Vertical optical complexity shaped by submerged macrophytes.
Sci Rep
; 14(1): 5100, 2024 03 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38429486
ABSTRACT
The influence of macrophytes on the optical environment of the littoral zone was assessed by studying the effect of monospecific Potamogeton perfoliatus on the quantitative and qualitative properties of light and the response of plants to this altered environment. P. perfoliatus was shown to alter the optical environment and consequently its own architecture in high-density pondweed patches, 67 percent of incident light was absorbed in the top 10 cm, while spectral properties of light was significantly altered. Leaf morphology and photophysiology adapted to these changes, with photosynthetically active biomass concentrated in the upper water layer and stem biomass increasing in the basal parts due to self-shading. This study highlights the importance of submerged macrophytes in shaping the optical environment and ecological dynamics of littoral zones. Not only do pondweed plants from different sites show very similar vertical patterns of morphological and physiological parameters, but they also contribute to similar vertical spatial variability in water optics, thus increasing habitat complexity. This added optical heterogeneity not only increases the diversity of the littoral zone, but also enriches the entire aquatic ecosystem of shallow lakes by providing additional optical ecological niches.
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Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ecossistema
/
Potamogetonaceae
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Sci Rep
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Hungria