Roczniki Akademii Rolniczej w Poznaniu CCCXCII Botanika – Steciana , , - www.up.poznan.pl/steciana ISSN - CHAROPHYTES CHARACEAE, CHAROPHYTA OF PEATLAND HABITATS IN THE VICINITY OF DRAWSKO AND MIAŁY NOTEĆ FOREST, NW POLAND P M, M G P. Mróz, Didactic and Scientifi c Branch in Piła, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kołobrzeska , - Piła, Poland, e-mail: pmr [email protected] M. Gąbka, Department of Hydrobiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska , - Poznań, Poland, e-mail: [email protected] (Received: April , . Accepted: May , ) ABSTR ACT. This paper presents recent localities of charophytes in the peatland complex of the northern part of Noteć Forest (Wielkopolska, Poland). In alkaline or calcareous fens and shallow waters, seven spe- cies of charophytes were found: Chara globularis, C. intermedia, C. virgata, C. vulgaris, Nitella capillaris, N. mucronata and N. syncarpa. Some of the charophytes, which were observed in this area, are regarded as endangered and vulnerable in Poland, especially, C. intermedia, N. capillaris and N. syncarpa. The pre- liminary research results on the studied charophyte distribution and ecology are presented. KEY WORDS: Characeae, Chara, Nitella, peatland habitat, distribution, threatened and rare charophytes, Noteć Forest, Poland INTRODUCTION (e.g. G , L et . ) and Lublin regions (K and M , B , Charophytes (Characeae, Charophyta) are macro- U et . ), as well as the southern part of scopic algae that grow mainly in standing and fresh the country (K , C-M- waters, less frequently in fl owing and saline waters (e.g. and V ). D , , H and D , In Wielkopolska, where out of Polish represent- W , U ). In Poland, the ma- atives of Characeae are found, three species occur exclu- jority of studies of these macrophytes were conducted in sively in peatlands: Chara tenuispina, C. crassicalis and lakes (e.g. D , K ). Only infre- Nitella tenuissima (G ). However, it should be quently, charophytes are observed in rivers and in coastal noted, that also lake species, C. aspera, C. contraria, bays of the Baltic Sea (e.g. K et . , D C. globularis, C. hispida, C. intermedia, C. polyacantha, ). However, they also occur in various small water C. virgata, C. vulgaris, Nitella capillaris, N. mucronata bodies, often of anthropogenic origin, which are usually and N. syncarpa, were recorded in peatland depressions omitted during hydrobotanical investigations (e.g. D- and in humotrophic water bodies (G ). , G ). Besides lakes of diff erent type, The aim of this work was to present the distribution charophytes are found in large numbers in fi sh ponds of charophytes connected with peatlands of the north- and such small water bodies as peat, clay and gravel ern part of Noteć Forest, situated in the vicinity of Miały pits, drainage ditches, overfl ow areas and astatic reser- and Drawsko (N Wielkopolska). Also, the basic ecologi- voirs (e.g. P , D , G cal data on charopyte occurrence were gathered. Such , , P et . , U et . ). analysis can be useful in the preparation of proposals on Only few observations of these algae were reported from peat bog transformation degree, particularly, related to peatlands, particularly, alkaline and calcareous fens, and the changes in hydrological regime, proper protection peatland depressions dominated by peat mosses (poor activities and protected area management. fens) (G , G et . , L et . , U et . ). Habitat conditions of charophytes within peatlands are very diverse in terms of MATERIAL AND METHODS their trophic conditions, calcium content, water pH and, above all, they depend on water level fl uctuation. Study area The most frequently noted charophyte species occur- The study was conducted in one of largest alkaline ring in the studied peatlands was Chara vulgaris. This fen and poor fen complexes in Wielkopolska ( ha stonewort was reported from many peatlands of diff er- in area), connected with the Miała river valley, in the ent trophic characteristics, e.g. from the Wielkopolska vicinity of Miały and Drawsko (Fig. ). This area is P. Mróz, M. Gąbka A B F. Distribution of charophytes from the vacinity of Miały (A) and Draw- sko (B). Numbering as in Appendix situated within Drawsko and Wieleń communes in Data sources the Czarnków-Trzcianka district (Wielkopolska re- The fi eld studies were conducted from July to Sep- gion). Its characterised by sandy forms that make the tember . Particularly, they involved marshy areas largest inland dune complex in Poland. The dunes are around Lake Święte, quaking bog surrounding Lake mostly occupied by a monotypic pine forest, roughly of Moczydło and small water bodies: fi re reservoirs, peat the same age, called the Noteć Forest. The Miała river pits as well as swampy and peatland areas in the Miała fl ows through the northern part of dune fi elds. This is Valley and in Drawsko surroundings. The charophyte the only watercourse of the Noteć Forest dune complex distribution was studied in six main localities connected (K ), which makes a hydrological axis of with peatlands (Fig. ). In total, microhabitats of m the studied area. lakes, called Lakes Mialskie, are each, were analysed. situated on the river. These are artifi cial water bodies The analysis included the following types of peatland which originated as a result of barrages construction. microhabitats: () depressions (“hollows”), () drainage The Miała Valley is rich in peat, with many poor fens ditches () fi re reservoirs, () peat pits and () small, and peatlands and numerous peat post-excavation pits shallow humotrophic lakes. and pits with stagnant water. Also, the abundance of This work takes into consideration also previous re- small, anthropogenic, mid-forest water reservoirs (water sults, obtained in - (G, unpubl.). The cha- drawing points) occur in the studied area. The majority rophyte nomenclature follows the Algaebase web site: of the studied peatlands are situated within the Natura http://www.algaebase.org (G and G ). Ma- site – “Miała Valley” PLH. Three types of terials that document the studied localities are kept in peatland habitats (poor, alkaline and calcareous fens) the charophyte herbarium of Department of Hydrology were identifi ed in this area, as well as charophyte lakes of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. (G et . , Natura SFD -). Charophytes (Characeae, Charophyta) of peatland habitats in the vicinity of Drawsko and Miały ... Habitat analyses The occurrence of numerous populations of Nitella In each microhabitat with the charophyte presence, syncarpa, a threatened and rare species on the country the basic habitat parameters were measured directly in scale, strictly protected by law, is worth emphasizing the fi eld with a portable multiparameter meter (YSI (R... ). This species is known only multiparameter sonde; YSI Corporation, Yellow Springs, from few localities in Poland (e.g. G and O OH, USA). The measured physical and chemical param- , U , P et . , G eters of surface waters included: temperature, conduc- , K , U et . ). Also, tivity, pH and soluble oxygen content. The water depth Chara intermedia and Nitella mucronata populations in the studied localities was measured with a centime- were identifi ed. Both species are recognised as endan- tre measure tape. The zero level was determined by the gered in Poland (category E, S et . ). bryophyte tops layer (in peatland “hollows”) or water The other taxa recorded during the study: Chara virgata, table level (in other water bodies). Samples of water for C. globularis and C. vulgaris, belong to the group of vul- watercolour analysis (WC) and calcium content (Ca) nerable charophytes in Poland (category V, S were collected from each microhabitats. The standard et . ) and are not protected by law. spectrophotometric method for watercolour measure- The studied localities in the Miała Valley and ment was used, at the wavelength of nm, after the Drawsko surroundings were divided into fi ve habitat previous sample fi ltration through . μm membrane types: poor fen depressions (“hollows”), ditches, peat fi lter. The calcium level was measured using atomic- pits (former peat excavation sites), natural shallow lakes absorption spectrophotometry (APHA ). and mid-forest fi re reservoirs. The highest number of lo- calities, i.e. out of , were found in peatland depres- List of localities sions and, the same number, in shallow humotrophic The distribution of localities and microhabitats in lakes (Table ). the Miała Valley and Drawsko surroundings is shown in Figure . The data on charophyte distribution in microhabitats are presented. The list of charophyte DISCUSSION species is included in Appendix . The highest diversity of charophyte species in the studied area was connected with peat pits. These group RESULTS included Chara virgata, C. intermedia, C. vulgaris, Nitella mucronata and N. syncarpa. In turn, the lowest number Based on the conducted study, seven species of cha- of charophyte species was found in drainage ditches – rophytes were found: four species from the genus Chara only Chara virgata and C. globularis were identifi ed in and three from the genus Nitella (Table , Appendix this habitat (Table ). ). These charophytes occurred in localities con- The charophyte research plots represented a wide nected with peatlands. The most frequently observed spectrum of conditions, from poor to rich, on a scale species in the studied area included: Chara virgata, Ni- of microhabitat characteristics for diff erent types of tella syncarpa and Chara globularis (, and habi- alkaline peatlands