Safe Shoreline Canada Announcment
Content
The Perfect Shore?
Think of your lake as a well oiled machine, it requires all of it parts in order to function properly. Your shoreline is a part of a larger ecosystem, and every alteration made affects the system as a whole. Here are a few factors important to the health of lake ecosystems that people often overlook while developing their ideal shoreline. By Alex Buttle & Nathan Clark Imagine you’re standing in your cottage looking out at your shoreline. It is the definition of paradise; the waves gently lap against a pearl white beach free of unsightly logs, rocks, and trees. You know that if you take a dip the water will be clear and refreshing; you don’t have to worry about stepping on any slimy logs and weeds because you’ve worked hard to keep your beach clean. Unfortunately, waterfront property owners’ attempts at attaining this perfect shore can have negative effects on the health of their lake. Shoreline development, if not practiced properly, can often result in habitat degradation. Sensitive habitats all around the world are being degraded by human activity, compromising global biodiversity. Your shoreline is no exception. Removing Aquatic Plants The idea of a clear, weed-free place to swim is appealing to most waterfront property owners. Does anyone really enjoy the feeling of brushing through weeds as they wade through the shallows? Removing weeds from otherwise desirable locations for swimming has become common practice in the upkeep of lake and riverside recreational areas. What many people don’t realize is that maintaining a completely weed free swimming area can have strong negative effects on the rest of the lake. Aquatic plants that grow near the shoreline are an integral part of lake ecosystems. As well as providing a number of animal species with a source of food, these plants make up the backbone of an important habitat. Much like a forest, beds of aquatic
plants are a place of refuge for many organisms that want to avoid the dangers associated with open water (predation, exposure to the weather, the sun, etc.). It’s tempting to adopt the reasoning that “if I’m only removing the weeds from where I want to swim, surely the animals can move to the places I don’t touch...”, but it’s really not that simple. You can think of an area that’s been cleared as a highway cutting through a forest. Sure, there is plenty of forested space left for the animals, but what about the ones that need to move around? The highway presents a new danger in their habitat. The animals that need to cross the highway are exposed, not only to traffic, but to the elements and predators that they are usually sheltered from by forest cover. Cutting paths through the aquatic plants in your swimming area can have a big impact on many different species that depend on a continuous stretch of cover to move around in the lake. In some cases, this can lead to extreme declines in population size for the small weed-dwelling animals which, in turn, may disrupt entire food webs. As well as providing a source of food and shelter for animals, aquatic plants also act as a filtration system for the lake by taking in some impurities; much like an air purifier would do for your home. Lakes are a catch-all for
pollutants and without the filtering action of plants these can accumulate, having strong negative effects on the lake and all of its occupants. Everyone is familiar with the nasty greenbrown slime that can sometimes coat the shoreline or even blanket the water in places. Could there be a more effective deterrent for swimmers? Most are not aware that in their efforts to make a great swimming zone they are in fact inviting an arguably less desirable mess than weeds. Algae are very similar to plants in regards to the nutrients they need in order to grow. Since the nutrients that they need are dissolved in the water, and both algae and aquatic plants take in these nutrients from the water, the two end up competing for sustenance when nutrient levels are not very high. By removing large quantities of aquatic plants, we eliminate the competition for the algae. As a result, algal populations can explode with growth or “bloom”, creating giant blankets of slime as large quantities of them begin to die. Algal blooms can be devastating both to a lake’s health and its recreational value. The obvious downfall to having giant blankets of slime on the shoreline is that it’s just disgusting. No one wants to spend time around that stuff. The more serious implication is that as the algae dies, oxygen is removed from the water. Essentially, the algae blanket smothers everything that lives in the lake. For many species, this threatens the future of their local
population, and in some cases even their existence as a species! There is a simple solution to all of these problems: simply do not remove all of the aquatic plants from your area of the lake. This isn’t to suggest that you can’t take away some of the weeds to make a better swimming hole or to protect the propeller on your boat, just that it’s possible to clean up your section of the lake without “clear cutting” the aquatic plants. It is good practice to leave a few plants to keep a bit of continuity in the shoreline habitat, keeping the lake-dwelling critters happy. Leaving some of the plants can also reduce the chance of an algae bloom ruining your beach and helps to filter harmful pollutants from the lake.
Many cottage owners don’t realise that removing the dead fall from a lake is known to have serious negative effects on fish populations. When enough wood is removed from a lake, fish diversity, overall abundance and average size diminish greatly. It’s hard to imagine that removing just a few logs and sticks could have such a large impact. What is it that makes them so important to fish? The woody debris that lines your lake’s shallows provides safe havens for juvenile and prey species of fish. If these havens are removed, the smaller fish stand no chance of escaping the larger, more aggressive fish that dominate the deeper waters and, as a result, will be hunted to very low numbers. With the prey species gone from the lake, the larger fish will begin to starve, stunting their growth and reproductive output. As the number of juvenile’s declines, either from predation or reduced birth rates, so does the size of the next generation. To make matters worse many fish also depend on woody debris for breeding and nesting grounds and their removal even further reduces the number of fish to reach maturity. Fish aren’t the only ones who rely on woody debris and in fact a large number of your
Removing Woody Debris Removing logs and sticks from your swimming area and shoreline can be tempting. They hit boat propellers, get moss covered and slimy, and are just generally not all that visually appealing. Many see them as undesirable, but they also provide many services to the lake and to those that live on it. It’s no secret that many cottagers love to fish, and there is no feeling better than reeling one in that’s as long as your arm.
lake’s inhabitants depend on deadfall for protection, habitat and some even for food. As a result, when that deadfall is removed the decline seen in fish populations becomes a trend shared across the majority of the organisms in the lake. As a lake’s biodiversity plummets, those birds and animals that depend on fish and other aquatic organisms for food will begin to leave the area in search of a better food source. Logs also have long-term effects on lake stability and nutrient levels. By anchoring sediments the logs slow erosion of the shoreline. Furthermore, by decomposing over time to provide woody debris, they act as an important source of nutrients to the organisms in the lake. Removing these logs from our shores is relatively easy and the majority of logs can be removed from a lake in as little time as a few months or years. Their natural replacement takes centuries, however, and as you have seen above, their removal can have some serious long-term effects on biodiversity. So what is the alternative? As with aquatic plants, the secret is moderation. It is key is to leave as much of the shallows untouched as possible. Raking small patches of deadfall and, when necessary, dragging away a few logs from your shoreline will not have a very large impact on the lake or even on the animal community living there. Problems arise when cottagers remove all of the logs they can see and rake away fallen leaves and
sticks from their entire shoreline, including areas they rarely use. If possible try not to remove larger logs from the lake but move them to a different location along the shallows, simply moving the log to deeper water does not solve the problem. These solutions are not perfect as they will disturb the habitat slightly, however, they will insure that the debris is still available to those animals that need it.
Shoreline Vegetation Everyone tries to find the ideal cottage location that affords them the best view of the lake. In a lot of cases, this is difficult to do as the view is often blocked by trees and shrubs. The popular approach to this problem is simply to cut down the trees and shrubs in question. The problem with this is that the lake may end up paying the price for the cottagers’ spectacular view. When people think about keeping a lake healthy, they often limit their considerations to the lake itself and the plants and animals that live in it. The shore above the water line and the vegetation that grows there are often forgotten. Trees, shrubs, rocks and grasses play a crucial role in maintain a healthy lake ecosystem. One of the most important of these roles is that of plant roots and rocks preventing erosion of the shoreline. Wind, runoff from rain, and melting snow can carry soil particles from the shore into the lake. Over time, the shore wears down
and the soil and other sediments accumulate in the water. Not only does this deform the shoreline which can spell bad news for recreation, it can result in the transformation of the edge of the lake into a swampy, mucky mess. Rocks and the roots of shoreline plants act as a sort of net, holding the earth together and preventing a large amount of this erosion. When soil is washed into a lake, it carries nutrients with it. If run off goes unchecked in areas where the soil has a high nutrient content, like agricultural zones, lakes can accumulate excessive amounts of nutrients in a process known as eutrophication. This can lead to many serious problems including algal blooms and large declines in fish populations. Plants help to reduce the risk of eutrophication by slowing the erosion process and also by absorbing some of the nutrients through their root systems. Along with their physical and chemical benefits, shoreline plants can also be key parts of habitats for wildlife at the lake’s edge. Shrubs and taller trees are an excellent source of shade and shelter for animals both in the water and on land. They provide cover for animals coming to the water’s edge for a drink and also block the sun’s harmful rays for aquatic animals living in the shallows. In some instances, trees at the side of a lake can also provide food to the aquatic habitat with insects and fruits falling from their branches into the water.
Cutting all the trees and removing the brush and rocks from your shoreline to improve your view can lead to serious problems with erosion and can disturb aquatic habitats. There are a number of ways that you can help keep the lake healthy and still have a great view from your cottage. If there are large trees in the way and you just have to cut them down, consider replacing them with shorter shrubs that will help prevent erosion with their roots but won’t grow large enough to obscure your line of sight. Also, instead of keeping a gigantic sandy beach with no large rocks or plants, you could try planting some grasses that will be soft under feet and also hold the soil in place.
We have seen that, if left unchecked, shoreline development can seriously affect the health and abundance of the species that live in and around a lake. When we consider the implications of our actions on the lake system, there is one species that is seriously affected and yet largely forgotten; humans. Not surprisingly, the people most seriously affected by excessive shoreline
development are the cottagers and waterfront property owners themselves. By purchasing waterfront property, each cottager has made an emotional and financial investment that hinges on the health of their lake. If your lake becomes covered in algae, if the fish in the lake disappear or if the shoreline erodes, your investment depreciates. Making an effort to care for your shoreline can help to safeguard the lake ecosystem, protecting your investments and the enjoyment that a cottager’s lifestyle brings to you and your family.
By practicing sustainable, healthy shoreline maintenance you can conserve the economic, ecological and personal value of your shoreline property. By simply leaving some weeds and woody debris undisturbed in the water and by being selective in the removal of shoreline vegetation you can have confidence that your shoreline will remain beautiful for years to come.
Images taken from: - http://thegatewayonline.ca/article/view/researchers_find_toxic_algae_in_albertan_lakes - http://www.celebratebig.com/pacific-northwest/saint-edward-state-park/index.htm - Sass, G.G et al. (2006). Fish Community and Food Web Responses to a Whole-lake Removal of Coarse Woody Habitat. Fisheries. 31(7): 321-330
Sources: 1. Camp, EV., Gwinn, DC., Pine, WE., Frazer, TK. Changes in submersed aquatic vegetation affect predation risk of a common prey fish Lucania parva. Fisheries and Management Ecology, vol 19, issue 3, pgs 245-251, June 2012 2. Hermes-Silva, S., Zaniboni, E., Structure of the littoral fish assemblage in an impounded tributary: the effects of macrophytes presence. Brazilian Journal of Biology, vol 72, issue 3, pgs 489-495, August 2012 3. Water Quality and Ecology Research Unit, National Sedimentation Laboratory, USDA. Potential for Phosphate Mitigation from Agricultural Runoff by Three Aquatic Macrophytes. Water, Air and Soil Pollution: An International Journal for Environmental Pollution. 2012 4. Yeh, TY., Ke, TY., Lin, YL. Algal Growth Control Within Natural Water Purification Systems: Macrophyte Light Shading Effects. Water Air Soil Pollution, 2011 5. Christensen, D.L., Herwig, B.R., Schindler, D.E., and Carpenter, S.R. (1996). Impacts of Lakeshore Residential Development on Coarse Woody Debris in North Temperate Lakes. Ecological Applications. 6: 1143–1149. 6. Roth, B.M, et al. (2007). Linking terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: The role of woody habitat in lake food webs. Ecological Modelling. 203: 439–452 7. Sass, G.G et al. (2006). Fish Community and Food Web Responses to a Whole-lake Removal of Coarse Woody Habitat. Fisheries. 31(7): 321-330 8. Everett, R.A. & Ruiz, G.M. (1993). Coarse woody debris as a refuge from predation in aquatic communities. Oecologia. 93:475486
9. Abu-Zreig, M., Rudra, R., Whiteley, H., Lalonde, M., & Kaushik, N. 2003. Phosphorus Removal in Vegetated Filter Strips. Journal of Environmental Quality. 32(2): 613-619 10. Easson, G. and Yarbrough, L. 2002.The Effects of Riparian Vegetation on Bank Stability. Environmental and Engineering Geoscience. 11. Jurca, T., Donohue, L., Laketić, D., Radulović, S., Irvine, K. Importance of the shoreline diversity features for littoral macroinvertebrate assemblages. Fundamental Applications of Limnology, vol 180, issue 2. March 2012 12. Bakker, ES, et al. Effect of macrophyte community composition and nutrient enrichment on plant biomass and algal blooms. Basic and Applied Ecology. August 2010
Think of your lake as a well oiled machine, it requires all of it parts in order to function properly. Your shoreline is a part of a larger ecosystem, and every alteration made affects the system as a whole. Here are a few factors important to the health of lake ecosystems that people often overlook while developing their ideal shoreline. By Alex Buttle & Nathan Clark Imagine you’re standing in your cottage looking out at your shoreline. It is the definition of paradise; the waves gently lap against a pearl white beach free of unsightly logs, rocks, and trees. You know that if you take a dip the water will be clear and refreshing; you don’t have to worry about stepping on any slimy logs and weeds because you’ve worked hard to keep your beach clean. Unfortunately, waterfront property owners’ attempts at attaining this perfect shore can have negative effects on the health of their lake. Shoreline development, if not practiced properly, can often result in habitat degradation. Sensitive habitats all around the world are being degraded by human activity, compromising global biodiversity. Your shoreline is no exception. Removing Aquatic Plants The idea of a clear, weed-free place to swim is appealing to most waterfront property owners. Does anyone really enjoy the feeling of brushing through weeds as they wade through the shallows? Removing weeds from otherwise desirable locations for swimming has become common practice in the upkeep of lake and riverside recreational areas. What many people don’t realize is that maintaining a completely weed free swimming area can have strong negative effects on the rest of the lake. Aquatic plants that grow near the shoreline are an integral part of lake ecosystems. As well as providing a number of animal species with a source of food, these plants make up the backbone of an important habitat. Much like a forest, beds of aquatic
plants are a place of refuge for many organisms that want to avoid the dangers associated with open water (predation, exposure to the weather, the sun, etc.). It’s tempting to adopt the reasoning that “if I’m only removing the weeds from where I want to swim, surely the animals can move to the places I don’t touch...”, but it’s really not that simple. You can think of an area that’s been cleared as a highway cutting through a forest. Sure, there is plenty of forested space left for the animals, but what about the ones that need to move around? The highway presents a new danger in their habitat. The animals that need to cross the highway are exposed, not only to traffic, but to the elements and predators that they are usually sheltered from by forest cover. Cutting paths through the aquatic plants in your swimming area can have a big impact on many different species that depend on a continuous stretch of cover to move around in the lake. In some cases, this can lead to extreme declines in population size for the small weed-dwelling animals which, in turn, may disrupt entire food webs. As well as providing a source of food and shelter for animals, aquatic plants also act as a filtration system for the lake by taking in some impurities; much like an air purifier would do for your home. Lakes are a catch-all for
pollutants and without the filtering action of plants these can accumulate, having strong negative effects on the lake and all of its occupants. Everyone is familiar with the nasty greenbrown slime that can sometimes coat the shoreline or even blanket the water in places. Could there be a more effective deterrent for swimmers? Most are not aware that in their efforts to make a great swimming zone they are in fact inviting an arguably less desirable mess than weeds. Algae are very similar to plants in regards to the nutrients they need in order to grow. Since the nutrients that they need are dissolved in the water, and both algae and aquatic plants take in these nutrients from the water, the two end up competing for sustenance when nutrient levels are not very high. By removing large quantities of aquatic plants, we eliminate the competition for the algae. As a result, algal populations can explode with growth or “bloom”, creating giant blankets of slime as large quantities of them begin to die. Algal blooms can be devastating both to a lake’s health and its recreational value. The obvious downfall to having giant blankets of slime on the shoreline is that it’s just disgusting. No one wants to spend time around that stuff. The more serious implication is that as the algae dies, oxygen is removed from the water. Essentially, the algae blanket smothers everything that lives in the lake. For many species, this threatens the future of their local
population, and in some cases even their existence as a species! There is a simple solution to all of these problems: simply do not remove all of the aquatic plants from your area of the lake. This isn’t to suggest that you can’t take away some of the weeds to make a better swimming hole or to protect the propeller on your boat, just that it’s possible to clean up your section of the lake without “clear cutting” the aquatic plants. It is good practice to leave a few plants to keep a bit of continuity in the shoreline habitat, keeping the lake-dwelling critters happy. Leaving some of the plants can also reduce the chance of an algae bloom ruining your beach and helps to filter harmful pollutants from the lake.
Many cottage owners don’t realise that removing the dead fall from a lake is known to have serious negative effects on fish populations. When enough wood is removed from a lake, fish diversity, overall abundance and average size diminish greatly. It’s hard to imagine that removing just a few logs and sticks could have such a large impact. What is it that makes them so important to fish? The woody debris that lines your lake’s shallows provides safe havens for juvenile and prey species of fish. If these havens are removed, the smaller fish stand no chance of escaping the larger, more aggressive fish that dominate the deeper waters and, as a result, will be hunted to very low numbers. With the prey species gone from the lake, the larger fish will begin to starve, stunting their growth and reproductive output. As the number of juvenile’s declines, either from predation or reduced birth rates, so does the size of the next generation. To make matters worse many fish also depend on woody debris for breeding and nesting grounds and their removal even further reduces the number of fish to reach maturity. Fish aren’t the only ones who rely on woody debris and in fact a large number of your
Removing Woody Debris Removing logs and sticks from your swimming area and shoreline can be tempting. They hit boat propellers, get moss covered and slimy, and are just generally not all that visually appealing. Many see them as undesirable, but they also provide many services to the lake and to those that live on it. It’s no secret that many cottagers love to fish, and there is no feeling better than reeling one in that’s as long as your arm.
lake’s inhabitants depend on deadfall for protection, habitat and some even for food. As a result, when that deadfall is removed the decline seen in fish populations becomes a trend shared across the majority of the organisms in the lake. As a lake’s biodiversity plummets, those birds and animals that depend on fish and other aquatic organisms for food will begin to leave the area in search of a better food source. Logs also have long-term effects on lake stability and nutrient levels. By anchoring sediments the logs slow erosion of the shoreline. Furthermore, by decomposing over time to provide woody debris, they act as an important source of nutrients to the organisms in the lake. Removing these logs from our shores is relatively easy and the majority of logs can be removed from a lake in as little time as a few months or years. Their natural replacement takes centuries, however, and as you have seen above, their removal can have some serious long-term effects on biodiversity. So what is the alternative? As with aquatic plants, the secret is moderation. It is key is to leave as much of the shallows untouched as possible. Raking small patches of deadfall and, when necessary, dragging away a few logs from your shoreline will not have a very large impact on the lake or even on the animal community living there. Problems arise when cottagers remove all of the logs they can see and rake away fallen leaves and
sticks from their entire shoreline, including areas they rarely use. If possible try not to remove larger logs from the lake but move them to a different location along the shallows, simply moving the log to deeper water does not solve the problem. These solutions are not perfect as they will disturb the habitat slightly, however, they will insure that the debris is still available to those animals that need it.
Shoreline Vegetation Everyone tries to find the ideal cottage location that affords them the best view of the lake. In a lot of cases, this is difficult to do as the view is often blocked by trees and shrubs. The popular approach to this problem is simply to cut down the trees and shrubs in question. The problem with this is that the lake may end up paying the price for the cottagers’ spectacular view. When people think about keeping a lake healthy, they often limit their considerations to the lake itself and the plants and animals that live in it. The shore above the water line and the vegetation that grows there are often forgotten. Trees, shrubs, rocks and grasses play a crucial role in maintain a healthy lake ecosystem. One of the most important of these roles is that of plant roots and rocks preventing erosion of the shoreline. Wind, runoff from rain, and melting snow can carry soil particles from the shore into the lake. Over time, the shore wears down
and the soil and other sediments accumulate in the water. Not only does this deform the shoreline which can spell bad news for recreation, it can result in the transformation of the edge of the lake into a swampy, mucky mess. Rocks and the roots of shoreline plants act as a sort of net, holding the earth together and preventing a large amount of this erosion. When soil is washed into a lake, it carries nutrients with it. If run off goes unchecked in areas where the soil has a high nutrient content, like agricultural zones, lakes can accumulate excessive amounts of nutrients in a process known as eutrophication. This can lead to many serious problems including algal blooms and large declines in fish populations. Plants help to reduce the risk of eutrophication by slowing the erosion process and also by absorbing some of the nutrients through their root systems. Along with their physical and chemical benefits, shoreline plants can also be key parts of habitats for wildlife at the lake’s edge. Shrubs and taller trees are an excellent source of shade and shelter for animals both in the water and on land. They provide cover for animals coming to the water’s edge for a drink and also block the sun’s harmful rays for aquatic animals living in the shallows. In some instances, trees at the side of a lake can also provide food to the aquatic habitat with insects and fruits falling from their branches into the water.
Cutting all the trees and removing the brush and rocks from your shoreline to improve your view can lead to serious problems with erosion and can disturb aquatic habitats. There are a number of ways that you can help keep the lake healthy and still have a great view from your cottage. If there are large trees in the way and you just have to cut them down, consider replacing them with shorter shrubs that will help prevent erosion with their roots but won’t grow large enough to obscure your line of sight. Also, instead of keeping a gigantic sandy beach with no large rocks or plants, you could try planting some grasses that will be soft under feet and also hold the soil in place.
We have seen that, if left unchecked, shoreline development can seriously affect the health and abundance of the species that live in and around a lake. When we consider the implications of our actions on the lake system, there is one species that is seriously affected and yet largely forgotten; humans. Not surprisingly, the people most seriously affected by excessive shoreline
development are the cottagers and waterfront property owners themselves. By purchasing waterfront property, each cottager has made an emotional and financial investment that hinges on the health of their lake. If your lake becomes covered in algae, if the fish in the lake disappear or if the shoreline erodes, your investment depreciates. Making an effort to care for your shoreline can help to safeguard the lake ecosystem, protecting your investments and the enjoyment that a cottager’s lifestyle brings to you and your family.
By practicing sustainable, healthy shoreline maintenance you can conserve the economic, ecological and personal value of your shoreline property. By simply leaving some weeds and woody debris undisturbed in the water and by being selective in the removal of shoreline vegetation you can have confidence that your shoreline will remain beautiful for years to come.
Images taken from: - http://thegatewayonline.ca/article/view/researchers_find_toxic_algae_in_albertan_lakes - http://www.celebratebig.com/pacific-northwest/saint-edward-state-park/index.htm - Sass, G.G et al. (2006). Fish Community and Food Web Responses to a Whole-lake Removal of Coarse Woody Habitat. Fisheries. 31(7): 321-330
Sources: 1. Camp, EV., Gwinn, DC., Pine, WE., Frazer, TK. Changes in submersed aquatic vegetation affect predation risk of a common prey fish Lucania parva. Fisheries and Management Ecology, vol 19, issue 3, pgs 245-251, June 2012 2. Hermes-Silva, S., Zaniboni, E., Structure of the littoral fish assemblage in an impounded tributary: the effects of macrophytes presence. Brazilian Journal of Biology, vol 72, issue 3, pgs 489-495, August 2012 3. Water Quality and Ecology Research Unit, National Sedimentation Laboratory, USDA. Potential for Phosphate Mitigation from Agricultural Runoff by Three Aquatic Macrophytes. Water, Air and Soil Pollution: An International Journal for Environmental Pollution. 2012 4. Yeh, TY., Ke, TY., Lin, YL. Algal Growth Control Within Natural Water Purification Systems: Macrophyte Light Shading Effects. Water Air Soil Pollution, 2011 5. Christensen, D.L., Herwig, B.R., Schindler, D.E., and Carpenter, S.R. (1996). Impacts of Lakeshore Residential Development on Coarse Woody Debris in North Temperate Lakes. Ecological Applications. 6: 1143–1149. 6. Roth, B.M, et al. (2007). Linking terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: The role of woody habitat in lake food webs. Ecological Modelling. 203: 439–452 7. Sass, G.G et al. (2006). Fish Community and Food Web Responses to a Whole-lake Removal of Coarse Woody Habitat. Fisheries. 31(7): 321-330 8. Everett, R.A. & Ruiz, G.M. (1993). Coarse woody debris as a refuge from predation in aquatic communities. Oecologia. 93:475486
9. Abu-Zreig, M., Rudra, R., Whiteley, H., Lalonde, M., & Kaushik, N. 2003. Phosphorus Removal in Vegetated Filter Strips. Journal of Environmental Quality. 32(2): 613-619 10. Easson, G. and Yarbrough, L. 2002.The Effects of Riparian Vegetation on Bank Stability. Environmental and Engineering Geoscience. 11. Jurca, T., Donohue, L., Laketić, D., Radulović, S., Irvine, K. Importance of the shoreline diversity features for littoral macroinvertebrate assemblages. Fundamental Applications of Limnology, vol 180, issue 2. March 2012 12. Bakker, ES, et al. Effect of macrophyte community composition and nutrient enrichment on plant biomass and algal blooms. Basic and Applied Ecology. August 2010
