Academic Editors: Doru Bănăduc, Kevin Cianfaglione and Angela Curtean-Bănăduc
Background: Wet, intermittently flooded freshwater coastal and shallow
water habitats are notable for their high biodiversity. Many of the usually
semiaquatic annuals or small perennials common in such habitats are in decline
due to the high sensitivity of such habitats to changes caused by anthropogenic
and natural factors. The Euro-Siberian semiaquatic Elatine hydropiper
rarely occurs in Lithuania and is protected there and in other Baltic and Central
European countries. In 2020, we found a large population of Elatine
hydropiper in southern Lithuania (Varėna district) in Lake Pabezninkai and
its exposed shores. The water level of the lake has receded by about 1.5–1.6 m
since 2018, exposing wide, wet, and sandy or silty shores. The aim of this study
was to determine the status of the Elatine hydropiper population and to
assess its potential for long-term survival. The objectives of the study were to
(a) determine the size and quantitative characteristics of the population, (b)
assess the seed bank in the shallows and exposed shores of the lake, (c) assess
the species diversity in the communities with Elatine hydropiper, (d)
evaluate the conservation value of the studied species and the lake habitat.
Methods: The studies were carried out between 2020 and 2021. The number
and coverage of plant patches as well as seed bank studies were carried out at
three sites with different shoreline substrate. At each site, the number of
patches and coverage was assessed in 50 sample plots of 100 cm