Managed water levels and the expansion of emergent vegetation along a lakeshore |
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| Authors: | Hugo Coops J Theo Vulink Egbert H van Nes |
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| Institution: | 1Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment (RIZA), Lelystad, The Netherlands;2Wageningen Agricultural University, Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality, Wageningen, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | Water-level fluctuations may be used to promote the expansion of emergent vegetation along lakeshores. We present the case of the lake Volkerak-Zoommeer in the Netherlands, a fresh-water lake created in 1987 after the enclosure of an estuary. Using an experimental area in which the water level could be manipulated, it was shown that partial summer drawdown of the shoreline created suitable conditions for germination and growth of tall emergent species (in particular Phragmites australis). Plant survival and growth depended on subsequent water-level fluctuations and grazing by waterbirds. Based on the experiment and empirical data, a model was developed to predict the effects of the water-level regime on potential reed bed development. The model was applied for four hydrological scenarios that have been considered for the water-level management of the lake. |
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| Keywords: | Helophytes lakeshores model Phragmites australis reedbelts Volkerak-Zoommeer water-level fluctuations |
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