THE VASCULAR PLANTS AND EPILITHIC LICHENS OF FRESH-WATER COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS IN THE MONITORING OF HYDROSPHERE’ CONDITION

Sonina A.V., Markovskaja E.F., Sergienko L.A., Starodubceva A.A.
Institution Petrozavodsk State University, Russia

Abstract

The existential organization, the value of separate species or groups of species of the vascular plants and epilithic lichens in the vegetative cover composition, the estimation of their physiological potential have been investigated in our work. During 2010-11 years the lenthic ecosystems of Northwest of Russia (Karelia) – the second-largest lake in Europe – Onego Lake and the lothiс ecosystems – the rivers Suna and Lososinka, differing on level of their exploitation and water composition have been investigated. On the Onego lake coast one of the largest enterprises of Russia and the Europe -Kondoposchsky pulp-and-paper industrial complex - specializing on manufacture of newsprint is located. Besides a large town on the Northern part of Russia - Petrozavodsk, with 300 000 population, is located on the Onego lake coast too. The river Lososinka flowing through town Petrozavodsk. The most part of the river Suna flowing through the oldest reserve of Russia «Kivach», founded in 1931 for wildlife management of Russian North. The analysis of the general projective covering and floristic composition of lichen cover has shown, that with the increase in the water the nitrogen and phosphorus contents, the number of species of lichens decreases. The lichen Lecanora polytropa (Ehrh.) Rabh., with wide ecological-coenotic optimum, has shown  the tolerance  to various anthropogenous pollutions in all investigated coastal territories, therefore this species can be used for the determination the high level of different anthropogenic impact. The state of pigment apparatus at 5 species of vascular plants – 3 hydrophytes - Potamogeton crispus, Sagittaria sagittifolia, Nuphar luteum and 2 hygrophytes - Carex acuta, Carex visicaria - is analyzed. At Carex visicaria the change touches all parameters of the pigment apparatus while at Carex acuta the changes concern only the ratio of chlorophylls and do not influence on the values of light-gathered complex. At Nuphar lutea and Sagittaria sagittifolia the pigment apparatus only at underwater leaves has shown the significant response to change of Mg2+ contents. The pigment apparatus of surface leaves at Nuphar lutea has not shown the significant answer to chromaticity of water. At Potamogeton crispus the contents of pigments in surface and underwater leaves decreased at the increase in the contents of nitrogen. Thus, the coastal plants and the lichen cover can be used for the express train-analysis at specification of trophic characteristics of fresh-water reservoirs of the north of Russia.