Individual and combined suppressive effects of submerged and floating-leaved macrophytes on algal blooms

Shallow lakes and ponds are often characterised either by clear water with abundant submerged macrophytes or by turbid water with abundant phytoplankton. Blooms of toxic filamentous blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) often dominate the phytoplankton community in eutrophic lakes, which threatens ecological functions and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. We studied a simple lake model in order to evaluate individual and combined suppressive effects of rooted submerged and rooted floating-leaved macrophytes on algal blooms. Floating-leaved plants are superior competitors for light, whereas submerged plants absorb and reduce available phosphorus in a water column that rooted floating-leaved plants exploit to a lesser extent. We found that mixed vegetation that includes both submerged and floating-leaved plants is more resistant than vegetation comprised by a single plant type to algal invasion triggered by phosphorus loading. In addition, competitive exclusion of submerged plants by floating-leaved plants may promote an algal bloom. These predictions were confirmed by the decision tree analysis of field data from 35 irrigation ponds in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

► We investigate individual/combined effects of submerged/floating-leaved plants on algal bloom. ► Submerged/floating-leaved plants can avoid algae from blooming in different circumstances. ► Mixed vegetation of both macrophytes is more resistant to algal invasion than vegetation comprising a single type of macrophytes. ► Competitive exclusion of submerged plants by floating-leaved plants may promote algal bloom.