engleski

Epiphytic communities on sawgrass (Cladium mariscus Pohl.) in the Plitvice Lakes National Park

The investigation of epiphytic community was carried out on growing and dead stalks of sawgrass (Cladium mariscus POHL.) from the National Park Plitvice Lakes. Sawgrass became main constituent of macrophyte vegetation in this region. Increase of density of submerged vegetation point out at higher trophic level. Samples of epiphyton were collected from stalks at site 1.5 m from the shorelines and 0.5 below the water surface. In the laboratory epiphyton were carefully taken of stalks by scalpel rinsing with distilled water. Microphytes have been determinated as well as their relative abundance, saprobity values of species and degree of water saprobity.During the investigation 125 microphyte species were established (64 on growing and 113 on dead stalks). In all samples diatom species were predominant. Only 42% species were common for both types of substrates. Especially on dead stalks, a mass development of filamentous bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Chlorophyta was observed, indicating higher saprobic and trophic level in ecosystem. Index of saprobity ranged from 1.5 to 1.9 on growing and from 1.8 to 2.3 on dead stalks.

Epiphyton; Cladium mariscus; saprobity; frequency; abundance; karstic lakes

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