ARS | Publication request: Evaluating the feasibility of planting aquatic plants for habitat restoration in shallow Mississippi lakes

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 24, 2007
Publication Date: July 16, 2007
Citation: Eric D. Dibble, and Peter C. Smiley, Jr. 2007. Evaluating the feasibility of planting aquatic plants for habitat restoration in shallow Mississippi Lakes. 47th Annual Meeting of the Aquatic Plant Management Society, Session II: Management and Ecology of Nuisance and Invasive Plants. p. 18.

Technical Abstract: Planting aquatic plants is a technique used to restore native aquatic plant communities in lakes lacking aquatic plants. However, the feasibility of using this restoration technique in Mississippi lakes has not been evaluated. We conducted two exclosure experiments to evaluate the success of planting aquatic plants in a shallow Mississippi lake. We planted four emergent plant species in experiment 1 and four submersed plant species in experiment 2. Each experiment contained a control treatment in which no aquatic plants were planted. We measured physico-chemical characteristics of soil and water and monitored aquatic plants in each exclosure. No differences in mean soil and water parameters were observed among planting treatments in both experiments. The square-stem spike rush and arrowhead exhibited the greatest mean percent cover and the lowest probably of extinction in experiment 1. Additionally, the blunt spike rush and square-stem spike rush had the greatest mean stem density in experiment 1. Only mean percent cover differed among planting treatments in experiment 2, and the fragrant water lily exhibited a greater mean percent cover than the control. Our results suggest that the square-stem spike rush and fragrant water lily may be the best candidate species to plant in shallow Mississippi lakes.