Habitat use of Vallisneria americana beds in the Caloosahatchee River : final report.

Abstract

Studies conducted to understand the salinity tolerances of Vallisneria americana within the Caloosahatchee River in support of minimum flows and levels (MFL) criteria have not considered faunal utilization of this freshwater macrophyte habitat. Data presented in this report represent the second year of a three-year study designed to further our understanding of which organisms (fish and invertebrates) utilize V. americana-dominated habitat. Samples were collected from ten sites using a temporal strategy that corresponds with three distinct seasonal conditions: 1) high recruitment (March/April to June/July); 2) high flow (July to November); and 3) low productivity (November to March). In addition to faunal collections, water quality and SAV data were collected.