Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: North Carolina
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

We propose a systematic and quantitative controlled-experience field experiment to assess the relative habitat use of native and invasive plants for sport fish support functions at multiple spatial scales. Our goal is to understand factors contributing to aquatic vegetation establishment, costs of vegetation establishment, and sport fish habit value on both a micro- and macro-habitat scale. Research Objectives: Objective 1. Compile an extensive literature review and develop a complete reference guide on vegetation native to North Carolina and revegetation techniques with an emphasis on sport fish habitat in Piedmont reservoirs. Objective 2. Evaluate the cost per unit established of selected native aquatic plants identified in Objective 1 for their sport fish habitat value. In addition, this objective will determine native plant establishment success in the presence or absence of hydrilla and the benefit of herbivore exclosures on native plant establishment and spread. Objective 3: Assess the relative habitat use of native and invasive aquatic plants for sport fish support functions at multiple spatial scales. Objective 4: Disseminate project results to resource managers and stakeholders.