Evaluating effects of weed cutting on water level and ecological status in Danish lowland streams

• Published in: Freshwater biology Vol. 63; no. 7; pp. 652 - 661
• Main Authors: Baattrup‐Pedersen, Annette, Ovesen, Niels B., Larsen, Søren E., Andersen, Dagmar K., Riis, Tenna, Kronvang, Brian, Rasmussen, Jes J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agricultural management; Agricultural runoff; Annual; Aquatic plants; Autumn; Biomass; canopy; Control theory; Cutting; cutting frequency; Cutting speed; Cuttings; Discharge; Discharge capacity; Ecological effects; Feedback loops; Flood control; Flood management; Flood protection; Flooding; Floods; macrophytes; maintenance; management; phytomass; Plant biomass; Plant communities; Plant cover; Plants (botany); Positive feedback; Regrowth; Removal; river; Rivers; Runoff; Sparganium; Species; spring; Stability; Streams; Summer; Water discharge; Water levels; Watersheds; Weeds

At present, scientific evidence documenting effects of weed cutting in streams as a measure to improve flood protection and run‐off from agricultural land is scarce, which is surprising considering the huge effect that it has on stream ecology. Instead, weed cutting is performed under the assumption...