![]() ![]() For each approximated 0.6 m ² increase in SAV patch size, total fish biomass catch increased 6.5 g hr ⁻¹. We examined the impact of eight environmental variables on fish abundance, biomass, community structure, and predation potential. To examine what SAV characteristics increase fish habitat use in a turbid-algal lake undergoing restoration, we sampled 29 areas around Lake Apopka, Florida (USA) with fyke nets and trotlines. Because of the potentially complex and inconsistent responses of fish to different management actions, further research is necessary to evaluate the species-specific and community-level effects of SAV to inform restoration decision-making. Evaluations of the most beneficial SAV species and characteristics for fishes are especially rare. Extensive restoration efforts are required to reverse this trend, but studies focusing on aquatic vegetation have been uncommon in recent years relative to other primary producers. ![]() Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is declining worldwide, leading to subsequent reductions in the ecological functions associated with SAV in shallow aquatic ecosystems, including providing habitat for fishes. This research adds additional nuance to our understanding of optimal vegetation for fish habitat use and is informative for future SAV plantings and invasive SAV management aimed at maximizing fish habitat and restoring recreational fisheries. americana population was used in all choices. americana population diversity when the populations used were randomized, but fish spent more time in decreased population diversity when their favored V. Additionally, fish spent more time in increased V. illinoensis population, SAV species, or species diversity tested. americana but did not seem to favor any particular P. Fish spent more time in taller, larger V. floridanus habitat use of different SAV populations (i.e., hydrologically isolated collection sources of varied physical characteristics), population diversity (i.e., increased richness of genotypically and phenotypically variable SAV), species, and species diversity (i.e., increased species richness). Using the SAV species Vallisneria americana and Potamogeton illinoensis, which are native to the southeast USA, and the invasive SAV Hydrilla verticillata, we conducted seven different habitat choice experiments to examine hatchery-raised, age-0 M. Despite their importance and frequent use of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitats, critical information is lacking on the specific characteristics of SAV that influence habitat occupancy. Hatchery-raised, age-0 Florida bass Micropterus floridanus are commonly used for fish enhancement efforts to support popular recreational fisheries and are ecologically important as both a food source and consumer. Together these results suggest that unpredictable environmental conditions at restoration sites will make selection of a single high-performing plant source difficult, so we suggest incorporating a diverse set of collection locations to increase the probability of incorporating desirable traits. ![]() The best performing plants also depended on response variable (e.g., plant height or number of new shoots produced). In most cases, plant traits at the end of the experiments varied by collection location, environmental condition, and an interaction between the two. In three separate mesocosm experiments, we tested the interactive impacts of collection location and environmental condition (control conditions, reduced light, elevated nutrients, or a combination of reduced light and elevated nutrients) on plant reproduction and on traits that might indicate future restoration success (plant height, number of leaves, and rhizome diameter). We find consistent differences in traits of plants collected from different natural water bodies, and those differences persist in plants grown from seeds under common garden greenhouse conditions-presumably because of genetic differentiation. Here we evaluate the variability in plant traits based on collection location. Initial plant establishment is often difficult in suboptimal conditions, and planting material with specific traits may increase establishment rates. Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) improves environmental conditions by acting as a sediment stabilizer and nutrient retention tool therefore, reintroduction of SAV is a common freshwater restoration goal. ![]()
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