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Understanding Constraints on Submersed Vegetation Distribution in a Large, Floodplain River: the Role of Water Level Fluctuations, Water Clarity and River Geomorphology

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Abstract

Aquatic vegetation is a key component of large floodplain river ecosystems. In the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS), there is a long-standing interest in restoring aquatic vegetation in areas where it has declined or disappeared. To better understand what constrains vegetation distribution in large river ecosystems and inform ongoing efforts to restore submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV), we delineated areas in ~1200 river km of the UMRS where the combined effects of water clarity, water level fluctuation, and bathymetry appeared suitable for establishment and persistence of SAV based on a 22-year dataset for total suspended solids (TSS), water surface elevation, and aquatic vegetation distribution. We found a large increase in suitable area downstream from a large natural riverine lake near the northern end of the UMRS (river km 1230) that functions as a sink for suspended material. Downstream from river km 895, there was much less suitable area due to decreased water clarity from tributary input of suspended material, changes in river geomorphology, and increased water level fluctuation. A hypothetical scenario of 75% reduction in TSS resulted in only minor increases in suitable area in the southern portion of the UMRS, indicating limitations by water level fluctuation and/or bathymetry (i.e., limited shallow area). These results improve our understanding of the structure and function of large river systems by illustrating how water clarity, fluctuations in water level, and river geomorphology interact to create complex spatial patterns in habitat suitability for aquatic species and may help to identify locations most and least likely to benefit from management and restoration efforts.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Danelle Larson, U.S. Geological Survey, and Jeremy King, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, for their helpful reviews as well as James Fischer, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, for his input during early development of this manuscript. We also thank the many Long Term Resource Monitoring scientists that have developed and maintained a high-quality monitoring program. This study was funded as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Availability of Data and Material

The datasets generated and analyzed here are available at https://doi.org/10.5066/P9TWZXVZ and https://umesc.usgs.gov/ltrm/projects/aquatic_veg_constraints.html.

Funding

This study was funded as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program, Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) element.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, La Crosse Field Station, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI, USA

    Alicia M. Carhart, John E. Kalas & Deanne C. Drake

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI, USA

    James T. Rogala, Jason J. Rohweder & Jeffrey N. Houser

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  1. Alicia M. Carhart
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  2. John E. Kalas
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  6. Jeffrey N. Houser
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data acquisition was performed by AC, JK, JJR and JTR and data analysis was performed by AC and JJR. The original draft was written by AC and JK and DD and JH reviewed and edited subsequent versions of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Alicia M. Carhart.

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Carhart, A.M., Kalas, J.E., Rogala, J.T. et al. Understanding Constraints on Submersed Vegetation Distribution in a Large, Floodplain River: the Role of Water Level Fluctuations, Water Clarity and River Geomorphology. Wetlands 41, 57 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-021-01454-1

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