AQUATIC PLANT MAPPING CRYSTAL LAKE, BENZIE CO.

AQUATIC PLANT MAPPING CRYSTAL LAKE, BENZIE CO.

AQUATIC PLANT MAPPING
CRYSTAL LAKE, BENZIE CO.
(A Summary of Aquatic Macrophyte Studies)
Emily Baker, Molly Walton,
Elizabeth Hill, Jim Laarman, Ron Renner, Stacy L. Daniels
Crystal Lake & Watershed Association
4th Annual MiCorps Conference
Ralph A. MacMullen Conference Center
Higgins Lake, MI October 2008
Crystal Lake Watershed
Cooperative Lakes Monitoring
Program (CLMP)
• Partnership between Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Michigan Lake
and Stream Associations (ML&SA) as reported by
Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) volunteer
surface water monitoring network.
• Created to help local volunteers monitor indicator
parameters of water quality and document changes
in lake quality over time.
• Parameters: Secchi Disk Transparency, Total
Phosphorus, Chlorophyll a, Dissolved Oxygen, and
Aquatic Plants.
Aquatic Macrophytes
• Emergent plants: rooted to bottom with stems or
leaves that rise well above the water surface.
• Floating-leafed plants: roots on the bottom and
leaves that rest on, or slightly above, the surface.
• Submergent plants: all or most leaves and stems
below water; rooted to the bottom or free-floating.
• Free-floating plants: found on the lake surface,
with root systems not connected to the bottom.
• Natural and essential parts of a lake.
• Hold sediments, reduce erosion, stabilize bottom.
• Provide habitat for fish and forage for waterfowl.
• Plants increase as nutrients increase.
• Rarely a problem in oligotrophic lakes.
Aquatic Plant Mapping
• Need to know
– what plant species are present.
– relative abundance and location.
• A plant map aids management projects.
• Participants trained by MLSA to monitor exotic
and native plants with professional oversight.
• Aquatic plants in Crystal Lake:
– Early botanical surveys (late 1800’s).
– Fish surveys (1940+).
– Water quality surveys (1969+).
– Plant surveys: 1978, 1988, 1996, 2002, 2008.
Key:
08/01/08 Water Quality
08/14/08 Practice Sampling
08/18/08 Official Sampling
Aquatic Macrophytes 2008
Materials & Methods
Sample collection and mapping were
compromised by lake size:
- littoral zone perimeter 20.838 miles
- depth of most weed beds > 20 feet
- frequent high winds (“white caps”)
Additional considerations:
- Secchi disk transparency 25 feet
- Total phosphorus 5-6 ug/L
- Historic drawdown of lake level
- Limited public access points
Specimen preparation and identification
protocols were standard (*).
Equipment included: collection trays,
magnifying lenses, “weed rake” (right).
(*) Wandell, H., and Wolfson, L., A Citizen’s Guide for the Identification, Mapping, and Management of the
Common Rooted Aquatic Plants of Michigan Lakes, MSU Extension Water Quality Series WQ-55, 2000.
Interns in Action
Emily Baker
Molly Walton
Aquatic Macrophytes (1996)
A 1dp,10b; B 1b,3b,5b; C 1d,3d,6b,5b; D 1dp,3d,6b,5b; E 1b,3c,7f; F 1d,7dp;
G 4a; H 1dp,3b,4dp,6dp,7dp; I 3b,4dp,6dp,7dp; J 1b,4c,5b; K 1d,7dp, 10b; L 1dp
1 Eurasian watermilfoil; 2 Curly-leaf Pondweed; 3 Chara; 4 Whitestem Pondweed, 5 Thin-leaf Pondweed;
6 Wild Celery; 7 Floating-leaf Pondweed; 8 Naiad; 9 Elodea; 10 Variable Pondweed
a present; b sparse; c common; d dense; p patchy.
Common Name
Scientific Name
Bladderwort
Bladderwort
Bulrush, American
Bulrush, hard-stem
Bulrush, three-square
Bushy Pondweed
Calamus
Cattail, broadleaf
Celery, Wild
Club Moss
Coontail
Elodea (American)
Horsetail
Lily, Pond
Lily, White Water
Muskgrass (Stonewort)
Pondweed
Pondweed
Pondweed
Pondweed, curly-leafed
Pondweed, floating-leaf
Pondweed, Fries
Pondweed, Illinois
Pondweed, large-leaf
Pondweed, sago
Pondweed, thin leaved
Pondweed, variable-leaf
Pondweed, white-stemmed
Reed, Common
Rock Sandwort
Rush
Rush, Baltic
Rush, spike
Rush, twig
Sedge
Sedge
Smith's Oat
Water Star Grass
Watermilfoil, Eurasian
Watermilfoil, Northern
References
Utricullaria sp
Utricullaria vulgaris, and U. minor
Scirpus americanus
Scirpus acutus var. occidentalis
Scirpus pungens
Naias flexilis
Acorus calamus
Typha latifolia
Vallisneria americana
Lycopodium (Potamogeton?) lucidulum
Certophyllum demersum
Elodea canadensis
Equisetum sp.
Nuphar variegata
Nymphaea odorata
Chara frailis; Chara spp.
Potamogeton gramnifolius v. myriophyllus
Potomogeton filiformis (marinus?)
Potamogeton sp.
Potamogeton crispus
Potamogeton natans
Potamogeton friesii
Potamogeton illinoensis
Potamogeton amplifolius
Potomogeton pectinatus
Potamogeton sp.
Potamogeton gramineus (perfoliatus)
Potamogeton praelongus
Phragmites australis
Arenaria stricta
Juncus sp.
Juncus balticus var. littoralis
Eleocharis compressa
Cladium mariscoides
Carex substricta
Carex spp.
Avena Smithii Porter
Heteranthera dubia
Myriophyllum spicatum
Myriophyllum sibericum
1892
1940
1970
X
X
X
X
1978
1988
X
X
X
X
X
1996
2002
X
X
2008
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X?
X
X
X
X?
X
(1)
(2)
(3)
X?
X?
(4)
X
(5)
(6)
X
(7)
X
X
(8)
References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Beal, William James, 1833-1924, Michigan Flora, R. Smith & Co., Lansing,
1892, 180pp.
Brown, C.J.D., and Funk, John, Fisheries Survey of Crystal Lake, Benzie
County, MDNR, IFR, Fisheries Research Report No. 629, IFR, Ann Arbor, MI,
Nov. 7, 1940, 18pp.
Gannon, John J., et al., Final Report, Crystal Lake Water Quality Investigation,
May 1, 1969 - February 28, 1970, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,
March 1970, 239pp.
Tanis, Fred J., (Assisted by Walter F. Kramer and Stacy L. Daniels), Final
Summary Report on Crystal Lake Water Quality Study, February 1978, 65pp.
Hazlett, Brian T., The Aquatic Vegetation and Flora of Sleeping Bear Dunes
National Lakeshore, Benzie and Leelanau Counties, MI, UMBS Tech. Rep. No.
15, Nov. 1988, 66 pp. (Round Lake)
Pullman, Doug (Aquest, Inc.), A Study of Aquatic Macrophytes in Crystal Lake,
Benzie Co., MI, Crystal Lake Watershed Fund, Inc., 1996.
Whitman, Richard L., et al., Status and Trends of Selected Inland Lakes of the
Great Lakes Cluster National Parks, Interagency Agreement
#14431A603097017, 2002, 310 pp. (Round Lake)
This study, 2008.
Conclusions
• Plants found in earlier surveys are present.
• Local populations may have changed slightly.
• Eurasian Watermilfoil (an invasive) is not
widespread and limited to near the Cold
Creek outflow. It is not an immediate threat.
• A follow-up study is recommended, with more
samplings, and more quantitative mapping.
Acknowledgements
The 2008 water quality monitoring program, including the
sampling and mapping of aquatic macrophytes, was a
cooperative effort by the following individuals:
• Emily Baker, Molly Walton, CLWA 2008 Summer Interns
• Elizabeth Hill, Jim Laarman, Ron Renner, Stacy Daniels,
CLWA Board members and volunteers.
• Kyle Axtell, Benzie Conservation District
• Jo Latimore, MSU Lake and Stream Outreach Specialist.
Crystal Lake & Watershed Association
231/882-4001 [email protected] www.CLWA.us
P.O. Box 89 Beulah, MI 49617