Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats

The moss grass Coleanthus subtilis (Tratt.) Seidl is a rare, diminutive grass which grows on wet muddy bottoms of drained water bodies displaying a high degree of water level dynamics, such as fishponds or water reservoirs. Due to the temporal character of its habitat, C. subtilis has a very short l...

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Main Authors: Elke Richert, Roland Achtziger, Zygmunt Dajdok, André Günther, Hermann Heilmeier, Annette Hübner, Henriette John, Kateřina Šumberová
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Polish Botanical Society 2016-09-01
Series:Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp/article/view/6541
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spelling doaj-691f45b080494b4ca07d5b69e66f0aec2020-11-25T03:21:21ZengPolish Botanical SocietyActa Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae2083-94802016-09-0185310.5586/asbp.35115689Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threatsElke Richert0Roland Achtziger1Zygmunt Dajdok2André Günther3Hermann Heilmeier4Annette Hübner5Henriette John6Kateřina Šumberová7Biology and Ecology Unit, Institute of Biosciences, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger 29, 09599 FreibergBiology and Ecology Unit, Institute of Biosciences, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger 29, 09599 FreibergDepartment of Botany, Institute of Environmental Biology, University of Wrocław, Kanonia 6/8, 50-328 WrocławBiology and Ecology Unit, Institute of Biosciences, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger 29, 09599 FreibergBiology and Ecology Unit, Institute of Biosciences, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger 29, 09599 FreibergDepartment of Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Mittweida, Technikumplatz 17, 09648 MittweidaBiology and Ecology Unit, Institute of Biosciences, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger 29, 09599 FreibergDepartment of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany, the Czech Academy of Sciences, Lidická 25/27, 60200 BrnoThe moss grass Coleanthus subtilis (Tratt.) Seidl is a rare, diminutive grass which grows on wet muddy bottoms of drained water bodies displaying a high degree of water level dynamics, such as fishponds or water reservoirs. Due to the temporal character of its habitat, C. subtilis has a very short life cycle of only a few weeks. Therefore, the species and its habitats are legally protected on both national and international levels. This paper focuses on habitats and the conservation of C. subtilis in Central and Western Europe. For the period of 2000–2013, the Czech Republic with more than 200 sites represents the main distribution area of this species in Central and Western Europe. During the same period, C. subtilis was recorded from 45 sites in three regions of Germany (33 Lusatia, 11 Ore Mountains, 1 Mid-Elbe River), 16 sites in France, 13 sites in Poland, and four sites in Austria. Since 2000, the number of records within these seven regions seems to have followed different trends: whereas two regions (Lusatia, Germany and southern Poland) became newly colonized and many populations established, in one region (Ore Mountains, Germany) the number of records diminished. Owing to its specific life cycle, both reproduction success and maintenance of C. subtilis populations are closely linked to the prevailing water level regime, mainly dependent on the management of the water body. Management for the conservation of C. subtilis populations should consider the entire complex of water bodies, as well as individual ponds. For the preservation of the species, at least one pond in each complex should be drained every year and each pond should be drained at least once within 5 years. Depending on local climatic conditions, ponds should be drained for 8–10 weeks during the time period from mid-March to mid-November.https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp/article/view/6541EU Habitats DirectivefishpondsIsoëto-Nanojunceteamanagementspecies protectiontemporary wetland vegetation
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Elke Richert
Roland Achtziger
Zygmunt Dajdok
André Günther
Hermann Heilmeier
Annette Hübner
Henriette John
Kateřina Šumberová
spellingShingle Elke Richert
Roland Achtziger
Zygmunt Dajdok
André Günther
Hermann Heilmeier
Annette Hübner
Henriette John
Kateřina Šumberová
Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats
Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae
EU Habitats Directive
fishponds
Isoëto-Nanojuncetea
management
species protection
temporary wetland vegetation
author_facet Elke Richert
Roland Achtziger
Zygmunt Dajdok
André Günther
Hermann Heilmeier
Annette Hübner
Henriette John
Kateřina Šumberová
author_sort Elke Richert
title Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats
title_short Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats
title_full Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats
title_fullStr Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats
title_full_unstemmed Rare wetland grass Coleanthus subtilis in Central and Western Europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats
title_sort rare wetland grass coleanthus subtilis in central and western europe – current distribution, habitat types, and threats
publisher Polish Botanical Society
series Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae
issn 2083-9480
publishDate 2016-09-01
description The moss grass Coleanthus subtilis (Tratt.) Seidl is a rare, diminutive grass which grows on wet muddy bottoms of drained water bodies displaying a high degree of water level dynamics, such as fishponds or water reservoirs. Due to the temporal character of its habitat, C. subtilis has a very short life cycle of only a few weeks. Therefore, the species and its habitats are legally protected on both national and international levels. This paper focuses on habitats and the conservation of C. subtilis in Central and Western Europe. For the period of 2000–2013, the Czech Republic with more than 200 sites represents the main distribution area of this species in Central and Western Europe. During the same period, C. subtilis was recorded from 45 sites in three regions of Germany (33 Lusatia, 11 Ore Mountains, 1 Mid-Elbe River), 16 sites in France, 13 sites in Poland, and four sites in Austria. Since 2000, the number of records within these seven regions seems to have followed different trends: whereas two regions (Lusatia, Germany and southern Poland) became newly colonized and many populations established, in one region (Ore Mountains, Germany) the number of records diminished. Owing to its specific life cycle, both reproduction success and maintenance of C. subtilis populations are closely linked to the prevailing water level regime, mainly dependent on the management of the water body. Management for the conservation of C. subtilis populations should consider the entire complex of water bodies, as well as individual ponds. For the preservation of the species, at least one pond in each complex should be drained every year and each pond should be drained at least once within 5 years. Depending on local climatic conditions, ponds should be drained for 8–10 weeks during the time period from mid-March to mid-November.
topic EU Habitats Directive
fishponds
Isoëto-Nanojuncetea
management
species protection
temporary wetland vegetation
url https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp/article/view/6541
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