Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS01 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation and the Water Column (Environmental Connections)

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, Time: 2:00:00 PM

Location: Galisteo

Rose, C, L, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, USA, crose@stcloudstate.edu

Crumpton, W, G, Iowa State University, Ames, USA, crumpton@iastate.edu

DISSOLVED OXYGEN AND TEMPERATURE DYNAMICS DURING A MARSH REGENERATION STAGE OF THE PRAIRIE POTHOLE VEGETATION CYCLE

Prairie potholes wetland are noted for their cyclic changes in their vegetation density and distribution in response to 5-30 year wet-dry cycles. In Goose Lake Marsh in central Iowa, emergent and floating-leafed plant distribution, temperature, and dissolved oxygen concentrations at 10 cm below the water surface were recorded during July from 1995-1999. Increases in emergent and floating-leafed vegetation during that time period resulted in lower temperature and dissolved oxygen concentrations in the vegetation stands. These results are likely due to the buildup of sufficient litter biomass which stagnates the water, interferes with gas transfer across the air/water interface, and shades the water column. The results suggest that longer-term patterns of vegetation have indirect as well as direct effects on biogeochemical cycles.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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