Aquatic Ecology Expert Will Present Findings Wednesday
By PATRICK L. FANELLI
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11/13/2006 - Aquatic ecology expert Bob Johnson from Cornell University spent much of the year on Chautauqua Lake studying one of the most aggravating aspects of the waterfront — invasive weed infestations.
Johnson, who heads the Research Pond Facility of Cornell University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department, will present his findings at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Southwestern Central High School auditorium.
He is expected to outline the sources of Eurasian milfoil plants — the aquatic weeds that spring up offshore in places like Burtis Bay — which could ultimately lead to a more successful control effort.
‘‘He’s going to present the work he did on the lake this year — everything from macrophyte sampling to adding more moths and sampling what they had done,’’ said Paul Swanson, Chautauqua Lake Association general manager. ‘‘So it’s a pretty nice presentation.’’
Johnson has worked very closely with the CLA — the organization responsible for maintaining the shoreline and cutting and collecting weeds during the summer months.
This was a particularly bad year for weeds, especially in the shallow bays of Busti, Lakewood, Celoron, Ellicott and Ellery. Dramatic outbreaks were initially blamed on a particularly mild winter. Insufficient ice cover allowed a great deal of sunlight into the water, encouraging weed growth.
See LAKE WEEDS on Page A-3
LAKE WEEDS From Page A-1
There are many ways to curb it. Swanson runs a fleet of weed harvesters that spend the entire summer working all 44 miles of the Chautauqua Lake shoreline. Another lake group — the Chautauqua Lake Partnership — applied herbicides to Burtis Bay a few years ago and is hoping to do so again. The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy advocates fixing the problem at its source by curbing the flow of weed-feeding nutrients into the lake. There are also weevils — insects that feed on the milfoil plants, effectively destroying them.
Johnson’s work was comprehensive, involving ‘‘physically sampling the weeds, mapping them, trying to document the intensity of the growth,’’ according to Swanson. Johnson’s findings could have an impact on how the CLA — which is on the front lines of the weed problem every summer — handles it.
‘‘We sure hope so,’’ Swanson said. ‘‘That’s why we’re doing it.’’
The CLA sponsored Johnson’s work as well as Wednesday’s presentation, which is entitled, ‘‘Chautauqua Lake’s Eurasian Watermilfoil and Factors Influencing Plant and Insect Populations.’’
Johnson, who heads the Research Pond Facility of Cornell University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department, will present his findings at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Southwestern Central High School auditorium.
He is expected to outline the sources of Eurasian milfoil plants — the aquatic weeds that spring up offshore in places like Burtis Bay — which could ultimately lead to a more successful control effort.
‘‘He’s going to present the work he did on the lake this year — everything from macrophyte sampling to adding more moths and sampling what they had done,’’ said Paul Swanson, Chautauqua Lake Association general manager. ‘‘So it’s a pretty nice presentation.’’
Johnson has worked very closely with the CLA — the organization responsible for maintaining the shoreline and cutting and collecting weeds during the summer months.
This was a particularly bad year for weeds, especially in the shallow bays of Busti, Lakewood, Celoron, Ellicott and Ellery. Dramatic outbreaks were initially blamed on a particularly mild winter. Insufficient ice cover allowed a great deal of sunlight into the water, encouraging weed growth.
See LAKE WEEDS on Page A-3
LAKE WEEDS From Page A-1
There are many ways to curb it. Swanson runs a fleet of weed harvesters that spend the entire summer working all 44 miles of the Chautauqua Lake shoreline. Another lake group — the Chautauqua Lake Partnership — applied herbicides to Burtis Bay a few years ago and is hoping to do so again. The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy advocates fixing the problem at its source by curbing the flow of weed-feeding nutrients into the lake. There are also weevils — insects that feed on the milfoil plants, effectively destroying them.
Johnson’s work was comprehensive, involving ‘‘physically sampling the weeds, mapping them, trying to document the intensity of the growth,’’ according to Swanson. Johnson’s findings could have an impact on how the CLA — which is on the front lines of the weed problem every summer — handles it.
‘‘We sure hope so,’’ Swanson said. ‘‘That’s why we’re doing it.’’
The CLA sponsored Johnson’s work as well as Wednesday’s presentation, which is entitled, ‘‘Chautauqua Lake’s Eurasian Watermilfoil and Factors Influencing Plant and Insect Populations.’’
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