Aquatic Plants
PJC lakes have a thriving aquatic plant community with a wide variety of species including some invasive species and others that are natural and beneficial. Each year as part of our efforts, we try to keep our members and the community informed of the latest news of outbreaks by measuring and identifying aquatic plants. Our mission is to educate and preserve our natural state by monitoring changes, native species, and invasive species through regular identification and understanding.
The Painter, Juno, Christiana plant survey project is a joint effort between the PJC lake association and the Edwardsburg High School Biology Program. The goal of the project is to survey the three lakes for beneficial and harmful aquatic plants. With the information gained from the mapping, homeowners can make sound decisions about care and maintenance of the lake habitat and invasive plant control. High School honor students will gain experience in collecting and identifying plant materials and recording the results. The students will review results and share data with PJC and our SWxSW CISMA Coordinator, Eleanor Serocki. It is our hope that this project will inspire the students to become responsible lake stewards in the future and help inform and educate PJC shoreline owners by bringing both groups together for a common goal... a better understanding of our lakes.
Painter, Juno, and Christiana Lake Aquatic Plant Surveys Conducted- Thurs September 6th, 2018 and May 2019
We've included the results of the surveys below along with the survey graphs we have back to August 31, 1999. We plan to combine these in the future showing another dot on the lake graphs below for all 3 surveys (1999, 2018, and 2019).
Thanks Eleanor Serocki for helping us learn about invasive species, natural species, and how to work with them to protect our lakes! Here is her presentation from our 8/15 Meeting.
Survey at 2019 - Note: Starry Stonewort is a new invader since 1999
Basic Background Info on Ecology -
Shore Zone - These plants have root systems that grow from the wet soils of the shore out to a water depth of 2ft to 4ft. Examples of this type of plant are : Cattail, Bulrush, Arrow Arum, Arrowhead, and Pickerelweed
Shallow Littoral Zone - These plants are submerged plants with floating leaves and extends from about 2ft to 6-8ft. Examples include: water lilies, water shield, and many species of Pondweed
Deep Littoral Zone - Plants grow entirely submerged with a small tip breaking the water and roots deep from 6ft to 12ft in turbid lakes or up to 20ft in clear lakes. Common plants in this zone include: milfoil, coontail, sago pondweed, bushy pondweed, waterweed, and wild celery.
Algae - Starry Stonewort is a male algae (no female species have been documented); it has bulbils. The bulbils are star-shapped and how the new algae grows. This type of plant is rootless and the bulbils are what float and get passed and grow. The greatest areas this invader grows is around public launches and many lakes have concerns on this invader due to boats passing the bulbils from lake to lake. Additionally, raking or pulling out this algae actually causes it to spread unless the bulbils are all suctioned properly. This unique invader needs some special consideration for care:
What can be done to reduce starry stonewort? The potential to manage the plant is not well documented. It appears that treatment with herbicides can suppress starry stonewort. Some states use hand pulling, which may be a way to reduce biomass in small areas. Mechanical removal can also be effective. In the case of a newly discovered population of starry stonewort that has a limited distribution in the lake, mechanical harvesting is not recommended because it might create fragments that would speed the spread of the invasive plant within the lake . --- This is from the Minnesota DNR site.
Starry Stonewort Research Sources:
Starry Stonewort Fact Sheet from Minnesota DNR - http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/invasives/aquaticplants/starry_stonewort/fact_sheet_starry_stonewort.pdf
Starry Stonewort Summit 2017 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsdVUErYFzo
