managing aquatic vegetation for waterfowl (& wading birds) · reasons for aquatic vegetation...
TRANSCRIPT
Todd Sink, Ph.D.Associate Professor and Aquaculture Extension Specialist
Department of Range, Wildlife, and Fisheries ManagementTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Improving Lives. Improving Texas.
Managing Aquatic Vegetation for Waterfowl
(& Wading Birds)
Aquatic Vegetation Misconceptions
• No management DOES NOT = good management
• Uncontrolled aquatic vegetation growth is not good• Ponds are manmade environments
• Invasive vegetation needs control• Invasive NOT = non-native
• Herbicides are not bad, they are a tool
Reasons for Aquatic Vegetation Management
• Reduce water loss – evapotranspiration• Cattails increase water loss by 75-80%
• Reduce breeding habitat for noxious insects – mosquitoes, midges, etc.• West Nile, Zika, equine encephalitis, etc.
• Improve fish & wildlife habitat • Increase size & condition of fish, wildlife food
• Too much inhibits food capture fish/birds
• Enhances recreational activities
Aquatic Vegetation Management◦ AquaPlant Website - http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/
Why does aquatic vegetation become a problem in small impoundments?
• What do plants need for growth?– Water– Sunlight– Nutrients
• Ponds are nutrient sinks – accumulate nutrients from watershed & groundwater over time!
• Healthy balance: 10-15% coverage
Why are aquatic plants so proliferative?
• Propagate by:– Seeds
– Fragments
– Roots
– Vegetative offshoots
• Tolerate flooding & drought
Aquatic Plants• First critical step….
• Identification• Algae - primitive, non-seed bearing plants &
no roots, stems, or true leaves
• Floating - all parts of plant floats
• Submerged - mostly underwater, rooted with flaccid stems
• Emergent - stiff or rigid stems with parts standing above the surface
Algae• Planktonic - microscopic floating• Filamentous - stringy or hair-like• Macro-algae (look like plants)
• Chara• Nitella
Filamentous algae Hinders recreational activitiesBirds, fish, wildlife do not eat, does not produce foodChelated copper complexes or copper sulfate plus diquat
Chara – skunk grassConsumed by many species of ducksProduce many invertebratesPropagation – pick up whole plant & transfer
Floating Plants• Best for waterfowl
• Duckweeds• Watermeal• Mosquito fern (Azolla)
Duckweed & Watermeal• Reason duckweed called “duck”weed• Can become extremely problematic small, still ponds• Many “invasive” native & non-native species• Propagation – pick up & place in new water
Azolla or Mosquito Fern• Extremely high protein, rich in vitamins• Many species of waterfowl and wildlife like to eat
Submerged Plants• American pondweed• Illinois Pondweed• Variable-leaf
Pondweed• Coontail• Eelgrass• Widgeon grass• Bushy Pondweed
(Southern Naiad)
• No –bad• Eurasian Watermilfoil• Variable-leaf
Watermilfoil• Egeria• Hydrilla
Hydrilla Elodea Egeria
Do not want!!!
If unsure diquat, endothall, fluridone, or penoxsulam
Milfoils
Native, good fish habitat – open growthWildlife food- tubers, seeds, leaves, new shootsInvertebrates
American pondweed
Good fish habitat – dense growthWildlife food- tubers, seeds, leaves, new shootsHigh density invertebrates
Illinois pondweed
Good fish habitat – dense growthWildlife food- seeds, leavesHigh density invertebrates
Eelgrass (Vallisneria)
Dense growthWildlife food- seeds, leaves, shootsHIGH density invertebrates
Widgeon grass
Coontail
Seeds & Fruiting Bodies
SeedsInvertebratesVery dense growthEasy transfer
Dense growth
Wildlife food-seeds, leaves, shoots
Invertebrates
Emergent Plants• Arrowhead• Buttonbush• Cattail• Common Reed• Giant Reed• Horsetail• Lizard’s-tail• Pickerelweed• Rushes & Sedges
• Smartweed• Southern watergrass• Torpedograss• Waterleaf• Waterlilies• Water Pennywort• Water Primrose• Water Shield• Willow
Rushes are round & sedges have edges – NOTSeeds & nesting
SmartweedSeeds, seeds, seedsCover & nesting
White or Fragrant
Spatterdock or Cow LilyYellow or Mexican Lily
Banana or Floating Hearts
Water Lilies
American Lotus
Mexican water lilyWater Shield
Floating Hearts Spatterdock
White water lily
Water lilies, lotus, & spatterdockWildlife food – seedsValuable wading bird hunting habitat