Eutrophication impacts on a river macrophyte

O'Hare, Matthew T; Clarke, Ralph T.; Bowes, Michael J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0673-1934; Cailes, Claire; Henville, Paul; Bissett, Nicola; McGahey, Caroline; Neal, Margaret. 2010 Eutrophication impacts on a river macrophyte. Aquatic Botany, 92 (3). 173-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2009.11.001

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2009.11.001

Abstract/Summary

The postulated relationship between eutrophication, enhanced standing macrophyte crop and flow impedance was assessed in 14 rivers across the UK. We sampled the July standing crop of Ranunculus subgenus Batrachium at 14 rivers across England and southern Scotland, at sites where there is a known relationship between standing crop and flow impedance. We relate standing crop to variation in carbon concentrations and to elevated phosphorus concentrations, using regression analysis. Standing crop increased significantly with P availability as soluble reactive phosphorus (filtered SRP) and total phosphorus (TP). Best subsets multiple regression analysis suggests that, based on this sample of sites, there is evidence that macrophyte biomass increases with SRP concentrations and also increases with the amount of carbon as HCO3 for a given concentration of SRP in the water. Thus eutrophication is found to increase the standing crop of a submerged aquatic plant in UK rivers. Current targets for P reduction may not be sufficient and managers should now also recognise that eutrophication can exacerbate flood risk by elevating macrophyte standing crop.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2009.11.001
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Water
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Watt Acreman
ISSN:	0304-3770
Additional Keywords:	Conveyance, Crowfoot, Phosphorus, Ranunculus penicillatus
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	28 Jan 2010 15:24 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/6570

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2009.11.001

Programmes:

CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Water

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Watt
Acreman

ISSN:

0304-3770

Additional Keywords:

Conveyance, Crowfoot, Phosphorus, Ranunculus penicillatus