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Effects of waterfowl, large fish and periphyton on the spring growth of Potamogeton pectinatus L. in Lake Mogan, Turkey

Sandsten, Håkan LU ; Beklioglu, M and Ince, O (2005) In Hydrobiologia 537(1-3). p.239-248
Abstract
It has been argued that waterfowl and fish may threaten growth of submerged macrophytes, especially in spring during the early growth phase when plant biomass is low. A small reduction of biomass at that time might delay growth or decrease subsequent productivity. We investigated the impact of waterfowl and large fish on the spring growth of fennel pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.) by employing an exclosure experiment in the macrophyte-dominated clear-water Lake Mogan, Turkey. Birds and large fish were excluded from eight plots and both in situ vegetation and macrophytes kept in pots were compared to eight open plots. Also, to investigate the effect of periphyton on plant growth it was removed from half of the pot plants. Exclusion of... (More)
It has been argued that waterfowl and fish may threaten growth of submerged macrophytes, especially in spring during the early growth phase when plant biomass is low. A small reduction of biomass at that time might delay growth or decrease subsequent productivity. We investigated the impact of waterfowl and large fish on the spring growth of fennel pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.) by employing an exclosure experiment in the macrophyte-dominated clear-water Lake Mogan, Turkey. Birds and large fish were excluded from eight plots and both in situ vegetation and macrophytes kept in pots were compared to eight open plots. Also, to investigate the effect of periphyton on plant growth it was removed from half of the pot plants. Exclusion of waterfowl and fish may decrease predation on macroinvertebrates, which in turn may affect periphyton, and macrophyte growth, why macroinvertebrates also were sampled. Waterfowl density was high (15-70 ind. of coot, Fulica atra L. ha(-1)), abundance of submerged plants was also high with a surface coverage of 70-80%, and benthivorous fish were present, mainly tench, (Tinca tinca L.) and carp, (Cyprinus carpio L.). Exclusion of waterfowl and large fish did not significantly affect the spring growth of pondweed; neither plants growing in situ nor kept in pots. Removal of periphyton from the plants in the pots did not favour growth. The density of macroinvertebrates was not affected by the exclusion of waterfowl and large fish, but it was positively related to aboveground biomass of fennel pondweed. We suggest that even if waterfowl and large fish are in high densities, their effect on fennel pondweed spring growth in lakes with abundant submerged vegetation, such as Lake Mogan, is low. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
submerged plants, coot, herbivory, alternative stable states
in
Hydrobiologia
volume
537
issue
1-3
pages
239 - 248
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000230589900022
  • scopus:20044375228
ISSN
0018-8158
DOI
10.1007/s10750-004-3077-2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Limnology (Closed 2011) (011007000)
id
ac8dd891-894e-4b2b-9e56-4678380aa57a (old id 232325)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:27:15
date last changed
2022-01-27 03:55:13
@article{ac8dd891-894e-4b2b-9e56-4678380aa57a,
  abstract     = {{It has been argued that waterfowl and fish may threaten growth of submerged macrophytes, especially in spring during the early growth phase when plant biomass is low. A small reduction of biomass at that time might delay growth or decrease subsequent productivity. We investigated the impact of waterfowl and large fish on the spring growth of fennel pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.) by employing an exclosure experiment in the macrophyte-dominated clear-water Lake Mogan, Turkey. Birds and large fish were excluded from eight plots and both in situ vegetation and macrophytes kept in pots were compared to eight open plots. Also, to investigate the effect of periphyton on plant growth it was removed from half of the pot plants. Exclusion of waterfowl and fish may decrease predation on macroinvertebrates, which in turn may affect periphyton, and macrophyte growth, why macroinvertebrates also were sampled. Waterfowl density was high (15-70 ind. of coot, Fulica atra L. ha(-1)), abundance of submerged plants was also high with a surface coverage of 70-80%, and benthivorous fish were present, mainly tench, (Tinca tinca L.) and carp, (Cyprinus carpio L.). Exclusion of waterfowl and large fish did not significantly affect the spring growth of pondweed; neither plants growing in situ nor kept in pots. Removal of periphyton from the plants in the pots did not favour growth. The density of macroinvertebrates was not affected by the exclusion of waterfowl and large fish, but it was positively related to aboveground biomass of fennel pondweed. We suggest that even if waterfowl and large fish are in high densities, their effect on fennel pondweed spring growth in lakes with abundant submerged vegetation, such as Lake Mogan, is low.}},
  author       = {{Sandsten, Håkan and Beklioglu, M and Ince, O}},
  issn         = {{0018-8158}},
  keywords     = {{submerged plants; coot; herbivory; alternative stable states}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-3}},
  pages        = {{239--248}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Hydrobiologia}},
  title        = {{Effects of waterfowl, large fish and periphyton on the spring growth of Potamogeton pectinatus L. in Lake Mogan, Turkey}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10750-004-3077-2}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10750-004-3077-2}},
  volume       = {{537}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}