The Discovery of the Rare Chara baueri (Charales, Charophyceae) in Serbia

Abstract

Chara baueri is one of the rarest charophytes worldwide. It had been considered extinct in Europe for more than a century, from the 1870s to 2006, when it was rediscovered in Germany. The current distribution of this species is limited to a few localities in Europe (Germany, Poland and Russia), and one locality in Asia (Kazakhstan). We present a new finding of Chara baueri, to be a significant contribution to the species ecology and biogeography, and helping to review and update the current scarce knowledge. Chara baueri was discovered in Serbia and monitored for two vegetative seasons in 2018 and 2019, along with the associated macrophyte vegetation and water quality parameters. The morphology and ecology data of the species are presented comparatively with the literature data and the biogeography is critically reviewed. The population in Serbia is the first verified record of Chara baueri in southern Europe. Considering the recent findings and the knowledge accumulated in these records, Chara baueri was very possibly never extinct at all, but overlooked in Europe for the entire 20th century. We suggest that waterfowl migrating from the northern parts of Europe should be considered as the important spreading agent of Chara baueri in southern regions.

Algae in Shallow and Small Water Bodies of Serbia: A Frame for Species and Habitat Protection

“…Extraordinary and unique charophyte diversity adorns this area, particularly the Monoštorski Marsh, where up to 8 species could be recorded in one locality-Široki rit pond [93]. In the Štrbac area, also situated in the Monoštorski Marsh, a remarkable finding of Chara baueri was recently recorded [90]. Chara baueri is one of the rarest charophytes worldwide; the contemporary distribution of this species is limited to a few localities in Germany, Poland, and Russia in Europe, and Kazakhstan in Asia.…”

“…The only record made out of this protected area is the record of Chara canescens in channel Vrbas-Bezdan, near Mali Stapar [97], but this record is challenged by later authors [88,92] and will not be considered in this review. SSWB in SNR "Gornje Podunavlje" are very rich in charophyte diversity [88, 90, A literature overview reveals even 21 localities where charophytes were detected, among which ponds are the habitats where most of the charophyte records were made and where the highest diversity was recorded [88,90,93]. Ruts are very specific ephemeral habitats of stoneworts in SNR "Gornje Podunavlje", pointing to still active oospores in soil diaspore banks, even where the original wetland habitats are modified.…”

“…Professor Košanin, who continued charophyte studies in Serbia after Pančić, and published Pančić's records later at the beginning of XX century [115,128], noted that Pančić's collection was well preserved at the time. Recently intensified studies on charophytes by Vesić and Trbojević [88,[90][91][92][93] reflected in many more deposited specimens in the wet collection, but particularly in the herbarium sheets, which is also important from the aspect of potential genetic studies on collected specimens.…”

“…Charophytes diversity and their presence overview across the regions of Vojvodina. Data based on literature sources[87][88][89][90][91][92][93], IUCN categorisation of detected species according to Blaženčić[87]. In bold-species present only in Vojvodina…”

Conservation Value and Habitat Diversity of Fluvial Lakes and Gravel Pits in River-Floodplain Systems

“…J. Groves & Bull.-Webst., Nitella mucronate (A. Braun) Miq. and Tolypella prolifera (Ziz ex A. Braun) Leonhardi [62,63], but no vegetation data are available.…”