An in vitro propagation protocol of two submerged macrophytes for lake revegetation in east China

Thirty-six programs have been set up to revegetate the degraded lake wetlands in east China since 2002. Most projects however faced deficiency of submerged macrophyte propagules. To solve the problem, alternative seedling sources must be found besides traditional field collection. This paper deals with an in vitro propagation protocol for two popularly used submerged macrophytes, Myriophyllum spicatum L. and Potamogeton crispus L. Full strength Murashige and Skoog-based liquid media (MS) plus 3% sucrose in addition to 0–2.0 mg l⁻¹ 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 0–1.0 mg l⁻¹ indoleacetic acid (IAA) were tried for shoot regeneration. Meanwhile, full, half or quarter strength MS in addition to 0, 0.1 or 0.2 mg l⁻¹ naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) were tested for root induction, respectively. Results indicated that both species had the ability of regeneration from stem fragments in MS without further regulators. However, the addition of 2.0 mg l⁻¹ BA with 0.2 or 1.0 mg l⁻¹ IAA in MS drastically stimulated the regeneration efficiency of M. spicatum, while the addition of 2.0 mg l⁻¹ BA with 0.2 or 0.5 mg l⁻¹ IAA in MS significantly stimulated that of P. crispus. For root induction, full strength MS in combination with 0.1or 0.2 mg l⁻¹ NAA was preferred by M. spicatum, and the same MS without or with 0.1 mg l⁻¹ NAA was preferred by P. crispus. Seedlings of each species produced from tissue culture room had a 100% survival rate on clay, sandy loam or their mixture (1:1) in an artificial pond, and phenotypic plasticity was exhibited when the nutrient levels varied among the three types of sediments. This acclimation of seedlings helped develop the shoot and root systems, which ensured seedling quality and facilitated the transplantation. Our study has established an effective protocol to produce high quality seedlings for lake revegetation programs at a larger scale. Since the two species we tested represent different regeneration performances in nature but shared similar in vitro propagation conditions, this study has indicated a potentially wide use of the common media for preparing seedlings of other submerged macrophytes.     

Use of Geographic Information Systems to monitor and predict non-native aquatic plant dispersal through north-eastern North America

North America has a growing problem with invasive aquatic plants. At every level of the aquatic food web, long-standing checks and balances have become dramatically eroded by the introduction of non-native species. The northeastern United States contains thousands of diverse freshwater habitats, highly heterogeneous in geology and locale, where nuisance aquatic plant growth results in decreased lake water quality, interference with recreational access, degraded flood control structures, and impacts to their aesthetic quality. Early infestation and spread of exotic species is often poorly documented at local and state levels. Consequently, successful management of these species depends on continuous monitoring and definitive identification by both public officials and waterside homeowners. With new mapping capabilities employing software such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) coupled with the growing computerization of taxonomic records and online availability of regional herbarium records, we have been able to illustrate the␣temporal and geographic spread of these species, thus enabling aquatic ecologists and managers to make predictions of future infestations. In this paper we evaluate these techniques focusing on three of the most pervasive of exotic aquatic plant species in New York State: Myriophyllum spicatum, Trapa natans and Potamogeton crispus.     

Effects of sediment anoxia and light on turion germination and early growth of Potamogeton crispus

Potamogeton crispus is a cosmopolitan aquatic species and is widely used as a pioneer species for vegetation restoration of eutrophic lakes. However, many restoration projects applying P. crispus turions have not been successful. Earlier studies focused on effects of light and temperature on turion germination. The purpose of this study was to determine whether sediment anoxia and light interactively affected the turion germination and early growth of P. crispus. Anoxic conditions in the experiment were produced by adding sucrose to the sediment. The germination rate of the turions was 68–73% lower in the highly anoxic condition treatment than in the control. Medium light intensity (10% of natural light at the water surface) was more favorable for germination under slightly anoxic conditions than either low or high light intensity. The growth of newly-formed sprouts was also significantly inhibited by sediment anoxia. Photosynthesis and shoot biomass were reduced under sediment anoxia, whereas total chlorophyll content, root biomass, and soluble protein content were highest in the low anoxic condition treatment. Medium light improved net photosynthesis and biomass production of the sprouts. We conclude that turion germination and sprout growth can be significantly inhibited by sediment anoxia. Medium light intensity may alleviate this inhibition by anoxia, but light has little effect when sediment anoxia is severe. For the purposes of vegetation restoration, more attention should be paid to the role of sediment anoxia, and it is necessary to improve sediment and light conditions for turion germination and early growth of P. crispus in eutrophic lakes. These results will contribute to a more complete understanding of turion germination dynamics of P. crispus and will be useful for future restoration programs. Handling editor: S. M. Thomaz     

微齿眼子菜(Potamogeton maackianus A.Benn.)茎段的无性繁殖特点研究

匍匐茎型的沉水植物微齿眼子菜(Potam ogeton maackianusA.Benn.)在自然生境中的繁殖方式主要是无性繁殖,彼此相连的分株通常受到水流、草食性鱼类和人为干扰的影响导致分离或者枝条片断化,片断化的枝条在新的生境中再生进行繁殖。实验模拟微齿眼子菜枝条的片断化来验证假设:微齿眼子菜直立茎段与匍匐茎段的无性繁殖能力是否一致,茎段可能有一个最小长度来保证它的存活,并且茎段着泥的方向也会影响它的成活率。实验结果表明:直立茎段与匍匐茎段的成活率、生物量有显著差异,而且茎段的长度显著影响它们的成活率、生物量,而直立茎段与匍匐茎段克隆株的每株分枝数没有显著差异;直立茎段比匍匐茎段更易成株成活,茎段的长度越长,成活率越高,具有3个节间的茎段成活率接近100%;同时茎段着泥的方向显著影响茎段成活率、所产生抽条的株高以及可产生抽条的节数,对总生物量没有显著影响,而对根的生物量有显著影响;茎段正向着泥有利于它们的成活率、定植能力提高。     

Effects of Planting Depth,Sediment Grain Size,and Nutrients on Ruppia maritima and Potamogeton perfoliatus Seedling Emergence and Growth

Protocols are now available for seed harvest, storage and germination of several mesohaline and polyhaline species; however, low seedling survival rates point to the need for an increased understanding of factors affecting seedling establishment. Depth of seed burial in sediments and initial seedling growth rates are shown to be limiting factors for photosynthetic competency of Ruppia maritima and Potamogeton perfoliatus. Seedling emergence is inversely proportional to planting depth on sediments ranging in grain size from coarse sands (850 μm) to silt (63 μm). Less than 6% of the seeds of either species emerged when buried to a depth of 3 cm in test sediments. Germination was greatest for seeds placed on the surface of sediments; however, these seedlings were subject to displacement because of the weak and fragile roots produced during early growth. Fine sediments may be more favorable for R. maritima seedling establishment, because seedling emergence and height decreased with increasing sediment grain size. Potamogeton perfoliatus seedlings seem to be more tolerant of a wider range of sediment grain sizes than R. maritima as indicated by the lack of an effect of sediment grain size on P. perfoliatus seed emergence, seedling height, and biomass. Increasing nutrients stimulated seedlings of both species; however, even at the highest concentrations tested, growth, as determined by shoot elongation and leaf and root formation, slowed within 7–10 days. This suggests factors other than mineral nutrients and light limit growth or that growth shifts from aboveground biomass production to belowground vegetative spread.     

Trophic Cascades Uncoupled in a Coastal Marsh Ecosystem

The Mediterranean population of the exotic eastern mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki (Agassiz 1859) (Osteichthyes, Poeciliidae) has been held responsible for causing eutrophication due to zooplankton removal and phytoplankton enhancement, however no experimental evidence exists of this. To test this allegation, an enclosure experiment was conducted in spring in an oligohaline coastal marsh. The manipulation of fish density had profound effects on zooplankton, whose density greatly decreased when the occurrence of mosquitofish increased. Cladocerans and ostracods were more affected by mosquitofish than cyclopoid copepods, whilst rotifer density was not modified. Changes in zooplankton density did not cascade to lower trophic levels as no differences were observed between the chlorophyll concentration in fish and fish-less enclosures. This is because zooplankton was dominated by species with low filter-feeding rates, such as small cladocerans. In consequence, the total macrophyte standing crop was not affected. The only benthic macroinvertebrate species whose density increased in the absence of eastern mosquitofish was the mud snail P. acuta. Higher numbers of snails explain why the standing crop of the filamentous green algae Oedogonium sp. decreased in fish-less enclosures. The density of chironomid midge larvae did not increase in fish-less enclosures, because eastern mosquitofish forage on them mainly during summer, when zooplankton has already been depleted; nor were damselflies, probably because they are too large. Nitrogen concentration decreased after fish exclusion, but phosphorus concentration remain unchanged. In conclusion, it was found that the eastern mosquitofish affect zooplankton of the Mediterranean oligohaline lagoons considerably, but they do not enhance phytoplankton growth, because the system is bottom-controlled by submerged macrophytes.     

Calibrating Ellenberg indicator values for moisture,acidity, nutrient availability and salinity in the Netherlands

A general calibration of Ellenberg indicator values for moisture, acidity, nutrient availability and salinity was carried out on a large database of relevées and environmental variables from a variety of ecosystems in the Netherlands.Satisfying relationships with Ellenberg indicator values for moisture, acidity and salinity were found for mean groundwater level in spring time, soil pH and chloride concentration in groundwater. For mean groundwater level in spring and chloride concentration in groundwater subdivision of the database led to clearer relationships with indicator values. For the Ellenberg indicator value for nutrient availability satisfying calibration results were only achieved with data on standing crops and N stock in standing crop. The relationship with soil chemical variables was less clear.Although the correlation between indicator and measured values is obvious, the variation around the regression lines is considerable. However, because of the size and composition of the database, it is unlikely that our calibration results can be much improved by adding more (Dutch) data.The calibration results will be applied in the multi-stress model SMART-MOVE, developed to predict changes in species composition due to acidification, eutrophication and the effects of lowering groundwater.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization of aquatic vascular plants and algae in replicated ponds I. Initial response to fertilization

Populations of common submerged vascular plants were established in a series of 18 experimental ponds in 1967 and subjected to a replicated inorganic N-P fertilization program. The 18 ponds were fertilized as follows in 1968: 6 unfertilized controls, 6 low fertility (.75 mg. P/1) and 6 high fertility (75 mg. N/1., 7·5 mg. P/1.). The high fertility levels tended to eliminate the benthic plant populations and increase the phytoplankton standing crops. Elodea canadensis grew in the highest nutrient levels but Myriophyllum spicatum var. exalbescens and Ceratophyllum demersum appeared to be eliminated. Potamogeton crispus produced an abundance of winter buds under conditions of high fertility. There were no obvious differences in the benthic plant and phytoplankton populations among the control and low fertility ponds.Supported by funds from OWRR Title II Matching Grant and the College of Agriculture at Cornell University.     

Life cycle and growth ofPotamogeton crispus L. in a shallow pond,ojaga-ike

The life cycle and growth ofPotamogeton crispus L. were studied in a shallow pond, Ojaga-ike. With respect to the shoot elongation and seed and turion formations, the life cycle of this plant in the pond could be divided into following five stages: germination, inactive growth, active growth, reproductive and dormant stages. It was suggested that the plant showed these successive stages depending mainly upon water temperature. The turions germinated on the bottom in autumn when the water temperature fell below ca. 20 C. The plant showed hardly any growth during winter (December—early March) when the temperature was below 10 C. In the spring when the bottom water temperature rose to above 10 C (mid-March), the plant started to grow again and the shoot elongated rapidly at the rate of 4.2 cm day⁻¹ until the shoot apex reached the pond surface in late April. Both the increment of node number and the internodal elongation were associated with this rapid shoot growth. On 10 May (last sampling date), the mean values of shoot length, internodal length and the number of nodes estimated for 10 predominant plants were 238.2±5.6 cm, 7.1±0.8 cm and 34.9±4.0 cm, respectively. The turion formation and flowering occurred during the period from mid-April to mid-May when the surface water temperature ranged 19 and 22 C. The dry weight of a plant reached the maximum mean value of 1180 mg on 10 May. At its peak biomass, an individual plant produced 1–10 turions (5.5 on average) of which the mean individual turion dry weight was 53.2 mg. The turion dry weight accounted for ca. 42% of the total plant biomass m⁻² at that time.     

A Study on Pollen Morphology of Potamogeton,Zannichellia and Triglochin from China

The pollen morphology of 19 species in the genera Potamogeton, Zannichellia and Triglochin from China was examined under light and scanning electron microscopes. 1. Pollen characteristics (1) Potamogeton L. (Plate 1, 2:1-8) Pollen grains spheroidal, subspheroidal, rarely oblate or ovoid, (17-35)24.41×27.76(18-45)μm in size; anaperturate; exine 1-2μm thick, 2layered or obscure; crass-reticulate, reticulate or finely-reticulate under LM, distinctly reticulate under SEM; muri uniform or not uniform, smooth or granular, rarely with processes; bacula thicker or thinner at the intersection of muri. (2) Zannichellia L. (Plate 2:9) Pollen grains spheroidal, ,(20-26)23.1×24.15(21-27) μm in size; anaperturate; exine 1 μm thick, stratification obscure; nearly reticulate under LM, shallowly reticulate under SEM; luminae shallow, large and irregular, muri very thin and not uniform; bacula absent. (3) Triglochin L. (Plate 2:10-11) Pollen grains spheroidal or subspheroidal; (20-30)23.65×23.7(20-30) μm in size; anaperturate; exine about 1μm thick, stratification obscure, finely reticulate under LM, distinctly reticulate under SEM; luminae rather large or minute; muri uniform, with 1-2 lines of granules, bacula present or absent. 2. Pollen types of Potamogeton L. (1) Thin muri--thick bacula: Potamogeton pectinatus, P. intramongolicus, P. filiformis, P. pamiricus; (2) Uniform muri and bacula: 1) Large pollen subtype: Potamogeton crespus; 2) Medium-sized pollen subtype: Potamogeton heterophyllus, P. perfoliatus, P. distinctus, P. malaianus; 3) Minute pollen subtype: Potamogeton oxyphyllus, P. obtusifolius, P. lucens, P. cristatus, P. gramineus, P. octandrus, P. pusillus