Republic
2 - Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sadkach 702/7a, Ceske Budejovice, 37005, Czech Republic
3 - Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Hydrobiology, Ceske Budejovice, 37005, Czech Republic
4 - Palacky University Olomouc, Department of Ecology, Křížkovského 8, Olomouc, 77147, Czech Republic
5 - The University of Reading, School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science, Whiteknights, RG6 6AB, Reading, UK

Keywords:
none specified

Presentation Type: Colloquium Presentations
Session: C05, Biology of Isoetales, a colloquium in honor of W. Carl Taylor
Location: 101/Mayo Civic Center
Date: Tuesday, July 24th, 2018
Time: 9:00 AM
Number: C05004
Abstract ID:561
Candidate for Awards:None