The Structuring Role Of Submerged Macrophytes In Lakes

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. This book focuses on the remarkably diverse roles played by underwater plants, and is divided into three parts: 10 thematic chapters, followed by 18 case studies, and rounded off by three integrative chapters. The topics range from macrophytes as fish food to macrophytes as mollusc and microbe habitat, making this of interest to aquatic ecologists as well as limnologists, ecosystem ecologists, microbial ecologists, fish biologists, and environmental managers.

This volume comprises the proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Shallow Lakes, held at Dalfsen, The Netherlands, in June 2005. The theme of the symposium was Shallow Lakes in a Changing World, and it dealt with water-quality issues, such as changes in lake limnology, especially those driven by eutrophication and pollution, increased nutrient loading and productivity, perennial blooms of cyanobacteria and loss of biodiversity.

The nutrient dynamics and biological structure of shallow non-stratified lakes differ markedly from that of deep and stratified lakes: for example, the return of nutrients lost through sedimentation is faster and the potential importance of fish and submerged macrophytes as food-web regulators is greater. In addition shallow lakes are more easily influenced by fluctuations in the physical environment caused by wind disturbance, temperature change, etc. Although shallow lakes are often the most common lake type in lowland countries, less attention has been paid to them than to deep stratified lakes and few comparisons have been made between shallow freshwater and brackish lakes. The volume is divided into five main themes, each introduced by an invited speaker: Nutrient dynamics with special emphasis on sediment water interactions and changes in loading (Professor Lambertus Lyklema); Biological structure and trophic interaction (Professor Stephen T. Threlkeld); Submerged macrophytes: dynamics and role in the lake ecosystems (Ass. Professor Kaj Sand Jensen); Comparison of freshwater and brackish lake ecosystems (Professor Brian Moss); Modelling the impact of nutrients, the biological structure and the recovery process (Dr Marten Scheffer).

This book gives a broad and well-integrated overview of recent major scientific results in wetland science and their applications in natural resource management. After an introduction into the field, 12 chapters contributed by internationally known experts summarize the state of the art on a multitude of topics. The coverage is divided into three sections: Functioning of Plants and Animals in Wetlands; Conservation and Management of Wetlands; and Wetland Restoration and Creation.

Shallow lakes differ from deep ones in many aspects of nutrient dynamics, biotic structure and interactions of various trophic levels. Though very common in European lowlands, shallow lakes attract inadequate attention from research teams. This book aims at filling gaps in our knowledge of the processes which take place in non-stratified lakes. It contains proceedings from the international conference `Shallow Lakes *95' held in Mikolajki, Poland, on 20-26 August 1995. In more than 50 original papers up-to-date views on eutrophication, degradation and recovery of shallow lakes are presented. The first four sections of the book (Nutrient fluxes, Biotic structure, Trophic interactions and Whole lake studies) deal with theoretical aspects of lake functioning while the fifth (Biomanipulation, restoration and management) is devoted to practical measures undertaken to improve water quality in shallow lakes. The book is therefore addressed to university biologists and ecologists and PhD students, as well as to managers involved in restoration of shallow lakes.

It has been more than ten years since the last edition of the bestselling Restoration and Management of Lakes and Reservoirs. In that time, lake and reservoir management and restoration technologies have evolved and an enhanced version of this standard resource is long overdue. Completely revised and updated, the third edition continues the tradition of providing comprehensive coverage of the chemical, physical, and biological processes of eutrophication and its control. The authors describe the eutrophication process, outline methods for developing a pre-management and restoration diagnosis-feasibility study, and provide detailed descriptions of scientifically sound management and restoration methods. See what’s new in the Third Edition: • New chapters on aquatic plant ecology and management • Emphasis on freshwater availability • A regional framework for water quality attainment • Methods of lake and reservoir restoration and management • Updates or revisions to all other chapters The book features in-depth discussions of techniques used to manage eutrophication in standing water bodies, procedures for using these techniques, the principles involved, and successes and failures through a selection of case studies and cost analyses. Each chapter includes an introduction to the scientific basis of the problem, a description of the methods and procedures, and presents several case histories. Potential negative impacts and costs, where known, are described. A useful classroom text, reference manual, and general guide, this is the text against which all other resources in this field are measured.

At last both ecology and evolution are covered in this study on the dynamics of size-structured populations. How does natural selection shape growth patterns and life cycles of individuals, and hence the size-structure of populations? This book will stimulate biologists to look into some important and interesting biological problems from a new angle of approach, concerning: - life history evolution, - intraspecific competition and niche theory, - structure and dynamics of ecological communities.

This volume combines articles on shallow lakes from leading European scientists in limnology. It covers aspects of the dynamics of macrophytes, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos, nutrient loading, littoral-pelagic interactions, and sediment-water interactions, as well as lake management. The object was not to separate theory (e.g. modelling) and management in order to generate new theories for the understanding of shallow lake ecosystems. The volume provides a comprehensive overview of the ecology of shallow lakes, a lake type which differs in prominent ways from deeper lakes. The broad spectrum of issues may also reflect the spectrum of interested readers such as limnologists, water engineers, hydrobiologists, who will be informed on a high level about new developments.