
In this phase, this project aims to provide robust ecological data to evaluate whether small-scale, mechanical cattail harvesting can enhance fish habitat while minimizing unintended impacts on non-target species.
MAISRC researchers are addressing a critical information gap by studying the effects of invasive cattail removal on nearshore plant and fish communities in Minnesota lakes. This project aims to provide robust ecological data to evaluate whether small-scale, mechanical cattail harvesting can enhance fish habitat while minimizing unintended impacts on non-target species. The findings will inform regional park staff, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR), lake associations, and lake property owners across Minnesota about the potential benefits and trade-offs of cattail removal along lakeshores, an area where little information currently exists.
Researchers will sample environmental variables, plants, and fish at paired sites where cattails have been retained and removed, building on study sites established during the project's initial phase. A new treatment—an uninvaded plot—will be added to assess whether cattail removal helps restore lakeshore ecosystems to a state resembling areas free from invasion. Seasonal fish habitat use will be monitored to understand how fish interact with the different treatment plots. Specific goals include:
- Understanding if mechanical cattail removal can restore ecological function of nearshore lake ecosystems in Minnesota.
- Comparing cattail retained and cattail removed areas to uninvaded nearshore lake zones to determine if cattail removal restores these ecosystems to uninvaded conditions.
Understanding how cattail management affects fish use of nearshore lake zones.