Biological Survey — Erie-Niagara Watershed 189 



VIII. VEGETATION OF THE NIAGARA RIVER AND THE 

 EASTERN END OF LAKE ERIE 



By W. C. Mubnscher, 

 Assistant Professor of Botany, Cornell University 



A brief survey of the distribution and composition of the vegeta- 

 tion in the Niagara river and the eastern end of Lake Erie was 

 made between August 14 and August 30, 1928. More specifically, 

 this report covers observations made on the American side of the 

 Niagara river, including the shores of Grand island and several 

 small islands near it, as well as the shallow channels between the 

 islands, and from Buffalo harbor along the south shore of Lake Erie 

 to the Pennsylvania State boundary. 



The discussion of the vegetation of the region under considera- 

 tion may for convenience be taken up under the following areas : 

 1, the south shore of Lake Erie ; 2, Buffalo harbor ; 3, the upper 

 Niagara river ; 4, the lower Niagara river. 



South Shore of Lake Erie. — In general the part of the south 

 shore of Lake Erie which is included within New York State is very 

 barren as far as aquatic vegetation is concerned. Rather extensive 

 weed beds were observed in Dunkirk harbor which is protected by 

 breakwaters. A few small patches of weeds were observed behind 

 the landing at Sturgeon point and near the mouth of Cattaraugus 

 creek. The rest of the lake shore was barren except for the 

 branched green alga, Ckidophora, (locally referred to as "moss" 

 by the fishermen) which was frequently rather eommon on the 

 rocks. The shore line is quite even and in most places the shore 

 or the shallow bottom is rocky. In some places small sandy beaches 

 occur. There are no large shallow bays or low marshy places with 

 backwaters along the lake shore. The rocky nature of the shore and 

 the severe wave action present unfavorable conditions for the exist- 

 ence of rooted aquatic plants. This accounts for the almost total 

 absence of weed beds, except in Dunkirk harbor, along the sixty 

 miles of lake shore in New York. 



The small bay in which Dunkirk harbor is located also affords 

 protection enough against the waves to make it possible for vegeta- 

 tion to become established. Artificial breakwaters add additional 

 protection to this, the only area of aquatic vegetation along the lake 

 shore that can be considered of importance as a spawning place for 

 fish. A proper realization of the importance of this area as a 

 spawning ground for fish should lead to a discontinuance of the 

 present practice of running untreated sewage into Dunkirk 

 harbor.* 



Vegetation in Dunkirk Harbor. — The most common species in 

 the harbor was the eel-grass, Vallisneria spiralis. It appeared in 



* See page 121 and page 134. 



