초록
In order to identify the habitat characteristics of water shield (Brasenia schreberi), water quality and sediment characters were investigated. Water shield had peculial habitats such as old reservoir, developed basin-like reservior, a water depth within 1.5 m, constant water level, and thick sediment layer at the bottom. The species had very dense populations under the favorable growing conditions and occasionally grew together with Utricularia japonica. When water shield decreased, Nelumbo nucifera, Nuphar japonicum and Zizania latifolia increased. Natural populations of water shield need protection because it is endangered by the human activities and their harvest. The optimal conditions for the growth of water shield was near neutral pH. low conductivity and low turbidity. Therefore the input of pollutants should be controlled for its growth. The inorganic ion contents such as K, Mg, and Na were higher in the water shield growing area. Especially iron content of the sediments in the reservoirs with water shield was nearly five times as high as that in the reservoirs without water shield. thus iron might be one of the major limiting factors for the growth. It was considered that molybdenum can be another major factor because water shield is a nitrogen fixing plant.