Ebook: The Structuring Role of Submerged Macrophytes in Lakes

Submerged macrophytes have been the object of intensive research, and a large body of literature exists on their growth, reproduction, and physiology. Several studies have focused on the interactions between submerged macrophytes and other autotrophic components and the impact of the plants on the dynamics of nutrients, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, oxygen, and pH. Comparatively few studies have dealt with the ability of submerged macrophytes to modulate the structure and dynamics of pelagic and benthic food webs. Recently, however, the amount of research into the structuring role of submerged macrophytes in food webs has markedly increased, and the results obtained so far suggest that sub­ merged macrophytes are of significant importance for the food web interactions and environmental quality of lakes, even at relatively low areal plant coverage. For example, plants affect the interactions between predacious, planktivorous, and benthivorous fish and between fish and invertebrates, including key organisms such as large zooplankton and snails. Changes in these interactions in turn may have cascading effects on the entire food web in both the pelagial and the littoral zone. To provide a forum for discussion of recent results in this growing field of research and to define future research needs, a workshop was held on 16 to 20 June, 1996, at the Freshwater Centre in Silkeborg, Denmark. The present book is a result of the workshop. It is divided into three parts.

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The rapid growth of the discipline of aquatic ecology has been driven both by scientific interest in the complexities of aquatic ecosystems and by their enormous environmental importance and sensitivity. The Structuring Role of Submerged Macrophytes in Lakes focuses on the remarkably diverse roles played by underwater plants. The book is divided into three parts: 10 thematic chapters, followed by 18 case studies, concluded by three integrative chapters. The topics range from macrophytes as fish food to macrophytes as mollusk and microbe habitat. The consistent theme is the structuring role of plants in lakes. The book will be of interest to aquatic ecologists as well as limnologists, ecosystem ecologists, microbial ecologists, fish biologists, and environmental managers with responsibilities that include lakes.

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The rapid growth of the discipline of aquatic ecology has been driven both by scientific interest in the complexities of aquatic ecosystems and by their enormous environmental importance and sensitivity. The Structuring Role of Submerged Macrophytes in Lakes focuses on the remarkably diverse roles played by underwater plants. The book is divided into three parts: 10 thematic chapters, followed by 18 case studies, concluded by three integrative chapters. The topics range from macrophytes as fish food to macrophytes as mollusk and microbe habitat. The consistent theme is the structuring role of plants in lakes. The book will be of interest to aquatic ecologists as well as limnologists, ecosystem ecologists, microbial ecologists, fish biologists, and environmental managers with responsibilities that include lakes.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xix
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Fish-Habitat Interactions Mediated via Ontogenetic Niche Shifts....Pages 3-23
Influence of Submerged Macrophytes on Trophic Interactions Among Fish and Macroinvertebrates....Pages 24-46
Complex Fish-Snail-Epiphyton Interactions and Their Effects on Submerged Freshwater Macrophytes....Pages 47-68
Interactions between Periphyton, Nonmolluscan Invertebrates, and Fish in Standing Freshwaters....Pages 69-90
Impact of Submerged Macrophytes on Fish-Zooplankton Interactions in Lakes....Pages 91-114
Impact of Submerged Macrophytes on Phytoplankton in Shallow Freshwater Lakes....Pages 115-132
Role of Submerged Macrophytes for the Microbial Community and Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Aquatic Ecosystems....Pages 133-148
Impact of Herbivory on Plant Standing Crop: Comparisons Among Biomes, Between Vascular and Nonvascular Plants, and Among Freshwater Herbivore Taxa....Pages 149-174
Interactions Between Grazing Birds and Macrophytes....Pages 175-196
Effects of Submerged Aquatic Macrophytes on Nutrient Dynamics, Sedimentation, and Resuspension....Pages 197-214
Front Matter....Pages 215-215
Macrophyte Structure and Growth of Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus): Design of a Multilake Experiment....Pages 217-226
Vertical Distribution of In-Benthos in Relation to Fish and Floating-Leaved Macrophyte Populations....Pages 227-232
Horizontal Migration of Zooplankton: Predator-Mediated Use of Macrophyte Habitat....Pages 233-239
Changing Perspectives on Food Web Interactions in Lake Littoral Zones....Pages 240-249
Bacterioplankton and Carbon Turnover in a Dense Macrophyte Canopy....Pages 250-261
Cascading Effects on Microbial Food Web Structure in a Dense Macrophyte Bed....Pages 262-273
Abundance, Size, and Growth of Heterotrophic Nanoflagellates in Eutrophic Lakes with Contrasting Daphnia and Macrophyte Densities....Pages 274-281
What Do Herbivore Exclusion Experiments Tell Us? An Investigation Using Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) and Filamentous Algae in a Shallow Lake....Pages 282-289
Switches Between Clear and Turbid Water States in a Biomanipulated Lake (1986–1996): The Role of Herbivory on Macrophytes....Pages 290-297
Macrophyte-Waterfowl Interactions: Tracking a Variable Resource and the Impact of Herbivory on Plant Growth....Pages 298-306
Front Matter....Pages 215-215
Influence of Macrophyte Structure, Nutritive Value, and Chemistry on the Feeding Choices of a Generalist Crayfish....Pages 307-317
Concordance of Phosphorus Limitation in Lakes: Bacterioplankton, Phytoplankton, Epiphyte-Snail Consumers, and Rooted Macrophytes....Pages 318-325
Sources of Organic Carbon in the Food Webs of Two Florida Lakes Indicated by Stable Isotopes....Pages 326-330
Importance of Physical Structures in Lakes: The Case of Lake Kinneret and General Implications....Pages 331-338
Clear Water Associated with a Dense Chara Vegetation in the Shallow and Turbid Lake Veluwemeer, The Netherlands....Pages 339-352
Alternative Stable States in Shallow Lakes: What Causes a Shift?....Pages 353-360
Clear and Turbid Water in Shallow Norwegian Lakes Related to Submerged Vegetation....Pages 361-368
Macrophytes and Turbidity in Brackish Lakes with Special Emphasis on the Role of Top-Down Control....Pages 369-377
Front Matter....Pages 379-379
Structuring Role of Macrophytes in Lakes: Changing Influence Along Lake Size and Depth Gradients....Pages 381-392
Nutrient-Loading Gradient in Shallow Lakes: Report of the Group Discussion....Pages 393-396
Alternative Stable States....Pages 397-406
Back Matter....Pages 407-427

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The rapid growth of the discipline of aquatic ecology has been driven both by scientific interest in the complexities of aquatic ecosystems and by their enormous environmental importance and sensitivity. The Structuring Role of Submerged Macrophytes in Lakes focuses on the remarkably diverse roles played by underwater plants. The book is divided into three parts: 10 thematic chapters, followed by 18 case studies, concluded by three integrative chapters. The topics range from macrophytes as fish food to macrophytes as mollusk and microbe habitat. The consistent theme is the structuring role of plants in lakes. The book will be of interest to aquatic ecologists as well as limnologists, ecosystem ecologists, microbial ecologists, fish biologists, and environmental managers with responsibilities that include lakes.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xix
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Fish-Habitat Interactions Mediated via Ontogenetic Niche Shifts....Pages 3-23
Influence of Submerged Macrophytes on Trophic Interactions Among Fish and Macroinvertebrates....Pages 24-46
Complex Fish-Snail-Epiphyton Interactions and Their Effects on Submerged Freshwater Macrophytes....Pages 47-68
Interactions between Periphyton, Nonmolluscan Invertebrates, and Fish in Standing Freshwaters....Pages 69-90
Impact of Submerged Macrophytes on Fish-Zooplankton Interactions in Lakes....Pages 91-114
Impact of Submerged Macrophytes on Phytoplankton in Shallow Freshwater Lakes....Pages 115-132
Role of Submerged Macrophytes for the Microbial Community and Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Aquatic Ecosystems....Pages 133-148
Impact of Herbivory on Plant Standing Crop: Comparisons Among Biomes, Between Vascular and Nonvascular Plants, and Among Freshwater Herbivore Taxa....Pages 149-174
Interactions Between Grazing Birds and Macrophytes....Pages 175-196
Effects of Submerged Aquatic Macrophytes on Nutrient Dynamics, Sedimentation, and Resuspension....Pages 197-214
Front Matter....Pages 215-215
Macrophyte Structure and Growth of Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus): Design of a Multilake Experiment....Pages 217-226
Vertical Distribution of In-Benthos in Relation to Fish and Floating-Leaved Macrophyte Populations....Pages 227-232
Horizontal Migration of Zooplankton: Predator-Mediated Use of Macrophyte Habitat....Pages 233-239
Changing Perspectives on Food Web Interactions in Lake Littoral Zones....Pages 240-249
Bacterioplankton and Carbon Turnover in a Dense Macrophyte Canopy....Pages 250-261
Cascading Effects on Microbial Food Web Structure in a Dense Macrophyte Bed....Pages 262-273
Abundance, Size, and Growth of Heterotrophic Nanoflagellates in Eutrophic Lakes with Contrasting Daphnia and Macrophyte Densities....Pages 274-281
What Do Herbivore Exclusion Experiments Tell Us? An Investigation Using Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) and Filamentous Algae in a Shallow Lake....Pages 282-289
Switches Between Clear and Turbid Water States in a Biomanipulated Lake (1986–1996): The Role of Herbivory on Macrophytes....Pages 290-297
Macrophyte-Waterfowl Interactions: Tracking a Variable Resource and the Impact of Herbivory on Plant Growth....Pages 298-306
Front Matter....Pages 215-215
Influence of Macrophyte Structure, Nutritive Value, and Chemistry on the Feeding Choices of a Generalist Crayfish....Pages 307-317
Concordance of Phosphorus Limitation in Lakes: Bacterioplankton, Phytoplankton, Epiphyte-Snail Consumers, and Rooted Macrophytes....Pages 318-325
Sources of Organic Carbon in the Food Webs of Two Florida Lakes Indicated by Stable Isotopes....Pages 326-330
Importance of Physical Structures in Lakes: The Case of Lake Kinneret and General Implications....Pages 331-338
Clear Water Associated with a Dense Chara Vegetation in the Shallow and Turbid Lake Veluwemeer, The Netherlands....Pages 339-352
Alternative Stable States in Shallow Lakes: What Causes a Shift?....Pages 353-360
Clear and Turbid Water in Shallow Norwegian Lakes Related to Submerged Vegetation....Pages 361-368
Macrophytes and Turbidity in Brackish Lakes with Special Emphasis on the Role of Top-Down Control....Pages 369-377
Front Matter....Pages 379-379
Structuring Role of Macrophytes in Lakes: Changing Influence Along Lake Size and Depth Gradients....Pages 381-392
Nutrient-Loading Gradient in Shallow Lakes: Report of the Group Discussion....Pages 393-396
Alternative Stable States....Pages 397-406
Back Matter....Pages 407-427
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