Variation in the Biomass of <i>Phragmites australis</i> Across Community Types in the Aquatic Habitats of the Middle Volga Valley
2024
Vladimir Papchenkov | Hana Čížková
Species composition and biomass are key indicators of vegetation performance. While <i>Phragmites australis</i> is extensively studied worldwide, data on its communities and biomass in natural habitats are limited in the European part of the Russian Federation. This study examines <i>P. australis</i>-dominated communities and their biomass in wetlands along the Middle Volga River. <i>P. australis</i> was either the dominant or co-dominant species in seven community types. Their seasonal maximum aboveground biomass correlated with plant projective cover, being highest in <i>Schoenoplecteto lacustris</i>-<i>Phragmitetum australis</i> (mean 1.7 kg m<sup>−2</sup>), with nearly 100% cover, and lowest (0.5 kg m<sup>−2</sup>) in <i>Spirodelo</i>-<i>Phragmitetum australis</i>, with 50% cover. Compared with communities dominated by <i>Glyceria maxima</i>, <i>Schoenoplectus lacustris</i>, and <i>Typha latifolia</i>, those of <i>P. australis</i> had the highest seasonal maximum aboveground biomass in running waters (mean 1.32 kg m<sup>−2</sup>) but the lowest in standing waters of the Kuibyshev Reservoir (mean 0.70 kg m<sup>−2</sup>), likely reflecting nutrient availability. A similar pattern was observed for the dominant species alone. The mean belowground biomass of <i>P. australis</i> was 1.9 kg m<sup>−2</sup>, with a belowground/aboveground ratio of 1.5. Similar values were found for <i>S. lacustris</i> and <i>T. latifolia</i>. The community types and biomass values align with those found in other European regions with warm temperate climates.
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