How pond characteristics effect macrophyte diversity and coverage

Date

2025-9-01

Author

Mülayim, Emine Büşra

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Ponds are small and shallow freshwater bodies that significantly contribute to biodiversity. Understanding the environmental factors that affect macrophyte community structure in ponds is essential for successful management and conservation programs. This study investigates the effect of local and catchment-scale environmental factors on macrophyte diversity, coverage and plant volume inhabited across 29 rural ponds in Ankara, Türkiye. These ponds were selected from 6 different pondscapes and sampled in summer 2022. Morphometric, physicochemical, biological variables and land use intensity were measured and analyzed in relation to macrophyte diversity, coverage and PVI. Results of this thesis indicated that submerged macrophytes were primarily affected by the land use intensity and the depth of the pond, while emergent macrophyte species richness effected by salinity with land use intensity. The total richness of macrophytes correlated with land use intensity, the light availability measured by Secchi disc, and the size of the pond. The total nitrogen to total phosphorus ratio (TN/TP) had a positive effect on percent coverage of submerged macrophytes whereas ammonium (NH4) had a negative relationship with it. PVI of submerged macrophytes was affected by several environmental factors such as the Secchi disc transparency to maximum water depth ratio, soluble reactive phosphate (SRP), total phosphorus (TP), pond area and air temperature. The results highlight the strong and complex environmental factors of both local physicochemical and landscape drivers on pond macrophyte communities. Considering the significant responsiveness of ponds, it is essential for conservation and restoration strategies to take a site-specific approach, addressing factors such as nutrient enrichment, salinization and land use pressures.

Subject Keywords

Land use, Macrophyte richness, Physicochemical Variables, Water Transparency, TN/TP

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/116037

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis