| Abstract: | Many lakeside Phragmites australis reeds are frequently harvested or burnt in winter for several purposes like extraction of raw material, natural preservation or facilitation of professional fishing or fish breeding. The question is, whether these practices support a sustainable development of the reeds. Data from a long term monitoring program at Lake Constance (Germany) demonstrate that culm morphology, stand structure and aboveground peak biomass are strongly influenced by the treatment. Winter harvested and burnt reeds exhibited higher culm densities (+76% of the untreated controls), and a higher peak biomass (+13%). The mean culm height was reduced by −13%. The percentage of insect infested shoots was 8.8% of the total shoot population, compared with 20.1% of the untreated controls. Consecutive harvesting treatments intensified these effects. In the first two years after the treatment had stopped the reed stands showed an ‘overshoot’ biomass production, and a strong trend towards the features of the untreated controls. The possible mechanisms (mechanical damage, frost kill of the growth tips and breaking of the apical dominance) are discussed. It is concluded that winter harvesting and burning treatments make the reeds more susceptible against some environmental hazards, and should therefore applied with precaution on the basis of a close examination of risks and benefits. |
