Morphological Features of Plants on Ash Settling Ponds. Case Study

Abstract

Owing to variable water conditions, chemical conditions of water or ash substrate, ash settling ponds belong to anthropogenic objects which do not easily undergo plant succession. However, there are plants exhibiting biological traits allowing colonisation of a substrate characterised by variability in terms of acidity and heavy metal content. The aim of the study was to determine differences in morphology of plants colonising spontaneous surfaces of ash settling ponds with variability moisture level. We identified also differences in morphology of the plants. Identified: Agrostis stolonifera, Atriplex patula, Juncus bufonius, Phragmites australis, Poa pratensis and Ranunculus sceleratus. The obtained results broaden the knowledge on the bioremediation of degraded areas, indicate species that inhabit the surface of ash settlers. Lower water level in ash settling pond I created more favourable conditions for growth of the aboveground parts of plants, and higher waterlevel in ash settling pond II contributed to a more intensive development of the root part of plants. Considering the generative factors and measurement values of the aboveground part of plants, the best adapted species were Juncus bufonius and Atriplex patula. Due to changing water level in ash settling ponds, the species to be monitored is Phragmites australis—most deeply colonising the surface of ash settling ponds.