Habitat conditions of the Nymphaeetum candidae Miljan 1958 and Nupharo-Nymphaeetum albae Tomaszewicz 1977 dominated by Nymphaea alba

Abstract

The paper presents comparative analysis of habitats of 19 phytocoenoses of the Nymphaeetum candidae and 21 phytocoenoses of the Nupharo-Nymphaeetum albae dominated by N. alba from the lakes of north-eastern Poland. The differences in ecological amplitudes and optima of occurence between two phytocoenose types were pronounced. The N. candida phytocoenoses had narrower amplitudes both regarding the properties of water and substrate and required higher minimum nutrient contents as compared to the N. alba phytocoenoses. Habitat distinction of phytocoenoses dominated by N. candida expressed in a relatively narrow trophic amplitude totally justifies to distinguish Nymphaeetum candidae as a separate syntaxon.

Keywords

• Nymphaea candida
• N. alba
• phytocoenoses
• habitats
• water and substrate properties