Macrophytes
Macrophytes are the rooted submerged or emergent vegetation in lakes and
streams. Macrophytes.
are an important component of the aquatic ecosystem because they add oxygen
to the water througi
photosynthesis, provide habitat (food and shelter) for fish and other aquatic
life, and may provide
wave buffering to reduce shoreline erosion. The macrophytes found in the
environmental study area
are similar to those found in most soft water lakes of the upper Great Lakes
region.

About 70 macrophyte species have been found in the lakes and streams of the
environmental study
area. Some of the seepage lakes studied are nutrient-limited and lack extensive
aquatic weed beds.
These nutrient-limited lakes contain distinctive, small, bottom-dwelling
species such as quillwort
(Isoetes sp), water lobelia (Lobelia dortmanna), dwarf water milfoil (Myriophylium
tenellum),
pipewort (Eriocaulon septangulare), and waterwort (Elatine minima). Lakes
with this characteristic
flora include Little Sand Lake, Duck Lake, Deep Hole Lake, and Oak Lake.

Drainage lakes, such as Rolling Stone Lake and Rice Lake, have more extensive
and diverse
macrophyte communities than the seepage lakes. Aquatic weed beds are well
developed in drainage
lakes largely due to the greater availability of nutrients. Characteristic
species of drainage lakes
include pondweeds (Potamogeton epihydrus, P. zosteriformis, plus several
other species), water
milfoil (Myriophylium exalbescens), yellow water lily (Nuphar variegatum),
white water lily
(Nymphaea tuberosa), spike rush (Eleocharis smallii), waterweed (Elodea canadensis),
and coontail
(Ceratophyllum demersum). Though these species occur in the seepage lakes,
they are not as comm
or extensive.

Two species found in the environmental study area require special attention.
Algal-leaved pondwee
(Potamogeton confervoides), a Wisconsin threatened species, was found in
July, 1980 in Duck Lake.
groundwater pump test, conducted by Exxon later in 1980, discharged a large
volume of groundwate
to Duck Lake and the pondweed has not been observed since. The other macrophyte,
wild rice
(Zizania aquatica), occurs predominantly in Rice Lake and at scattered sites
downstream of the laki
in Swamp Creek. Rice Lake is listed under Wisconsin Administrative Code NR
19.09 as a significan
wild rice lake. The DNR and the Mole Lake Sokaogan tribe regulate wild rice
harvesting in the lake
The wild rice in Rice Lake has been an important economic and cultural crop
to the Mole Lake
Chippewas and is an important food source for waterfowl using the lake.

TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY

Vegetation
The vegetation patterns (Figure 2-9), types and percent rankings for the
project site and
environmental study area are noted in Table 2-10. For comparison purposes,
the amount of develop
and water acreage also is included.
                                           Table 2-10
      Vegetation Types and Percent Rankings in the Project Site and Environmental
Study Areas
                                        Project Site              Environmental
Study Area
                                            (%)                         
  (%)
Northern Hardwood                            59                         
   65
(including Aspen-Birch)
Swamp Conifer                                20                         
    14
Shrub Swamp                                   3                         
 3
Bog                                          >1                      
    1
Marsh                                     2
Urban or Developed                           >1                      
    2
Old Field and Clearcut                        4                         
 3
Agriculture                                   4                         
 4
Water                                         7                         
 8
TOTALS                                    100%                          
 100%

Northern Hardwood - The entire project site has been logged and northern
hardwood second-growth



forests cover uplands. The sugar maple (Acer saccharum), basswood, yellow
birch (Betula
alleghaniensis), and eastern hemlock (  canadensis) association as well as
the early successiona
stages of aspen (Populus tremuloides) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera)
are present at the project
site.



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