Floristic and ecological diversity of Ranunculus aquatic habitats in the sub-Atlantic range: implications for conservation

Mony, Cendrine; Mony, Jean-François; Thiébaut, Gabrielle; Müller, Serge

doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-5734-2_3

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…However, rather few studies have specifically addressed HT 3260, and those doing so were often limited or focused on particular syntaxonomic units and river types. So far, emphasis has been mainly on the Ranunculion communities of submontane, Mediterranean or limestone regions (Mony et al ., ; Lumbreras et al ., ; Lansdown and Pankhurst, ; Lumbreras et al ., ). Low‐gradient streams with muddy to fine‐sandy substrata, such as commonly occur in lower Belgium and adjacent regions, have been considered more sparingly (Hatton‐Ellis and Grieve, ; Hurford and Guest, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and environmental requirements of stream habitat with Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho‐Batrachion vegetation in lower Belgium (Flanders)

Leyssen

Denys

Schneiders

et al. 2014

Aquatic Conservation

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Streams with Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho‐Batrachion vegetation – or habitat type 3260 according to the European Habitats Directive – require particular conservation at biogeographic level but Member States carry individual responsibility. Within this framework, the environmental requirements of this habitat type in lower Belgium (Flanders) were analysed.Overall, current vegetation composition was not significantly related to adjacent land‐use but correlated mainly with physical–chemical conditions and to a lesser extent with distance to source and channel width. Even though sites with habitat 3260 generally showed lower levels of human impact, their abiotic features overlapped considerably with those of sites without habitat 3260 but still showing hydrophyte development.Thresholds occurred in the distribution of responsive macrophyte taxa, including the more common characteristic species of the habitat type, along gradients of increasing solutes and nutrients. Comparison with water quality standards proposed so far to support good ecological status for the European Water Framework Directive in lowland rivers suggests that compliance would probably allow this habitat to persist in most cases, although some discrepancies occur. This implies that more stringent objectives may be required in some water bodies.The present analysis focuses on the conditions delimiting occurrence of HT 3260, and therefore its range and area in lower Belgium. A comprehensive understanding of its favourable conservation status remains difficult in lowland regions where most rivers are subject to strong human impact and will require a more long‐term perspective that also considers management regime, physical habitat structure and connectivity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and environmental requirements of stream habitat with Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho‐Batrachion vegetation in lower Belgium (Flanders)

Leyssen

Denys

Schneiders

et al. 2014

Aquatic Conservation

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“…fluitans is primarily a eutrophic species (Trémolières et al 1994) were not consistent with the findings of Mony et al (2006), who noted that eutrophication presented a problem for Batrachian Ranunculus species in general in the UK. Likewise, they reported no difference in associated hydrophyte and helophyte species between R. fluitans and R. penicillatus.…”

Section: Ranunculus Fluitans In Ireland Is Restricted To the Six Milementioning

confidence: 70%

“…It mainly grows separately from R. penicillatus, contrary to previous observations (Hackney 1992), with the only potential area of overlap now being free from aquatic Ranunculus species. It is possible that both occurred sympatrically in this area previously and that they have since been eradicated, possibly due to pollution events (Hackney 1992) or to dredging, although a previous ecological study on aquatic Ranunculus communities in France and Luxemburg also found that R. fluitans tends to occur separately from congeneric species (Mony et al 2006). The main parameter separating R. fluitans communities from those of R. penicillatus and R. peltatus in the previous study was water alkalinity, but pH values in the present study were largely constant along the length of the river and not significantly different between upstream areas where R. penicillatus is found, and downstream areas where R. fluitans is found.…”

Section: Ranunculus Fluitans In Ireland Is Restricted To the Six Milementioning

confidence: 92%

Conservation genetics of Ireland's sole population of the River water crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans Lam.)

et al. 2013

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“…aquatilis ). According to the results, and since aquatic Ranunculus communities are related to different ecological requirements (Spink et al ., ; Mony et al ., ; Lumbreras et al ., ), habitat 3260 may in fact refer to different sub‐habitats with different requirements for protection. Another inconsistency found in the Habitats Directive concerns the habitat type listed as ‘intermittently flowing Mediterranean rivers of Paspalo‐Agrostidion’ (3290), which includes R .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Furthermore, this area, which should have been influenced by past oscillations between the Mediterranean and temperate climate (Moreno et al ., ), hosts the highest densities of aquatic plants endemic to Europe and the Mediterranean (Cook, ). The distribution of Ranunculus communities is related to environmental factors such as mineralization and nutrient levels (Spink et al ., ; Mony et al ., ; Lumbreras et al ., ). Ranunculus communities are explicitly cited as characterizing watercourses of plain to montane levels with Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho‐Batrachion vegetation (habitat code 3260), a freshwater habitat type listed in the European Habitats Directive, which is designed to protect biodiversity in Europe (EC, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioindicator role of aquatic Ranunculus in Mediterranean freshwater habitats

Lumbreras

Pardo

Molina

2013

Aquatic Conservation

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ABSTRACT1. Mediterranean freshwater ecosystems are among the most endangered by global change. In order to design appropriate conservation policies it is essential to ascertain which are the most vulnerable freshwater habitats.2. Aquatic Ranunculus communities are used as target habitats to answer the following questions: (a) Does regional climate influence the distribution of aquatic plant communities? (b) Do nutrient enriched and base-rich waters act as a filter for aquatic habitats, reducing the number of plant communities? and (c) Is the European Habitats Directive classification for freshwater habitats that support Ranunculus species fit for purpose?3. The floristic consistency of nine Ranunculus communities and their affinity with freshwater ecosystem types was analysed. A study was made of the relationships between environmental factors, including climate and aquatic physico-chemical parameters, and the composition of Ranunculus communities. Significant environmental parameters were analysed separately to define the ecological niche occupied by Ranunculus species.4. At a regional scale, climatic variables best explain the distribution patterns of the Ranunculus communities, and separate Atlantic communities (Ranunculus tripartitus, R. omiophyllus, R. ololeucos and R. fluitans communities) at localities with a higher rainfall/temperature ratio from the rest. At a local scale, a strong relationship was found between the distribution of Ranunculus communities and physico-chemical properties, in the following order of importance: alkalinity, flow, and nutrient status. Hard waters reduce Ranunculus community richness to a R. trichophyllus community, and waters enriched by phosphates to a R. penicillatus community.5. The rainfall/temperature ratio, alkalinity, and eutrophication shape the vegetation composition in Mediterranean freshwater habitats. In view of this, some gaps were identified in the European Habitats Directive with regard to Atlantic and oligotrophic base-poor freshwater habitats.

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Floristic and ecological diversity of Ranunculus aquatic habitats in the sub-Atlantic range: implications for conservation

Cited by 7 publications

References 30 publications

Distribution and environmental requirements of stream habitat with Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho‐Batrachion vegetation in lower Belgium (Flanders)

Distribution and environmental requirements of stream habitat with Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho‐Batrachion vegetation in lower Belgium (Flanders)

Conservation genetics of Ireland's sole population of the River water crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans Lam.)

Bioindicator role of aquatic Ranunculus in Mediterranean freshwater habitats

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