The Floristic Composition of Irrigation Ponds and Water Reservoirs in Albania after the Long Persistent Drought of 2016–2017

The occurrence of temporary wetland habitats was once frequent in Europe, especially in the Mediterranean region, but attenuating nowadays. The role of anthropogenic aquatic habitats (such as irrigation ponds) in biodiversity and nature conservation has recently become more important. Small irrigation ponds and greater water reservoirs are common parts of the landscape in Albania. The persistent drought of 2016–2017 allowed us to explore the floristic diversity of the beds of dried irrigation ponds and reservoirs. The timing of the field survey was early autumn based on knowledge of the expected appearance of mud vegetation. We recorded the physical parameters of the ponds (location, altitude, the slope angle of the embankment, and bedrock). The cover of each species, water surface, and mud has been estimated by circuiting the whole reservoir. Altogether 129 ponds and reservoirs were studied, more than 3400 new floristic records referring to 324 vascular plant species (of which 35 are adventive) were recorded. Most of the dried irrigation ponds were rather sparsely colonized. Irrigation ponds can serve as a refuge for plants that are connected to wet habitats, but grazing and manuring in and around them can be a threat by promoting the spread of invasive and nitrophilous plants.