Theses and Dissertations
Issuing Body
Mississippi State University
Advisor
Dibble, Eric D.
Committee Member
Madsen, John D.
Committee Member
Munn, Ian A.
Date of Degree
12-15-2012
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Wildlife and Fisheries Science
Degree Name
Master of Science
College
College of Forest Resources
Department
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Abstract
Mississippi has an abundance of ponds which provides a number of opportunities for anglers. Several enhancement strategies are used to improve fish production in ponds, including fertilizing and supplemental feeding. These strategies may ignore the potential ecological impacts that may unexpectedly arise, such as prolific plant growth. This study consists of two phases; first, a mesocosm experiment investigating fertilizer application rates (mg P/L) in relation to potential sunfish growth, and second, a replicated pond experiment consisting of four treatments to simulate commonly used enhancement strategies. Mesocosm experiment showed a peak of sunfish growth at the 0.6 mg P/L level and served as a high fertilizer threshold level in pond experiment. Ponds were surveyed to assess treatment effects on each trophic level. The costs associated with each pond management strategy were documented. Results from this research help refine management recommendations to maximize results while minimizing costs to landowners and ecosystems.
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/11668/18508
Recommended Citation
Sherman, Michael Scott, "Pond Management Approaches and Effects on Trophic Dynamics" (2012). Theses and Dissertations. 3561.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/3561
Comments
phosphorus||fertilizer||sunfish||pond management