3 whitish pink petals & 3 similar sepals green leaves are triangular in cross section. leaf tips may be spirally twisted

Transcription

1 Flowering Rush An Invasive Aquatic Macrophyte Infesting the Columbia River Basin Peter Rice, University of Montana, Virgil Dupuis & Alvin Mitchell, Salish Kootenai College

2 Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) umbel shaped cluster of ~30 flowers 3 whitish pink petals & 3 similar sepals green leaves are triangular in cross section leaf tips may be spirally twisted strongly rhizomatous

3 (c) Gary Fewless Rhizome fragmentation is primary mechanism of dispersal and reproduction

4 Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) East Bay Flathead Lake MT

5 Eurasian Origin

6 North American Invasion Infested Counties in WA, OR, ID, MT, WY circa St. Lawrence River region 1949 Snake River Idaho (Idaho Falls) 1964 Flathead Lake (north shore: Peaceful Bay)

7 Fully Submerged Form at ft depths Emergent Form at 0-10 ft depths Shoreline Form at surface groundwater table

8 Seed Inflorescence Bulblets Rhizome Buds & Fragments Rhizome Bulblets

9 Diploid 2 karotypes Triploid self-compatible prolific flowering high seed production prolific bulblet production (rhizome & inflorescence) primary dispersal is by vegetative structures self-sterile within clones infrequent flowering low production of sterile seeds inflorescence bulblet production not evident disperses only by rhizome fragmentation

10 Buoyant Rhizome Fragments

11 Rhizome Fragments on Unvegetated Littoral Zone Sediments

12 Preformed Roots and Large Carbohydrate Reserve Quickly Anchor Fragments In Sediments Apr 30, 2009

13 1 st (1964) Peaceful Bay Flathead Lake Known Infestations Kerr Dam Flathead Lake Partial Survey Data Through 10/13/2008

14 Invasives of Wetlands & Shoreline (Displacing Native Plants)

15 Shoots Emerging in Late March/Early April

16 Flowering Rush Displacing Native Bulrush (March to May Emergence Before Natives)

17 Kerr Dam Induced Low Pool in Spring Favors Flowering Rush Over Native Macrophytes

18 Flathead River Above Kerr Dam Bottom Barrier

19 Robust Triploid Dispersing Out of Flathead Lake Lateral Rhizome Bud

20 Kerr Dam Spillway from Flathead Lake to River

21 Flathead Lake Is On a Northerly Reach of the Columbia River System American Falls

22 Dispersal Down the Columbia River System Kerr Dam into Flathead and Clark Fork Rivers (MT) Thompson Falls, Noxon, Cabinet Reservoirs (MT) 165 Miles & Into Lake Pend Oreille (ID) Snake River Aberdeen-Springfield Canal Irrigation Systems (ID)

23 < Perma Bridge ~ 2.5 Infestation per Mile on Flathead River

24 Flathead River Above Paradise MT Incipient Flowering Rush Infestation

25 Infestations at the Headwaters of American Falls the Southerly Reach of the Columbia River System

26 Aberdeen-Springfield Canal System (Spills to Snake River at American Falls ID)

27 Aberdeen-Springfield Canal System (Spills to Snake River at American Falls ID)

28 Aberdeen-Springfield Canal System (Spills to Snake River at American Falls ID) Chaining to Reduce Flowering Rush

29 Aberdeen-Springfield Canal System (Spills to Snake River at American Falls ID) Chaining Induces Rhizome Fragmentation & Dispersal

30 Aberdeen-Springfield Canal System (Spills to Snake River at American Falls ID)

31 Pablo Reservoir Irrigation Lift Station Flathead Lake/River Flowering Rush Colony

32 Flathead Valley Pablo Reservoir Irrigation Canal 6.7 Million Acres Irrigated by Withdrawals From Columbia River System

33 Fishing Access Site Boat Ramp

34 Prop Fowling Stalls Motors & Facilitates Dispersal (c) BASF Corporation. Photo by Mitch Kezar

35 Private Boat Docks Surrounded by Flowering Rush (c) BASF Corporation. Photo by Mitch Kezar Not Only A Nuisance But Also a Contributing Factor in Dispersal

36 (c) BASF Corporation. Photo by Mitch Kezar Ideal Habitat for Great Pond Snails (Lymnaea stagnalis) Host for Swimmer s Itch (schistosome cercarial dermatitis) Trematode Parasite (Trichobilharzia ocellata)

37 USFWS North Shore Water Fowl Production Area Constructed Dynamic Gravel Beaches Dampened Wave Action Flowering Rush Now Filling In Wetland

38 Obvious Negative Impacts Displacement of Native Plant Communities Formation of Monotypic Vegetation Loss of Open Water Recreation Irrigation Impediment Higher Level Impacts Have Not Been Assessed Increases in Water Temperatures Nutrient Releases Sediment Transport & Deposition Food Chain Alterations / Native Fisheries

39 Infesting Previously Unvegetated Littoral Zones Will Induce Trophic & Ecosystem Cascades

40 Uniform Infestations Lack Structural Diversity for Support of Multiple Species Underwater View (c) BASF Corporation. Photo by Mitch Kezar

41 Macrophytes Increase Water Temperatures Northern Pike Spawning Over Vegetation Beds Cooper 2008

42 Macrophyte Nutrient Releases Triggers Algae Blooms Van Eeckhout and Quade1994; James et. al. 2003

43 Accretion of Sediments

44 Sediment Transport & Deposition (Lotic & Lentic)

45 Vegetated vs. Open Water Littoral Zone

46 Native Salmonids Are Open Water Species These Introduced Piscivorous Fish Are Adapted to Vegetated Habitats (Dibble et al 1997)

47 Occluded Mouth of Dayton Creek Historic Spawning Habitat For Adfluvial Cutthroats

48 Spatial Model: SPOT/10 Lakebed on NAIP/Land Dayton Creek Delta Bright Red is Flowering rush

49 Yellow Perch Prefer Flowering Rush Black Bullhead Yellow Perch coontail flowering rush cattail bulrush Schultz 2006

50 Gregory & Powels 1985 Cautionary Hypotheses Native Bull Trout Native Cutthroat Introduced Lake Trout Introduced Yellow Perch Yellow Perch Eggs on Vegetation

51 Gregory & Powels 1985 Lake Trout Expand as Perch Prey Base Habitat Increases Magnifying Incidental Predation on Native Salmonids? Native Bull Trout Native Cutthroat Introduced Lake Trout Introduced Yellow Perch Yellow Perch Eggs on Vegetation

52 Bass Predation of Salmonids Tabor 1993, Fritts & Peasrsons 2004, Bonar et al. 2005

53 Bass Predation of Salmonids Tabor 1993, Fritts & Peasrsons 2004, Bonar et al. 2005

54 Northern Pike Spawning in Macrophyte Beds (Macrophytes Increase Water Temperatures & Reduce Predation of Northern Pike Eggs & Juveniles) Cooper 2008

55 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Radio Tag Study of Northern Pike Distribution in the Upper Flathead River

56 Flowering Rush Fennon Slough Dominates Sloughs Being Used by Northern Pike Mill Creek Slough

57 Northern Pike Predation of Salmonids McMahon & Bennett 1996

58 Northern Pike Bioenergetics Study Prey items Season WCT* BULL** Winter Spring 2,015 2,922 Summer 9,428 0 Fall 1, Totals 13,379 3,457 Bull Trout** & Cutthroats* Are Being Significantly Depredated by Northern Pike Muhlfeld et al. (2008)

59 Traditional Obstacles to Salmonid Restoration 4H S: Harvest, Hatcheries, Hydrosystem, and Habitat alteration

60 Spatial Modeling Suggests Lake Littoral Zones Will Be Converted to Northern Pike Habitat

61 4H S: harvest, hatcheries, the hydrosystem, and habitat alteration & PREDATION by PISCIVOROUS EXOTICS Sanderson et al 2009 Muhlfeld et al 2008

62 Flowering Rush Rhizome Dispersal May Convert 8.8% of Flathead Lake to Densely Vegetated Habitat

63 CLASS SUSCEPTIBILTY ACRES 0-10 DEPTH 5,823 Organic Extreme 544 Silt High 3,062 Vegetation High 101 Saturated Soil/Water High? 657 Sand Medium to Low? 972 Cobble/Gravel Low DEPTH Varied est. 8,735 WETLANDS Medium 1,536 Results From Spatial Modeling of Lakebed Sediments & Flowering Rush Distribution

64 Initial Result Spatial Modeling Habitat Current Susceptible Size Infested* Maximum % of Acres Acres Acres Lake 0-10 Littoral 5,823 >1,039 4, Littoral 8,375?>1,000 6, ,558?>2,039 10, % Current & Susceptible >14 75 Wetlands 1, ? 1,536 *dense infestations with high cover value NAIP Spatial Model for East Bay

65 Current Project Objectives Salish Kootenai College, Salish & Kootenai Tribes, University of Montana Mapping Flathead Lake Spatial modeling to predict spread and inform management decisions (Flathead Lake) Phenology in relation to management options Herbicide and hand digging trials Karyotyping various CRB infestations Informing Columbia River system managers of threat

66 Where to Go Next? Northwest Power & Conservation Council has regional scale interest in the integrity of the Columbia River System Submit a New System-Wide Proposal Four NW States as Partners: Agencies, Tribes, Universities Salish Kootenai College & CS&K Tribes Lead

67 Northwest Power & Conservation Council Fish & Wildlife Program New System-Wide Proposal Rationle 31 Dams on the Columbia River System Fast Flow Through System Was Converted to Extensive Impounded Littoral Zones Suitable for Macrophytes 6.7 Million Acres Irrigated from Columbia R. Native Salmonid Restoration & Maintenance a Programmatic Goal

68 System-Wide / Multi-Partner Comprehensive Scientific Assessment Main Stem Survey Water Level Management & Invasion Success Reproductive Phenology & Rhizome/Seed Dispersal Higher Trophic Level Impacts Sediment Deposition & Transport Control Methods Professional Awareness Strategic Plan for CRB

69 Still a Early Detection Rapid Response Opportunity Flathead Lake L. Pend Oreille Flathead Lake ~2,000 ac Thompson Falls ~28 ac (12.5% FoO) Noxon ~46 ac (0.6% FoO) Cabinet Present (<<1% FoO) L. Pend Oreille ~8 to 200 acres (0.1% FoO) FoO = Frequency of Occurrence Preliminary Data from: Rice & Dupuis Madsen & Cheshier 2008 Woolf 2007, Madsen & Wersal 2008

70 : Columbia River System Eurasian watermilfoil Flowering rush

71 Questions & Comments? Flowering rush Photos by Alvin Mitchell & Dave Boldt SKC, Sue Ball CSKT, Steve Howser Aberdeen ID, Peter Rice UM, Chris Eckert Queens University, Gary Fewless University of Wisconsin, Mike Kezar BASF