DEVELOPMENT OF A PARTITIONED-BIOMASS MODEL FOR ROOTED MACROPHYTE GROWTH

Many surface waters support excessive growth of several rooted macroph yte species. This paper presents a macrophyte growth model to facilita te modeling the growth of several macrophyte species which exhibit dis tinct patterns of growth and development. The model partitions the bio mass of each species according to the phenological stages of plant dev elopment including growth, maturation, senescence, and dormancy. The p artitioned-biomass model was demonstrated for the growth of Elodea can adensis Michx. and Potamogeton crispus L. in Spring Creek, a shallow f ourth-order stream in central Pennsylvania. The structure of the model could be adapted to a wide variety of macrophytes and aquatic ecosyst ems.