J 70 Theories and Technique ft of Management 



and of the submersed aquatie plants which may be shaded out by 

 liigh levels of turbid water. 



Alf^ae as a Basic Load. Certain of the algae are believed to form basic 

 foods for jjcrfjivorous animals in the aquatic environment, much as the 

 grasses are basic foods for many of the herbivorous animals in a terrestrial 

 liabitat. In this function some species of algae are much more valuable 

 than others just as some grasses and grains on land are more valuable 



Figure 6.11. Dense stand of cattails ( hacki[;round ) with Arrowhead {Sagit- 

 taria) in foreground. These are among the more common forms of nuisance 

 emergent aquatic vegetation. 



than others as foods. Probably the plankton algae and bottom microflora 

 in shallow water arc more readily utilized than the filamentous forms. 

 Actually vcuy lillle is known of specific aquatic food chains and the 

 relative values of various species of algae. 



Plant cells or plant debris serve as foods for certain species of aquatic 

 animals from protozoa to fishes. However, most of the fishes important 

 for angling are not herbivorous, or eat only limited amounts of plant 

 material. This is true for bluegills which feed largely on insect larva and 

 entomostraca but which at certain seasons apparently take algae and the 

 leaves of some submersed aquatic weeds. It has not been determined 



