Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Diversity Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue "Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration"

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2023 | Viewed by 5559

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Danelle Larson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

U.S. Geological Survey, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
Interests: freshwater ecology; aquatic plants; macrophytes; ecological restoration

Prof. Dr. Eva Papastergiadou

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor

Department of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras, University Campus Rio, GR 26500 Patras, Greece
Interests: freshwater ecology and management; biodiversity; aquatic and riparian vegetation; plant communities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Diversity is launching a Special Issue dedicated to Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration. You are invited to prepare a scientific paper for this Special Issue.

Freshwater biodiversity loss is progressing at an alarming rate, and the loss of aquatic plant (macrophyte) diversity and ecological functions continues. There is an urgent need to better understand the ecology of freshwater macrophyte communities worldwide to best serve conservation and resilience, mitigate further diversity loss, and restore degraded habitats.

In this Special Issue, we will:

Highlight the magnificent biodiversity of macrophytes globally in a variety of freshwater habitats, which are elusive to most people because many species live underwater or in remote habitats.
Cover all aspects of macrophyte diversity, including at the organism level (genetics, within populations, and functional traits) and the community level (alpha, beta, and gamma diversity metrics; phylogenetics)
Showcase meta-analyses and generalizable case studies that describe the patterns and processes of macrophyte biodiversity, community change, vulnerability, and resilience.
Emphasize the needs and opportunities for macrophyte conservation and restoration. Papers may either evaluate specific restoration actions (e.g., hydrologic and connectivity engineering, plantings, habitat improvements, invasive species control, or novel techniques), or discuss how the ecological knowledge gained may be applied to conservation or restoration.

Thank you for your important contributions to this field of study, and thanks in advance for considering the submission of your work to this upcoming Special Issue.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danelle Larson
Prof. Dr. Eva Papastergiadou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

aquatic vegetation
biodiversity
macrophytes
freshwater
resilience

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Open AccessArticle

Relationships between Environmental Factors and Functional Traits of Macrophyte Assemblages in Running Waters of Greece

Konstantinos Stefanidis

and

Diversity 2023, 15(9), 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15090949 - 23 Aug 2023

Viewed by 330

Abstract

The analysis of plant trait composition has raised significant interest among freshwater ecologists as a complementary approach for assessing the effects of environmental change on ecosystem functions. In this study, we investigated patterns of functional traits of the aquatic macrophyte assemblages of 74 lotic ecosystems of Greece, and we identified associations between species traits and environmental variables (hydromorphological and physicochemical parameters) through testing the hypothesis that the environmental features determine the spatial structure of traits. We allocated 12 traits to a total of 39 hydrophyte species, and we conducted RLQ and fourth corner analysis to explore relationships between species, trait composition, and environmental gradients. Based on the results of the RLQ, a hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to identify groups of plants that share common trait characteristics. Plants were discriminated into five discrete groups based mostly on their life form (e.g., free-floating, rooted submerged etc.) and their ecological preference for nitrogen levels. Hydromorphological parameters had a higher contribution than physicochemical variables in explaining the total variance of the trait data, with water abstraction, channel substrate, and hydrologic alteration being the most important. Our analysis did not reveal significant bivariate relationships between single traits and environmental parameters, although the five groups of macrophyte assemblages appeared to associate with certain environmental gradients. Free-floating and emergent plants were related to higher concentrations of nutrients, whereas rooted submerged plants were related to higher oxygen concentration and increased pH. In addition, free-floating plants were highly associated with metrics of hydromorphological change. Our findings showed clear discrimination of macrophytes based on their functional composition and association of traits with environmental gradients. Thus, further research could explore whether macrophyte functional groups can serve as indicators of environmental change and the overall ecosystem health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Salinity as a Key Factor in Structuring Macrophyte Assemblages in Transitional Water Bodies: The Case of the Apulian Coastal Lagoons (Southern Italy)

Andrea Tursi

Anna Lisco

Giovanni Chimienti

Francesco Mastrototaro

Nicola Ungaro

and

Antonella Bottalico

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 615; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050615 - 01 May 2023

Viewed by 1020

Abstract

Coastal lagoons are dynamic transitional water ecosystems hosting valuable biological communities, including rich and diverse macrophyte assemblages. Aquatic macrophytes must cope with large fluctuations of environmental conditions on a spatial and seasonal scale. Salinity is one of the most variable parameters, changing from nearly freshwater to hypersalinity, and it is known to have a strong influence on the composition and structure of macrophyte assemblages. This study is focused on the effect of salinity on macrophyte communities of the eight most important coastal lagoons of Apulia (south-eastern Mediterranean Sea). A set of eleven transitional water body types (sensu Water Framework Directive) were allocated in a range of meso- to hyperhaline lagoons. Macrophyte sampling was carried out between 2011 and 2019, and a total of 324 samples (18 sampling stations × 2 seasons × 9 years) was analyzed. Then, macrophyte occurrence in each transitional water body (T-WB) was expressed as frequency values (%) and assemblages were compared to assess any similarity in relation to four salinity classes (mesohaline, polyhaline, euhaline and hyperhaline). Species richness varied according to the salinity class, being much higher in polyhaline and euhaline T-WBs and strongly decreasing at the extremes of the salinity range (mesohaline and hyperhaline T-WBs). Moreover, the statistical analysis showed a high resemblance of macrophyte assemblages of T-WBs within the same salinity class, which shared a great number of species. Four distinct macrophyte communities were distinguished, reflecting the salinity conditions of different T-WB types and confirming the effectiveness of a lagoon typology based on this descriptor. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

22 Years of Aquatic Plant Spatiotemporal Dynamics in the Upper Mississippi River

Alicia M. Carhart

Jason J. Rohweder

and

Danelle M. Larson

Diversity 2023, 15(4), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040523 - 04 Apr 2023

Viewed by 664

Abstract

Macrophyte (aquatic plant) recovery has occurred in rivers worldwide, but assemblage patterns and habitat requirements are generally not well understood. We examined patterns of species composition and macrophyte abundance in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), spanning 22 years of monitoring and a period of vegetation recovery. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination revealed a gradient of macrophyte abundance and diversity for 25 species, which were associated with water velocity, depth, wind fetch, and water clarity. Three macrophyte genera of ecological and restoration interest (Zizania aquatica, Vallisneria americana, and Sagittaria spp.) occupied different ecological niches. Trends of NMDS values showed that Z. aquatica first co-occurred in shallow areas with Sagittaria spp. but then expanded into deeper, lotic habitats where V. americana often resided. Curve Fit regression analysis identified large areas of significant increases in the relative abundance of V. americana and percent cover of Z. aquatica in several reaches of the UMR from 1998–2019. Sagittaria spp. were more spatiotemporally dynamic, which may indicate specific habitat requirements and sensitivity to environmental gradients. Our analyses showed that these three ecologically important genera are spatiotemporally dynamic but have somewhat predictable habitat associations, which can guide macrophyte management and restoration in the UMR and other large, floodplain rivers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

The Foraging Window for Greater White-Fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) Is Consistent with the Growth Stage of Carex

and

Diversity 2022, 14(11), 943; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110943 - 03 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1051

Abstract

Food resources are key limiting factors for migratory waterbirds, and the foraging strategies adopted by herbivorous waterbirds are affected by food availability in wetland habitats. The greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) is mainly dependent on Carex in the lower and middle Yangtze River floodplain. Exploring the relationship between the growth conditions of Carex and the foraging strategies adopted by wintering greater white-fronted geese has important ecological implications for habitat protection and management. In this study, scan sampling and focal animal sampling were used to record the foraging behaviors of greater white-fronted geese wintering at Shengjin Lake, and the plant height and water content of Carex were surveyed simultaneously. The relationship between plant characteristics and foraging behaviors was tested using a linear regression equation. The results showed that Carex had two growth periods at Shengjin Lake, and the pecking rate and foraging time budget of greater white-fronted geese were higher during these two periods. Plant characteristics were positively correlated with goose foraging behaviors. The strategic adjustment of the foraging behaviors adopted by wintering greater white-fronted geese was consistent with the growth stage of Carex, which is the optimal foraging window for greater white-fronted geese. During the foraging windows, geese changed their foraging strategies to obtain more energy in order to guarantee successful wintering and migration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Diversity Patterns of Wetland Angiosperms in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

and

Diversity 2022, 14(10), 777; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100777 - 20 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1641

Abstract

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has a special geological history, diverse habitats, a complex climate, and a large number of wetlands, which harbor a huge of wetland plants. In this study, we sorted out the monographs, literatures and online databases, as well as our own collection from field surveys, and comprehensively combed the checklist and county-level diversity of wetland angiosperms and endangered species in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for the first time. The distribution pattern of species richness was analyzed through three groups of environmental variables: energy, water, and habitat. The wetland angiosperms have high richness, with a total of 2329 species, belonging to 91 families and 438 genera, mainly hygrophytes (94.98%). The spatial distribution is uneven, and gradually decreases from the southeast to the northwest of the plateau. Species richness decreased with elevation and latitude and increased with longitude. Annual precipitation (AP) and annual mean temperature (AMT) are the most important variables affecting species diversity. Habitat environmental variables had less influence on species richness distribution and wetland area was not associated with richness distribution. The setting of endangered wetland angiosperm reserves needs to focus on the Hengduan Mountains and southeastern Tibet. Our study provided basic data for the research and protection of wetland plant diversity in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "Aquatic Plant Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration"

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI