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Impacts of different weed cutting practices on macrophyte species diversity and composition in a Danish stream

Various effects of stream management on biotic communities have been suggested on the basis of observations and investigations in regularly managed streams throughout Europe, but only very sparse information is available about if and how stream management can be combined with maintaining a natural and diverse stream flora. Our study was carried out to investigate how weed cutting practice and frequency can affect macrophyte communities to provide knowledge for future decisions regarding management in streams. We chose an experimental approach and applied four different weed cutting practices (cutting full width, central channel, diagonal channels and no cutting) and frequencies within one stream reach for four years. We found only very limited changes over the four years in overall macrophyte diversity parameters following different management practices and there were no changes in macrophyte diversity parameters either as a function of the weed cutting frequency or method applied. In contrast we found directional changes in macrophyte composition following frequent cuttings of either the whole stream channel or a less comprehensive cutting of only one central channel for four years. In both cases the macrophyte communities changed towards a more Ranunculus dominated community while Potamogeton natans became less important in the community. This change seemed to reflect a higher tolerance of Ranunculus towards disturbance. On the basis of these results, we recommend that the management frequency in streams is limited and, if several cuttings are needed to prevent bank over‐flow, cutting in several narrow channels is preferable to cutting in one central channel as directional changes in plant communities are avoided. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.