North Temperate Lakes LTER Northern Highland Lake District Coarse Woody Debris Logs

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important, but often neglected, component of lake ecosystems. It is ecologically valuable because it creates littoral habitat complexity but it is susceptible to manipulation by riparian process, in particular removal by property owners. The objective of this study is to determine the spatial scales at which human and environmental factors contribute to coarse woody debris input and output dynamics. Coarse woody debris, boat docks, and riparian trees (with the potential of becoming CWD) around the five lakes of the NTL-LTER site (Trout Lake, Allequash Lake (north basin), Sparkling Lake, Crystal Lake, and Big Muskellunge Lake) were measured in 1996 and 1997. CWD was defined as logs: greater than 2 m length, greater than 15 cm diameter, mostly submersed in lake, less than 25 m from shore, and less than 2 m water depth. Locations were determined as average of greater than 30 dGPS positions. Numbered aluminum tags were attached to each log to facilitate the long-term study of CWD. Return visits to Sparkling and Trout Lakes in 1997 found some tags had been removed by ice or vandals. Heavier tags were attached to these logs. The 1997 re-survey and tag check was not complete.