Mark Milardi
In this article we will examine from the point of view the most rigorous possible interactions between the pike (as a species and as an individual) and the aquatic vegetation. The aquatic vegetation is essential for pike during the scrub. Nowadays the main rivers are full regiment and became an exceptional event. Even the lakes now rarely overflows.
Thousands of years of evolution have produced a fish such as pike that reproduces in spring and in areas with low human impact does it more often in alluvial soils, where the larvae are an ideal environment for their rapid development before to return to the main body of water with the receding water. It's kind of vegetation that needs to spawn, the vegetation provides shelter and support for small sticky eggs during the few days of development.
Luckily the pike is not particularly selective, as other species, the type of plants used during playback. In the absence of alluvial soils will give evidence about the stems of Phragmites (reeds) or other aquatic vegetation in shallow areas. The lack of vegetation in the scrub does not necessarily mean the absence of the care itself, but rather has a great impact on the survival of eggs in that same lack of shelter do not come easily to hatch.
The newly hatched larvae of pike are very fragile creatures, far from being the top predator of the aquatic environment. During the first weeks after hatching the larvae are forced to stay in the shelter of aquatic vegetation to avoid predators, their many (virtually all). At first, the larva remains attached to the vegetation with a sticky excretion and feeds on their yolk sac, but soon began to prey on the plankton and then the larvae through the mouth much more developed.
Throughout the larval stage and most of the juvenile phase pike remains deeply attached to vegetation that offers both shelter from predators (including other pike), a good hiding place from which to ambush and an area rich in food resources where most of the prey refuge from larger fish.
A survey of the shallow areas of the lake reveals a small pike larvae concentrated in the coastal vegetation
Once you have reached maturity and adulthood remains pike related to aquatic plants although some individuals seem to prefer other types of environments and moving into other areas of the body of water. This predilection is known to sport fishermen who often cercano di insidiarlo vicino ai canneti, nei tappeti di ninfee o ancora sul mirofillum che cresce nei drop-off.
In effetti fino al raggiungimento delle taglie massime un luccio è perennemente a rischio predazione sia da parte dei suoi simili (anche di taglia molto simile) che da parte di altri predatori acquatici (uccelli acquatici ed altre specie esotiche).
Questo rischio si attenua soltanto con il sopraggiungere del periodo invernale: durante l’inverno il cannibalismo scende moltissimo e il luccio, prima molto territoriale, si può trovare molto vicino ad altri individui. Questo cambiamento nel comportamento coincide con un calo dell’attività accompagnato ad un progressivo diminuire della vegetazione acquatica.
Ninfee e canneto sono due delle tipologie più comuni di piante acquatiche associate alla presenza del luccio
Alla luce di quanto detto sopra appare evidente che, non potendo permettere eventi alluvionali come in passato, sia molto importante keep as much as possible the natural character of the watercourse.
The overbuilding and the regimentation of the channels usually leads to an increase in the speed of running water due to the smoother surface and the straightening of the meandering and folds. This usually leads to an absence of macrophytes, ie, vegetation that is essential to aquatic life in general and especially for pike.
mowing of reeds, as in lakes and canals, for cleaner shores, beaches and bike paths has often led to the same result.
is certainly important to create spaces for use by man but it is equally important to preserve other natural areas where activities can take place properly. The vegetation of the banks, as we have seen, is a focal point for the reproduction of pike and other species of fish. If the vegetation is removed will endanger many species.
An environment rich in vegetation, although hardly available to the fishery, is an environment rich in wildlife and an environment with little vegetation usually a small number of species. The difference is the number of micro-habitats that are created within the vegetation that increase system capacity. Too much vegetation, for example due to nutrients released into the environment from agricultural practices, can actually be a problem for aquatic fauna, but this level is far beyond that normally received. The pike is a fish, in particular, it is very resistant to eutrophic conditions and at low levels of oxygen.
overbuilding of an irrigation canal
final note must be made on the restoration of vegetation in areas altered by human intervention. Aquatic plants, like animals, have a high reproductive potential, and you must respect the balance that already exists.
Therefore it is wrong to introduce new plant species in the environment but it is advisable to reinstate the existing plants. Just as it is advisable to monitor the presence of introduced plants and weeds that can easily be stifling environment. Any action or program to that effect should be coordinated with local authorities and supervised by experts.
must always keep in mind that the evolution side has had millennia to form a community water and introduce an amendment to any effects that can result when we fail to predict. In addition, species that we know well and which are harmless in an ecosystem can become invasive species if transferred to another place.
In many parts of Europe and the reed beds of lily plants are protected while in America (where they were introduced) and weeds are actively controlled by the environmental departments. Also in this case the removal of an introduced species is very difficult and expensive.
to control Phragmites reeds in America