Effects of mooring management on submerged vegetation, sediments and macro-invertebrates in Lake Constance, Germany

Mooring areas are a common form of berthing in many of Germany’s inland waters for the growing number of sporting boats. A circular swinging zone around the anchor zone is formed, in which the submerged macrophyte vegetation is destroyed to a large extent, and the sediment surface is eroded. We investigated the effects of two types of buoy (conventional and so-called hook-buoys) in comparison with undisturbed reference sites nearby. The aim of the study was to identify possible harmful consequences of mooring sites to lake littoral habitats in Lake Constance-Untersee, and to provide information to managers to aid them in the formulation of mooring management plans with the least ecological impact. The study focused on submerged vegetation, surface sediments and macro-invertebrate colonisation. In the swinging circle of conventional buoys (87 m2) we observed a significant sediment matter erosion of 0.9 tonnes and a reduction of organic matter amount by 4.5% of the undisturbed reference. The vegetation free area increased by 122%, and the phytomass (mainly Chara div. spp.) was reduced by 14.6% per berth. The psammophilous macro-invertebrate numbers were not significantly affected (−3%) in contrast to the phytophilous taxa which were reduced by 12.7% per berth. The mayfly larvae were the most negatively affected taxon. Oligochaetes profited from the clearing of the sediment surface in the swinging circles. The ecological effects of the hook-buoys were more minor, mainly due to the smaller swinging circle (6 m2). We concluded that the detrimental effects of mooring can be significantly reduced by mooring systems, e. g. the hook-buoy system as it was used in this study, which reduce the area disturbed and cleared by the anchor chain. We argue that these results can be generalised to mooring areas with soft bottom and dense macrophyte vegetation in Lake Constance and other large lakes.