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Modelling of pristine depth limits for macrophyte growth in the southern Baltic Sea

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Book cover Biology of the Baltic Sea

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 176))

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Abstract

The knowledge of plant and animal distributions within surface water ecosystems is a prerequisite to develop an ecological classification system based on the guidelines of the Water Framework Directive of the European Union (EU-WFD). We developed a system of typology for macrophytes of the inner coastal waters of the German Baltic Sea based on given physical and chemical descriptors of the EU-WFD, and so far known ecophysiological requirements of the plants. Analysis of these requirements led to a minimum matrix of 14 factor combinations for a sufficient ecological characterisation of the communities (Bluemel et al., 2002). Here, we report on a model to describe the pristine habitats based on specific physical and chemical properties and ecophysiological potentials of macrophytes. In order to evaluate the most likely depth limits for macrophyte distribution we calculated annual depth-dependent light intensities for our reference lagoons. Knowledge of minimum light requirements for growth of typical species enabled us to compute maximum depth distribution through the year. Comparison of computed limits for growth were found to be in accordance with historical records. Therefore, we suggest that anthropogenic eutrophication and increased phytoplankton concentrations can indirectly be responsible for presently observed loss of macrophytes coverage due to light limitation.

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Abbreviations

cDOM:

chromophoric dissolved organic matter

Chl a:

chlorophyll a

dailyPFD :

integrated photon flux density (400–700 nm) per day (μmol photons m−2 d−1)

Ec :

light compensation point (μmol photons m−2 s−1)

E k :

light saturation point (μmol photons m−2 s−1)

EU-WFD:

Water Framework Directive of the European Union (GL 2000/60/EC)

k 0 :

scalar light attenuation coefficient (400–700 nm), (m−1)

minPFD:

integrated minimum photon flux density for macrophyte growth

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Aquatische Ökologie, Universität Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18051, Rostock, Germany

    André Domin, Hendrik Schubert, Jochen C. Krause & Ulrich Schiewer

Authors
  1. André Domin
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  2. Hendrik Schubert
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  3. Jochen C. Krause
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  4. Ulrich Schiewer
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Correspondence to Hendrik Schubert .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University, Sweden

    Hans Kautsky

  2. Department of Plant Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden

    Pauli Snoeijs

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Domin, A., Schubert, H., Krause, J.C., Schiewer, U. (2004). Modelling of pristine depth limits for macrophyte growth in the southern Baltic Sea. In: Kautsky, H., Snoeijs, P. (eds) Biology of the Baltic Sea. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 176. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0920-0_3

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