Human alteration of watercourses is global phenomenon that has had significant impacts on local ecosystems and the services they provide. Monitoring of abiotic and biotic changes is essential to mitigating long-lasting effects, and the 23-year dataset from the Gabčíkovo Waterworks provided a rare opportunity to assess the impact of groundwater regimes on vegetation. The main aim of this study was to describe the effect of the Gabčíkovo Waterworks on vegetation structure and species composition of the adjacent riparian floodplain forests over the past 23 years. The results are based on studies of three permanent monitoring plots (PMPs) located in the Danube inland delta – two outside (PMP 1 and 3) and one (PMP 2) fully under the influence of the artificial supply system. Our results demonstrate that the Danube inland delta was negatively affected by the Gabčíkovo construction, particularly for sites outside of the artificial supply system. There was a significant decrease in soil moisture and increase in nitrogen at both external PMPs (1 and 3). Alter soil conditions were accompanied by negative changes in plant species composition demonstrated by decreases in the number of typical floodplain forest species that are characteristic for the alliance
This article presents evaluation of long-term (1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004) stationary research on a forest phytocoenosis with the dominant tree species Populus × canadensis in the area affected by hydropower water structures Gabčíkovo on the Danube river. In the first three years of monitoring, where natural flooding occurred, species diversity was low, the structure and ecological proportion of a phytocoenosis were stabilized in an observed adult stand in rotation age. After clear-cutting and reforestation all the indicators changed (trends of parameters were statistically tested). An average of diversity increased 2.5 times, an intensive plants turnover was continuing during two years, and there was quantity of spreading of synanthrophyte, heliophyte, and nitrophilous herbs (species). After oscillating of ecological parameters (light, temperature, continentality, soil moisture, soil reaction, soil nitrogen), life forms and the species diversity were decreased in indicators, as well as a decline of heliophyte, synanthrophyte, and nitrophilous species. Formation of vegetation after 6 years of reforestation gradually tends to reach the state in the 90s. A tree layer was formed and herb understory was growing in mosaic.
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