Performance and ecological impacts of benthic barriers for the control of an invasive plant in a small urban lake

Yellow Floating Heart (YFH), Nymphoides peltata, is a rooted aquatic plant that is not native to North America, and can quickly establish nuisance populations in shallow lakes, rivers, and wetlands. There are few documented methods for effectively eradiating or controlling YFH. Little Albro Lake is a small (3 ha), shallow (<5 m deep) meso-eutrophic lake in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada that experiences an annual YFH infestation covering >50% of the lake during the growing season. A pilot study was conducted during the 2021 growing season to: (i) assess the feasibility of using benthic barriers to control YFH growth, and (ii) investigate the potential impacts of benthic barriers on ecosystem components. Two commercially available benthic barriers (Aquascreen, a permeable barrier, and Lake Bottom Blanket, an impermeable barrier) were tested in shallow (1 m water depth) and deep (3 m water depth) areas of the lake. A total of 18 test plots (6 permeable, 6 impermeable, 6 control), each measuring 3 m × 3 m, were established in early May 2021, and monitored throughout the growing season (May–September). Both types of barriers were effective in reducing YFH growth, with barriered plots possessing significantly less YFH coverage than control plots. Inspection of the permeable barriers after their removal from the lake, however, revealed that YFH had been able to grow through this type of barrier material. Several maintenance issues were also noted with both barriers including: (i) gas build-up under the barriers, which caused billowing, and (ii) an accumulation of sediment on top of the barriers and growth of YFH through these sediment layers. Both issues would need to be managed during a full-scale benthic barrier application program. An environmental effects monitoring program was also undertaken to understand the lake ecosystem and impacts of the barriers on the chemical and biological properties of the lakebed. The barriers had measurable impacts on the lakebed and generated lower oxidation reduction potential (ORP) in sediments, as compared to control plots with no barriers. Reduced ORP in lake sediments could facilitate the mobilization of redox-sensitive metals, such as arsenic and iron. There were only minor differences in benthic macroinvertebrate populations when comparing barriered and control plots. The bacterial alpha-diversity of the lakebed sediment was shown to differ by depth, with the shallow zone having higher observed ASVs and diversity levels. However, within the two depth zones, the barriers did not appear to have a large impact on bacterial community composition and potential functionality. In conclusion, benthic barriers can be used to prevent YFH growth, however barrier installations require maintenance and may reduce sediment ORP, potentially leading to release of redox-sensitive metals and nutrients.