The Vegetation of Lake Chicot, Louisiana, after Eighteen Years Impoundment

Abstract

The vegetation of the basin of Lake Chicot, originally cypress-tupelo gum swamp bordered by upland hardwood forest, was studied by Penfound follow- ing impoundment. This paper gives results of a re-examination of the same area. After eighteen years of flooding, cypress has decreased in density in the channel but has increased in the shallow peripheral zone. Radial growth of cypress trees has not decreased, even in the deepest water. Upland forest trees have all died; a few bottomland hardwoods survive in shallow water. The lake is presently domi- nated by submerged weedy aquatics, especially cabomba and elodea. Winter draw- down of the lake level has not solved the aquatic weed problem. Most of the lake basin was originally a cypress-tupelo gum swamp and the woody vegetation consisted mainly of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), tupelo gum (Nyssa aquatica), water elm (Planera aqua- tica), and button bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). The marginal, shallower portions of the lake originally supported upland vegetation. For convenient comparisons with the earlier data of Penfound (1949), present vegetation will be considered in four groups. The most extensive category continues to be that of the original swamp. 175