Preliminary evidence of an endangered species benefiting from moderate climate warming: A palaeolimnological study of the charophyte <i>Lychnothamnus barbatus</i>

In a time of rapid environmental changes, identification the effects climate warming on charophytes (Characeae, Charophyta) will enable optimization conservation measures, especially for extremely rare species. Lychnothamnus barbatus is one rarest worldwide, which has decreased in number occupied sites over last century. However, recolonization former been observed recent years (e.g. Lake Kuźnickie, Poland). The study aimed to analyse climatic changes and human pressure L. population. Three 30 cm sediment cores were collected from minimum, average, maximum depths occurrence determine past vegetation composition. Sediment dated using radioisotopes lead-210, caesium-137, carbon-14. A spatial analysis lake catchment during 120 was also conducted. demonstrated presence Kuźnickie at beginning 16th sharp increase proportion this species community occurred 19th century end Little Ice Age. Factors that significantly influenced present population included improvement water quality oospore bank deposited bottom sediments. This first palaeoreconstruction modern dominated by barbatus. Based history after Age, positive effect contemporary recovery charophyte postulated. reaction appears differ commonly accepted scenarios aquatic macrophytes because its coincided with increases air temperature. research indicated appropriate management practices lakes populations.