CHANGES IN NONTARGET WETLAND VEGETATION FOLLOWING A LARGE-SCALE FLURIDONE APPLICATION

Surface areas of floating-leaved, emergent, and scrub-shrub wetland plant communities were measured using an aerial imaging methodology before and 1 yr after fluridone (1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[-3 (trifluromethyl) phenyl]-4 (LH)pyridinone) was applied in a 134-ha lake and two hydrologically connected 4-ha ponds in southwestern Washington to control Eurasian watermilfoil. No significant losses in surface area of emergent wetland or scrub-shrub wetland plant communities occurred, while loss of floating-leaved aquatic plant communities was 28% in the lake and 100% in the ponds. Large-scale fluridone application for Eurasian watermilfoil control can be accomplished in a manner sensitive to nontarget emergent and scrub-shrub wetland protection, although some losses of floating-leaved aquatic plants may be unavoidable. In addition, aerial survey utilizing video imaging technology can expedite wetland plant community measurements.