Differences in hyporheic water exchange in habitats of different aquatic Ranunculus species – case study in Poland

Abstract Hyporheic water exchange driven by groundwater-surface water interactions constitutes habitat conditions for aquatic biota. In our study we conducted field-research-based analysis of hyporheic water exchange to reveal whether the hyporheic water exchange differentiates particular Ranunculus sp. habitats. We measured the density of stream filtration and vertical gradients of water residing in the hyporheic zone. We revealed that R. peltatus and R . penicillatus persist in habitats of considerably higher hyporheic water exchange draining flux (respectively 0.0852 m 3 /d/m 2 and 0.0952 m 3 /d/m 2 ) than R. circinatus, R. fluitans and a hybrid of R. circinatus x R. fluitans (respectively 0.0568 m 3 /d/m 2 ; 0.0222 m 3 /d/m 2 and 0.0717 m 3 /d/m 2 ). Presented results can be used as an indicator of aquatic habitats suitability in the case of protection and management of ecosystems settled by Ranunculus sp.