Fish have strong effects on aquatic ecosystems and the aquatic plants. This can be through direct consumption, but also indirectly, by bioturbation and uprooting of plants, or by consuming grazers of algae that otherwise shade and outcompete the plants. However, whereas these effects are generally known, there is limited experimental or quantitative evidence of fish impacts on aquatic plant beds. At which densities are fish impacts relevant? How do all the different direct and indirect effects of fish add up to determine their impact?
Several student topics are possible within the context of this project:
4-9 Months.