INFLUENCE OF HEAVY METALS CONTAINED IN REED Phragmites australis (CAV.) Trin. ex Steud. INHABITING THE VISTULA LAGOON ON PERIPHYTON DENSITY

摘要

In this paper the effects of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) accumulation in submerged reed shoots on the periphyton structure in the shallow-water zone of the Vistula Lagoon (Polish internal seawaters) are discussed. Concentrations of the analysed chemical elements were determined with flame atomic absorption spectrome-try. The highest Pearson's correlation coefficients (p<0.05) were observed for Cd and Co, Ni and Cr, Pb and Cd, Pb and Co, Zn and Ni. Among periphyton, linear relationships occurred between sedimentators and epiphytic algae (phytoperiphyton).rnIn order to reveal the influence of substrate chemical composition on the qualitative and quantitative composition of periphyton overgrowing reed shoots, ordination methods were applied (principal component analysis PCA, canonical correspondence analysis CCA, detrended correspondence analysis DCA, redundancy analysis RDA). The results showed, that sedimentators (Peritricha, Rotatoria) and Nematoda preferred reed substrate with relatively high content of Mn, Co, Cu and Cd. Similar situation was observed for Chironomidae larvae, but additionally they used to choose substrate with low concentration of Ni and Cr. In turn, higher content of nickel and chromium favoured Cyclopoida and Harpacticoida.