The influence of land use in the catchment area of small waterbodies on the quality of water and plant species composition

Land use significantly affects the function of waterbodies in landscape. Although there have been numerous studies on the influence of the catchment area on the trophic and ecological status of waterbodies, still is not reached an agreement on the width of the buffer zone that is necessary for effective protection of waterbodies. The aim of the study was to show whether small waterbodies are predominantly influenced by land use in the entire catchment area or only in the zone extending 100 or 200 m away from the shoreline. For two years the waters in six small waterbodies located in the Wielkopolska region (Poland) were analysed. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the influence of land use, especially agricultural land, was much greater within the zone extending 100 m from the shore line of the waterbodies than in the total catchment area. Therefore, it would be advisable to move the border of intensive farming areas beyond the entire 100-m-wide buffer zone, or at least to reduce the intensity of agriculture and to introduce diversified and perennial vegetation creating effective biogeochemical barriers.