6. Antioxidative Response of Water Macrophytes to Changes in the Living Environment During Vegetation Season: An Experimental Study

The study investigated the changes in the antioxidative metabolism of the aquatic macrophytes (Phragmites communis Trin., Utricularia vulgaris L. and Salvinia natans (L.) All.) in the area of the Bardača ponds in order to determine the response of plants to different conditions in the living environment during one growing period (May–October). The studies included physicochemical analysis of water and determination of the activity of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase in the leaves of Phragmites communis Trin., Utricularia vulgaris L. and Salvinia natans (L.) All. The obtained results showed increased activity of peroxidase, catalase and polyphenol oxidase and decreased activity of ascorbate peroxidase with senescence in all three plant species. Changes in enzyme activity during the season did not show the same trend and varied significantly in relation to the investigated species. Also, it is important to emphasize that the investigations of antioxidative metabolism of selected plant species are among the first to be made in natural conditions and showed that the aquatic macrophytes represent good bioindicators of the aquatic habitat.