Silicon accumulation mitigates the effects of abiotic stress, and many studies have shown that its accumulation in plants is beneficial for plant growth and development. However, the dynamic of Si uptake in plants is poorly understood due to the complexity of all the effects on Si uptake. The aim of our research was to examine how soil characteristics at three different stands on Lake Cerknica affect Si availability for common reed (Phragmites australis) and its effects on the characteristics of common reed. We found that the amount of available Si, and hence the uptake of Si by plants, differed according to the amount of water in the soil when marsh stand was removed from the analyses - in this case the amount of water in the soil and the amount of available Si were in the soil positively correlated. The amount of water in the soil and the amount of available Si in the soil were higher on riparian stands than on littoral stands. Differences in the amount of available Si in soil are partly dependent on soil characteristics, but other factors such as mowing may also influence the amount of available Si in soil. Available soil Si was positively correlated with total soil Si, soil pH, soil P2O5, soil K2O, soil Al and soil K, and negatively correlated with soil organic matter content, soil N content and soil Pb content. The amount of available Si was positively correlated with leaf Si, leaf chlorophyll a, leaf chlorophyll b, leaf Fe and stem dry biomass. To interpret the results more reliably, more sample units from each site could be included in the survey. The survey could also be extended to include other plant parts of common reed, besides the leaves in the laboratory analyses. It would also be worthwhile to investigate the effect of mowing on soil properties and thus on the amount of available Si in the soil.
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