Factors limiting the distribution of submerged waterplants in the lowland River Vecht (The Netherlands)

Abstract

SUMMARY The significance of light climate and water movement for the absence of submerged vegetation in the largest part of the River Vecht was investigated at three stations along the river during the summer of 1991. The underwater light climate was found to be quite adverse for the development of waterplants due to turbidity and periphyton development. Attenuation coefficients of the water were found to be high: on average 2.6, 2.8 and 3.0 m−1 for the southern, central and northern stations, respectively. In spring most of the light attenuation (90–100%) was due to the water layer; in summer periphyton and water were equally important. The light climate limited the potential occurrence of submerged macrophytes to a zone shallower than 1m. The observed distribution of the waterplants along the river's length, however, could not be explained by the light climate alone. Presence of submerged vegetation is restricted to the southern section of the river where there is relatively little boat traffic. Wave action caused by the (mainly recreational) boat traffic was observed to negatively affect plant growth in an in situ experiment with a breakwater. This points to physical damage by wave action caused by passing boats as the main factor determining waterplant distribution. An alternative explanation is the much higher density of houseboats in the northern section. When present, houseboats effectively shade out the zone shallower than 1 m, thus preventing the development of a submerged vegetation.