Latitudinal influences on the Depths of Maximum Colonization and Maximum Biomass of Submerged Angiosperms in Lakes

Abstract

Both water transparency and lake latitude influence the depths of maximum biomass (Z_b) and maximum depth of colonization (Z_c) of submerged plants. The differences in the depth distribution of plants in lakes differing in water transparency become more pronounced as latitude decreases. Changes in transparency in low-latitude lakes should result in greater changes in macrophyte cover than similar changes in lakes at higher latitudes. The maximum depth of colonization appears to be largely a function of water transparency, whereas the depth of maximum biomass is best related to latitude. Relationships developed here allow better predictions of Z_c and Z_b for individual lakes than were possible before.