Degradation of Emergent and Submerged Macrophytes in an Oxbow Lake of an Embanked Backwater System: Implications for the Terrestrialization Process

Authors

Alexander K. T. Kirschner, Universität Wien - Austria
Bernhard Riegl, Universität Wien - AustriaFollow
Branko Velimirov, Universität Wien - Austria

ORCID

0000-0002-6003-9324

ResearcherID

F-8807-2011

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

International Review of Hydrobiology

ISSN

1434-2944

Publication Date

7-2001

Keywords

Oxbow lake, Macrophytes, Sediment, Decomposition, Terrestrialization

Abstract

Ecological alterations of wetlands due to anthropogenic influence are a central topic of discussions focussing on the restoration of these disturbed ecosystems. In this context we investigated the role of macrophytes in the terrestrialization process of an oxbow lake of the river Danube, where a thick sediment layer has developed since river regulation. One third of the oxbow lake is covered by a reed belt, fuelling about 140 tons of plant material per year into the detritus pool. From submerged macrophytes the system receives about 48 tons. Degradation of emergent macrophytes is slow due to early burial by sediment, leading quickly to anaerobic conditions. Thus emergent macrophytes contribute significantly to the terrestrialization process. The fast decomposition of submerged macrophytes indicates a low contribution to the terrestrialization process.

DOI

10.1002/1522-2632(200107)86:4/5<555::AID-IROH555>3.0.CO;2-9

Volume

86

Issue

4-5

First Page

555

Last Page

571

Comments

©WILEY-VCH Verlag Berlin GmbH

NSUWorks Citation

Alexander K. T. Kirschner, Bernhard Riegl, and Branko Velimirov. 2001. Degradation of Emergent and Submerged Macrophytes in an Oxbow Lake of an Embanked Backwater System: Implications for the Terrestrialization Process .International Review of Hydrobiology , (4-5) : 555 -571. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/285.