Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: P002
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.P002
Published online: 22 April 2026
Eutrophication as a risk factor in the active conservation of Salix lapponum in wetland habitats
Michał Arciszewski* and Magdalena Pogorzelec
Department of Hydrobiology and Protection of Ecosystems, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 37 Dobrzańskiego St., 20-262 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: michal.arciszewski@up.edu.pl
Salix lapponum is an endangered glacial relict species associated with nutrient-poor wetland habitats. To assess its response to increased nitrate availability, plantlets obtained through micropropagation were subjected to a laboratory experiment under controlled conditions. Plants were treated for four weeks with aqueous solutions containing: 1, 10, or 100 mg/L nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3), while control specimens were watered with distilled water. The treatments were applied every three days. Plant response was evaluated based on selected morphophysiological traits, including shoot growth, leaf production, relative water content, photosynthetic pigment content, chlorophyll a fluorescence, anthocyanin accumulation, guaiacol peroxidase activity, and histochemical detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The results showed that low nitrate concentrations stimulated the growth of S. lapponum, particularly during the later stage of the experiment. At the same time, prolonged exposure to nitrate nitrogen was associated with a decrease in relative water content and a reduction in chlorophyll a and carotenoid content. The photosynthetic apparatus remained relatively stable, while antioxidant responses included temporary anthocyanin accumulation, increased guaiacol peroxidase activity, and detectable ROS formation, especially at higher nitrate concentrations. The results indicate that low concentrations of nitrate nitrogen may stimulate the growth of S. lapponum, whereas higher concentrations lead to physiological stress. These findings suggest that moderate nitrate enrichment may be tolerated by this species, but increasing eutrophication may reduce plant condition and should be considered in conservation planning and translocation of S. lapponum.
Keywords: abiotic stress; biodiversity conservation; downy willow; Salix lapponum
How to cite
Arciszewski M., Pogorzelec M., 2026. Eutrophication as a risk factor in the active conservation of Salix lapponum in wetland habitats. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.P002