Relationships Between Fish and Aquatic Plants: A Plan of Study
Abstract
This report describes a proposed new technology area in the Aquatic Plant Control Research Program on fish/plant interactions. A plan of study (POS) is presented based on a comprehensive literature review of relationships between fish and aquatic plants, and input from two workshops held with State, Federal, and university researchers. The POS discusses the need for future research according to deficiencies in the literature and serves as a basis for prioritizing and designing studies on fish/plant interactions in different geographic regions of the United States. The purpose of the first two work units (Classification of Aquatic Plant Habitats for Fish; and Fish Distribution, Diversity, and Abundance in Vegetated Habitats) is to describe species composition and abundance of fishes associated with specific aquatic plant habitats. Once the habitat classification is completed, studies will be initiated to evaluate why fishes use specific plant habitats. This question addresses functional use of habitats by fishes and will include work units on reproduction, feeding, and growth. The functional value of plants to fishes is an essential element in understanding the complex interactions of biotic and abiotic factors that regulate population maintenance and community structure of fishes. The last work unit on management strategies will interrelate the results of the descriptive and functional studies to determine how aquatic plants should be managed for fish. Demonstration sites will be selected, and different management strategies will be applied.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA272572
Entities
People
- Eric D. Dibble
- J. J. Hoover
- K. Jack Killgore