Potential influence of river engineering in two West Carpathian rivers on the conservation management of Calamagrostis pseudophragmites

This article focuses on assessing the habitats characteristics of endangered Calamagrostis pseudophragmites in selected localities in the Czech Republic with different river engineering measures, which can potentially influence the occurrence of this species. Furthermore, we give some general recommendations for management practices based on our results to promote the conservation of Calamagrostis pseudophragmites. Our research shows that there is a high correlation between Calamagrostis pseudophragmites and natural or near natural sunny biotopes on gravel bars or straight reaches near the water level that consist of non-silted gravel substrates with a higher concentration of pebbles or cobbles, which are typical of piedmont and mountain-valley areas. Many of these areas are rapidly disappearing due to intensive anthropogenic pressure. We also found that Calamagrostis pseudophragmites is temporarily capable of surviving among other competitively stronger plant communities. To assess the potential influence of river engineering we selected two different types of rivers where this species is present – one was heavily altered by both the construction of a water reservoir in its upper reach and channelization of the stream, the other was less severely regulated by the construction of several weirs. Our results show differences in the occurrence of Calamagrostis pseudophragmites between the two rivers, being found at three times as many localities in the less regulated river than in the more regulated one. This corresponds with a higher number of gravel bars in the less regulated river. Based on our results, our general recommendations for the management of this species include only the partial removal of gravel bars (to ensure flood control in populated areas), blocking vegetation succession by removing woody vegetation and aggressive invasive species, the restoration of natural river dynamics, and connecting existing biotopes where this species is found.