An Underwater Plant and Quagga Mussels, Will It Root?
Mentor 1
John Janssen
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
5-4-2019 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2019 3:30 PM
Description
Potamogeton folisous is an aquatic vascular plant (AVP) common throughout North America and a native AVP in the Milwaukee Estuary. The Estuary is highly impacted due to its industrial past, and there is a lack of connectivity between fish habitat, which plants can provide. During fish spawning surveys summer 2017, P. foliosus was found growing on quagga mussels (Dreissena Bugensis) on top of a bolder in the Summerfest Lagoon in Milwaukee. Research did not provide examples of similar behavior in literature or any knowledge about it from local experts. This is interesting for two reasons: P. Foliosus seemed the only local species displaying this behavior, and this could change habitat distributions in association with D. Bugensis. An application would be to increase the connectivity of fish habitat in Milwaukee.The feasibility of this was studied during August 2018. Four cinder blocks established by quagga mussels in the lab were hung off a dock at the School of Freshwater Sciences in early August. Specimens of P. foliosus were removed from the Summerfest Lagoon and tied to the cinder blocks a few days later with fishing net twine. The plants were left in the water for four weeks and checked for visual signs of rooting until no plants were alive. No rooting was observed during this time. After placement in water, plants were quickly covered in Cladophora, a local algae. Specimens started to die off quickly, which may have been from Cladophora shading, abiotic factors, and transplant stress. While there was no observation it, it would be interesting to redo this earlier in the growth season to try and establish rooting. Growing AVPs outside of their local confines in Milwaukee seems difficult due to multiple factors, which could be an issue for future efforts to expand habitat.
An Underwater Plant and Quagga Mussels, Will It Root?
Union Wisconsin Room
Potamogeton folisous is an aquatic vascular plant (AVP) common throughout North America and a native AVP in the Milwaukee Estuary. The Estuary is highly impacted due to its industrial past, and there is a lack of connectivity between fish habitat, which plants can provide. During fish spawning surveys summer 2017, P. foliosus was found growing on quagga mussels (Dreissena Bugensis) on top of a bolder in the Summerfest Lagoon in Milwaukee. Research did not provide examples of similar behavior in literature or any knowledge about it from local experts. This is interesting for two reasons: P. Foliosus seemed the only local species displaying this behavior, and this could change habitat distributions in association with D. Bugensis. An application would be to increase the connectivity of fish habitat in Milwaukee.The feasibility of this was studied during August 2018. Four cinder blocks established by quagga mussels in the lab were hung off a dock at the School of Freshwater Sciences in early August. Specimens of P. foliosus were removed from the Summerfest Lagoon and tied to the cinder blocks a few days later with fishing net twine. The plants were left in the water for four weeks and checked for visual signs of rooting until no plants were alive. No rooting was observed during this time. After placement in water, plants were quickly covered in Cladophora, a local algae. Specimens started to die off quickly, which may have been from Cladophora shading, abiotic factors, and transplant stress. While there was no observation it, it would be interesting to redo this earlier in the growth season to try and establish rooting. Growing AVPs outside of their local confines in Milwaukee seems difficult due to multiple factors, which could be an issue for future efforts to expand habitat.
