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Pond Management Approaches and Effects on Trophic Dynamics

Mississippi has an abundance of ponds which provides a number of opportunities for anglers. Several enhancement strategies are used to improve fish production in ponds, including fertilizing and supplemental feeding. These strategies may ignore the potential ecological impacts that may unexpectedly arise, such as prolific plant growth. This study consists of two phases; first, a mesocosm experiment investigating fertilizer application rates (mg P/L) in relation to potential sunfish growth, and second, a replicated pond experiment consisting of four treatments to simulate commonly used enhancement strategies. Mesocosm experiment showed a peak of sunfish growth at the 0.6 mg P/L level and served as a high fertilizer threshold level in pond experiment. Ponds were surveyed to assess treatment effects on each trophic level. The costs associated with each pond management strategy were documented. Results from this research help refine management recommendations to maximize results while minimizing costs to landowners and ecosystems.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-4560
Date15 December 2012
CreatorsSherman, Michael Scott
PublisherScholars Junction
Source SetsMississippi State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceTheses and Dissertations

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