Typha shuttleworthii is the semi-aquatic plant in the modern areal which embraces mainly the ocean districts of Europe. The eastern border of the area of this species is located in Eastern Europe on the territory of Vyatka-Kama Cis-Urals (VKCU). Almost everywhere species is considered rare and is included in the Red Data Books in many European countries. However, on the territory of Russia, T. shuttleworthii is not protected. The rarity of this species makes it necessary to study its natural populations for their protection. In the paper, we present the materials on some biological and ecological features of the Typha shuttleworthii, growing on the territory of Vyatka-Kama Cis-Urals, where the species is represented by its extreme eastern populations. This species is offered to the protection on the territory of the European part of Russia within the Republic of Tatarstan and Udmurtia.
Typha shuttleworthii W.D.J. Koch et Sond. relates to species of typical section of genus Typha L. (Typhaceae Juss.) [
Two of three populations of T. shuttleworthii, known at present on the territory VKCU were studied (
Second population (№2) is located in the city of Izhevsk in the neighborhood of the Botanical Garden of Udmurt State University (~56˚55'N, 53˚15'E) and being on the damp bottom of the drainage channel.
On sample plots within populations the species composition of vascular plants was identified, general projective cover and projective cover of the marked species on the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale were reported. On the living plants the morphological parameters were measured having diagnostic value. The aboveground biomass of plants was studied in 2008 by the example of population №1. The population №2 at the time of research was strongly rarefied, therefore in order to preserve it was not used for the study of biomass. Crude, air-dry and absolutely-dry biomass was measured to the nearest 0.01 g on the technical scales “ВЛКТ-500”. To air-dry state the plant was adjusted in the open air on the shaded conditions, and then was ground and dried to absolutely-dry state at the temperature of 105˚C.
Within the main area T. shuttleworthii ecotopic connected with natural and artificial watered habitats. On the territory of the VKCU species is found in secondary habitats represented shallows of artificial reservoirs (small ponds) and the bottom of the drainage channels. The communities with dominance of T. shuttleworthii were low taxonomic diversity (
Crude aboveground biomass of cattail at the end of July 2008 in the population №1 was on average 4.85 kg/m2, air-dry―1.96 kg/m2, absolutely-dry―1.90 kg/m2.
The results of the study of morphometric parameters of the population №1 are presented in
№ of description | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Constancy |
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Descriptions area, m2 General projective cover (%) Depth (m) Water transparency, cm Velocity of flow, metre per second Type of the ground or substrate Number of species | 4 100 0.1 0.1 0 Silt 6 | 4 90 0.1 0.1 0 Silt 5 | 4 90 0.2 0.2 0 Silt 4 | 3 50 0 0 0 Clay 9 | |
Typha shuttleworthii W.D.J. Koch et Sond. Lemna minor L. Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. et Schult Alisma plantago-aquatica L. Typha angustifolia L. Typha latifolia L. Scirpus sylvaticus L. Equisetum arvense L. Tussilago farfara L. Cirsium setosum (Willd.) Bess. Ranunculus repens L. Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) Beauv. Salix triandra L. Trifolium repens L. | 4 1 1 2 ・ ・ + + ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ | 4 1 1 ・ 1 + ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ | 3 1 1 2 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ | 2 ・ ・ ・ + ・ ・ ・ + + + + + + + | V2 - 4 IV1 IV1 III2 III+−1 I+ I+ I+ I+ I+ I+ I+ I+ I+ I+ |
Descriptions: 1, 2, 3―Udmurt Republic, Alnashsky district, 5 km south from village Muvazhi, the coastal shallow water of a pond on the river Golyushurminka, 13.VII.2008, G.R. Platunova; 4―Udmurt Republic, Izhevsk, the neighborhood of the Botanical Garden of Udmurt State University, the damp bottom of the drainage channel, 25.VII.2010, O.A. Kapitonova.
Parameters | N | M ± m | Lim (min - max) | σ | CV, % |
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Height of the reproductive shoot, m Number of leaves on the reproductive shoot Width of media leave of the reproductive shoot, cm Length of the female inflorescence, cm Thickness of the female inflorescence, mm Length of the male inflorescence, cm Thickness of the male inflorescence, mm | 57 437 171 57 57 57 57 | 1.35 ± 0.07 7.67 ± 0.17 14.01 ± 1.08 16.44 ± 2.01 14.44 ± 1.38 6.98 ± 0.32 12.11 ± 2.80 | 1.07 - 1.62 7 - 8 9.90 - 20.16 11.70 - 29.00 10.00 - 20.00 5.70 - 8.00 8.00 - 16.00 | 0.21 0.50 3.23 6.04 4.13 0.97 2.80 | 15.56 6.52 23.06 36.74 28.60 13.90 23.12 |
phases―brown with a slightly whitish tinge due to the long hairs of perianth protruding from the stigmas. The latter feature is particularly clearly pronounced in the lower part of the female inflorescence (
According to the received materials, the morphometric characteristics of the plants of the studied population in general are consistent with literature data. However, we have noticed that some of the plants in the population had larger sizes that it was reflected in the value of some parameters. For example, the average values of the width of the leaf blade and the length of female inflorescence in the studied population were a bit larger than those values, which are given for this species in the literature [
Our research allows us to recognize the low competitive potential of populations of T. shuttleworthii, located at the eastern limit of distribution in general. This feature does not allow this species populate primary ecotopes where the ecological niches are already occupied by the structural and functional analogs. The possibilities to populate the secondary ecotopes are also limited, because it superseded from there by stronger competitors, primarily, T. latifolia. Contemporary large-scale anthropogenic transformation of landscapes is threatened by the destruction, transformation and pollution of habitats T. shuttleworthii, the consequence of which could be the disappearance of populations of this species or their genetic assimilation with a closely related species.
T. shuttleworthii―one of the plant species which requires protection on the territory of the VKCU, is a vulnerable species. It cannot compete with other semi-aquatic plants. Anthropogenic changes of the aquatic landscapes may lead to the extinction of this species in the European part of Russia. To save the eastern part of the area of T. shuttleworthii, it is necessary to take under protection its populations within the VKCU and to include it in the Red Books of the Udmurt Republic and Tatarstan as vulnerable species.