Primary production dynamics of dominant hydrophytes in Lake Provala (Serbia)

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to analyze the primary production of the dominant hydrophytes by monitoring levels of organic matter and organic carbon and estimating photosynthetic potential via the total chlorophyll content. The survey was conducted in Lake Provala (Serbia) throughout the peak vegetation period of the year 2000. The contents of organic matter and organic carbon for Myriophyllum spicatum L. were 105.11 g m-2 and 73.66 g m-2, Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) Kunt. were 95.51 g m-2 and 45.26 g m-2 and Ceratophyllum demersum L. were 52.17 g m -2 and 29.75 g m-2. Chlorophyll A (Chl a) and chlorophyll A+B (Chl a+b) pigments ranged from 1.54 mg g-1(Chl a) and 2.1 mg g-1(Chl a+b) in M. spicatum to 5.27 mg g-1(Chl a) and 7.53 mg g-1(Chl a+b) in C. demersum. At full leaf out, the latter aquatic plants exceeded 50% cover of the open water surface. All species achieved maximum growth in June, but significant differences in growth dynamics were observed. At the end of the vegetation period, these plants sink to the bottom and decompose © 2009 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.