SMINAIRE EUROPEN EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM

Gestion et conservation des ceintures de vgtation lacustre Management and conservation of Lake littoral vegetation
23,24 and 25 october 2002

impact of the water-level regime on lake and reedbed ecosystems and how it helps restoring wetlands
Hugo Coops

Reviewing the role of water-level fluctuations 1. Emergent vegetation development under seasonal vs multiannual WLFs 2. Effects of WLFs on submerged vegetation 3. Trophic relationships in shallow lakes 4. Lake management

Fluctuating water level

Stabilised water level

- Exchange of nutrients, organic matter, organisms between reed and open water - Stable morphology, natural shoreline protection - Vegetative expansion - Cyclic rejuvenation of reed

- Litter accumulation - Reduced reed vitality and competition, habitat loss - Erosion - Reduced vegetative expansion - No rejuvenation of reed

Water-level fluctuation is essential for development and functioning of emergent vegetation

Cyclic Rejuvenation:Prairie marsh dynamics

Oostvaardersplassen (the Netherlands)

Reed growth depends on drawdown timing 1st season

Submerged vegetation
WLF-dependent: -Water-depth, underwater light -Probability of drawdown (desiccation) -Exposure to water motion (waves) -Grazing (herbivorous water birds) Ecosystem impact of submerged vegetation: -Nutrient concentration -Underwater light climate -Biodiversity

Water depth
Transparency (m S.d.)
1.50 1.50 1.50

1.00

1.00

1.00

0.50 0 1 2 3

0.50 0 1 2 3

0.50 4 0 1 2 3 4

Water depth (m)

Potamogeton pectinatus

Potamogeton perfoliatus

Chara

voorkeursdiepte of three herbivore species Foraging depth en verdeling kranswier

in relation to Chara-distribution
1 0,9 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

% % maximum vogels of total number

waterhoogte (cm) (gem. rel. to winter level) water depth (cm Peil sept-apr bij kranswier)
Chara Kranswier Mute swan Knobbelzwaan Pintail Pijlstaart Teal Wintertaling

biomassa kranswier Chara biomass

Conservation values: water birds

Waterstand enMallard Wilde Eend presentie

4500 4000 3500 presentie of Mallards number Wilde Eend 3000 2500 -10 2000 1500 1000 500 0 1-sep-99 -30 -40 26-apr-00 -20 presentie Wilde Eend waterstand 10 0 20

6-okt-99

10-nov-99

16-dec-99

19-jan-00

23-feb-00

waterstand (NAP) Water level (cm ASL)

Macrophytes and clear water Feedback mechanisms: 1. Prevention of resuspension 2. Nutrient immobilisation 3. Refugium for planktonic grazers 4. Allelopathic substances 5. Effects on fish community

+
Suspended sediment

Turbidity

+
Mussels

Algae

Water depth

Nutrients

- -

Vegetation
Waves

+
Allelopathic compounds

Fishes

Zooplankton

Benthivorous fish: Bream (Abramis brama)

Biomanipulation

+ Suspended sediment + + Water depth

Turbidity

+ Mussels

Algae

Waves

Vegetation +

Nutrients +

Allelopathic compounds

Fishes

Zooplankton

Horizontal migration of zooplankton in Veluwemeer At nighttime into the open lake (A) At daytime inside vegetation (E)

+
Suspended sediment

Turbidity

+
Mussels

+
Water depth

Algae

Waves Fishes

Nutrients

Vegetation

Allelopathic compounds

Zooplankton

P-inflow

vegetation

P-lake

Water-level fluctuations
filter-feeders

algae

resuspended sediments

turbidity

Pike biomass in lakes is related to the area of inundated emergent vegetation

kg northern pike / ha 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 % vegetated area

0 Water levels Frysln

1876
-0.5

1976

-1.0

Frysln

1875

Nutrient management

Water-level management

P-inflow
(emergent) vegetation (submerged) vegetation

Fisheries management

P-lake

filter-feeders (mussels)

algae

filter-feeders (zooplankton)

resuspended sediments

turbidity

resuspended sediments

Increased seasonal water level variation

+
vegetation P-lake algae P-inflow

turbidity
RIZA Ecology Dept

Episodic water level recession P-inflow

++
vegetation

P-lake

algae

turbidity
RIZA Ecology Dept

resuspended sediments

Blooming blue-green algae

Water management vs. nature conservation

Water storage and retention polders

Present-days water-level management

Restricted range of fluctuation: -Safety against flooding -Drainage and water supply for agriculture -Requirements for navigation Emerging issues in the 1990s: -record precipitation -record river floods, -evidence of rising sea level and land subsidence -peat oxidation due to drainage -desiccation of nature reserves -reed decline

Restoration of natural water-level regime

Conservation of biodiversity Water management objectives Cost vs. benefit Paradigm shift:

fighting against the water

living with water