Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Drought Tolerance Thresholds in Cattail (Typha latifolia): A Test Using Controlled Hydrologic Treatments

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Wetlands Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Decades of anthropogenic flooding to create wetlands in spring for breeding waterfowl in the Canadian Prairies have produced undesirable successional shifts from open wetlands dominated by endemic Eleocharis palustris L. (spikerush), to habitats dominated by relatively closed communities of Typha latifolia L. (cattail). Using 2 greenhouse experiments, we examined the potential of specific drying regimes to cross moisture thresholds and achieve T. latifolia control while maintaining E. palustris. We assessed the morphologic (leaf density, shoot ratio, biomass) and biochemical (root carbohydrate) responses of transplanted T. latifolia and E. palustris to different soil hydrologic treatments, including continuous flooding (CF), field capacity (FC) moisture, and 5 different drying stress (DS) treatments ranging from 4 to 12 weeks in duration, including recovery during re-inundation. Our results suggest that both plant species are susceptible to low soil moisture, as exemplified by reduced growth and survival. Although T. latifolia recovery during reflooding declined with incremental severity of moisture stress, T. latifolia was more tolerant to drought than E. palustris, with soil moisture below 5% required to induce complete root mortality. We conclude that only very low soil moisture will achieve T. latifolia control, under which E. palustris will have to re-establish from seed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Asamoah SA (2008) Vegetation, livestock and waterfowl responses to hydrologic gradients in created wetlands of the Dry Mixedgrass Prairie. PhD Thesis. University of Alberta

  • Bedish JW (1967) Cattail moisture requirements and their significance to marsh management. American Midland Naturalist 78:288–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biesboer DD (1984) Seasonal variation in nitrogen fixation, associated microbial populations, and carbohydrates in roots and rhizomes of Typha latifolia (Typhaceae). Canadian Journal of Botany 62:1965–1967

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Busch J, Mendelssohn IA, Lorenzen B, Brix H, Miao SL (2004) Growth responses of the Everglades wet prairie species Eleocharis cellulose and Rhynchospora tracyi to water level and phosphate availability. Aquatic Botany 78:37–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dhont C, Castonguay Y, Nadeau P, Belanger G, Chalifour FP (2002) Alfalfa root carbohydrates and regrowth potential in response to fall harvests. Crop Science 42:754–765

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dougherty PM, Hinckley TM (1981) The influence of a severe drought on net photosynthesis of white oak (Quercus alba). Canadian Journal of Botany 59:335–341

    Google Scholar 

  • Froend RH, McComb AJ (1994) Distribution, productivity and reproductive phenology of emergent macrophytes in relation to water regimes at wetlands of south-western Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 45:1491–1508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Good RE, Whigham DF, Simpson RL (1978) Freshwater wetlands: ecological processes and management potential. Academic, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorham E (1974) The relationship between standing crop in sedge meadows and summer temperature. Journal of Ecology 62:487–491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grace JB, Wetzel RG (1981) Habitat partitioning and competitive displacement in cattails (Typha): experimental field studies. American Naturalist 118:463–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kantrud HA (1992) History of cattails on the prairies: wildlife impacts. In: Proceedings of Cattail Management Symposium. Fargo, North Dakota, USA

  • Kvet J, Husak S (1978) Primary data on biomass and production estimates in typical stands of fishpond littoral plant communities. In: Dykyjova D, Kvet K (eds) Pond littoral ecosystems. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 211–216

    Google Scholar 

  • LaBaugh JW, Swanson GA (1992) Changes in chemical characteristics of water in selected wetlands in the Cottonwood Lake area, North Dakota, U.S.A., 1967–1989. In: Robarts RD, Bothwell ML (eds) Aquatic ecosystems in semi-arid regions: implications for resource management. N.H.R.I. Symposium Series 7, 1992. Environment Canada, Saskatoon, pp 149–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Pezeshki SR, Goodwin S (2004) Effects of soil moisture regimes on photosynthesis and growth in cattail Typha latifolia. Acta Oecologia 25:17–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu F, Jensen CR, Andersen MN (2004) Drought stress effect on carbohydrate concentration in soybean leaves and pods during early reproductive development: its implication in altering pod set. Field Crops Research 86:1–13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenzen B, Brix H, Mendelssohn IA, McKee KL, Miao S (2001) Growth, biomass allocation and nutrient use efficiency in Cladium jamaicense and Typha domingensis as affected by phosphorus and oxygen availability. Aquatic Botany 70:117–133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Millar JB (1973) Vegetation changes in shallow marsh wetlands under improving moisture regime. Canadian Journal of Botany 51:1443–1457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers JH, Bazely DR (2003) Ecology and control of introduced plants. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Newman S, Grace JB, Koebel JW (1996) Effects of nutrient and hydroperiod on Typha, Cladium, and Eleocharis: implications for Everglade’s restoration. Ecological Applications 6:774–783

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sankowski TP, Schmitt KL, Guinn SJ, Stewart GR, Burns RB, Rubec CDA, Overend RP (1987) The Kitsim complex: an example of a small wetland development benefitting waterfowl and cattle production. In: Rubec CDA, Overend RP (eds) Proceedings of Symposium ‘87 Wetlands/Peatlands-193. Environment Canada, Ottawa, pp 189–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos AM, Esteves FA (2002) Primary production and mortality of Eleocharis interstincta in response to water level fluctuations. Aquatic Botany 74:198–199

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute Inc (2003) SAS user’s guide: version 9.1. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith D (1981) Removing and analyzing total nonstructural carbohydrates from plant tissue. University of Wisconsin, Madison Pub. R2107

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorrell BK, Tanner CC, Sukias JPS (2002) Effects of water depth and substrate on growth and morphology of Eleocharis sphacelata: implications for culm support and internal gas transport. Aquatic Botany 73:93–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soundy P, Cantliffe DJ, Hochmuth GJ, Stoffella PJ (2001) Nutrient requirements for lettuce transplants using a floatation irrigation system II. Potassium. HortScience 36:1071–1074

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steele RGD, Torrie TH, Dickey DA (1997) Principles and procedures of statistics: a biometrical approach, 3rd edn. McGraw Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart RE, Kantrud HA (1971) Classification of natural ponds and lakes in the glaciated prairie region. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Publication 92

    Google Scholar 

  • Stilling PD (2002) Ecology: theories and applications. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson GA (1987) Vegetation changes in wetlands of the Cottonwood Lake area. Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Science 41:29

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson GA (1992) Cycles of cattails in individual wetlands: environmental influences. In: Proceedings of cattail management symposium. Fargo, North Dakota, USA, pp 13–19

  • Woodhams DH, Kozlowski TT (1954) Effects of soil moisture stress on carbohydrate development and growth in plants. American Journal of Botany 41:316–320

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the University of Alberta and a grant from Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). Special thanks to Dr. Jonathan Thompson, Dave Kay, and Morgan Stromsmoe of DUC for providing the impetus for this research, as well as to the DUC field staff from the Brooks office in southern Alberta who assisted with various aspects of the study, including Stacey Wabick, Nathan Fontaine, and Brian Peers. The Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta provided the greenhouse space and facilities for the research, while staff at the Ecophysiology Laboratory in the Department of Renewable Resources provided expertise with carbohydrate analyses. We thank Dr. Laki Goonewardene for advice on statistical analysis, and many individuals for providing helpful comments on earlier versions of the manuscript, including Drs. Thompson, Lee Foote, Anne Naeth, Robert Hudson and Jeff Moseley, as well as an Associate Editor and 2 anonymous reviewers.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Stephen A. Asamoah

    Present address: Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Government of Canada, 200 Kent Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1A 0E6

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2P5

    Edward W. Bork

Authors
  1. Stephen A. Asamoah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Edward W. Bork
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edward W. Bork.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Asamoah, S.A., Bork, E.W. Drought Tolerance Thresholds in Cattail (Typha latifolia): A Test Using Controlled Hydrologic Treatments. Wetlands 30, 99–110 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-009-0005-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-009-0005-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation