Four general principles for the management and conservation of wetlands in large lakes: The role of water levels,nutrients, competitive hierarchies and centrifugal organization

The most important factor in shoreline wetlands is variation in water depth. Superimposed upon this are gradients of soil fertility, ranging from sandy, open shorelines to sheltered, fertile bays. The use of both transplant and pot experiments shows that competitive hierarchies rapidly arise in wetland vegetation and that species are sorted along exposure and depth gradients according to their relative competitive abilities. These patterns can be summarized in the centrifugal organization model, in which competitive dominants occupy preferred core habitats and where different species and vegetation types are then arrayed outward along different constraint gradients ( Wisheu & Keddy 1992 ). Knowledge of these general patterns provides an essential tool for managing lakes and reservoirs in order to maintain and enhance biological diversity.