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| Title: | A Comparison of Sampling Protocols to Estimate Species Composition, Percent Cover, and Biomass of Macrophytes in Chief Lake, Michigan |
| Authors: | Ziegenmeyer, Heidi |
| Issue Date: | Apr-2008 |
| Abstract: | Macrophytes are an important component of aquatic ecosystems and affect
lake chemistry, water quality, and distributions and interactions of higher trophic levels.
Three methods used for assessing macrophyte biomass or percent cover in Michigan
lakes were compared in Chief Lake, Manistee County, Michigan. The first method
assesses biomass from transects, the second method uses hydroacoustics to obtain results
on percent cover, biomass, and plant height, and the third determines percent cover from
visual estimations. The first two methods are used by the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) and the third is used by the Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ). Species abundances and the number of species each method found in
total and at each sampling site were compared. Najas was the dominant species in the
lake and represented 85.9% of the total plant biomass measured by the DNR and 53.7%
of the plant cover estimated by the DEQ. The DNR Method found 28 species to the 20
species found by the DEQ Method. However, no significant difference was detected in
the number of species found at each sampling site. Because the DNR Method measures
biomass and the DEQ Method records percent cover, a correlation was sought between
biomass and percent cover ranking. No significant correlation was found. A comparison
of percent covers recorded for all three methods was made. This was possible due to an
application of the DEQ visual estimation technique along DNR transects. The DEQ
Method found 71.3% cover, the DNR Method found 74.0% cover, and the Hydroacoustic
Method recorded 74.2% macrophyte cover in Chief Lake. The comparisons resulted in
similar percent covers for all three methods, although a difference was found when
comparing the percent cover from the Hydroacoustic Method in only the area covered by
the DEQ to the DEQ results. Finally, the possibility of reducing sample sizes of each
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method was considered. All methods could undergo substantial reductions in sample
sizes and still obtain similar total percent cover or biomass results. While the data
appears to show that the DEQ percent cover index can be applied to DNR transects and
make the methods relatable in the future, other information suggests that these results are
a fluke. Another method for surveying macrophytes, used by US Geological Survey’s
Long Term Monitoring Program is suggested. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/58600 |
| Appears in Collections: | Honors Theses (Bachelor's)
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| Heidi Ziegenmeyer Honors Thesis.pdf | | 1570Kb | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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