Effects of a spate on the macrophyte vegetation of a stream pool

The macrophyte vegetation of a pool in Fall Creek, Dryden, New York, was sampled before and after a severe spate. Elodea canadensis and Potamogeton crispus were the two overwhelmingly dominant species. The former was found only in areas of slow flow and the latter in areas of swifter flow. The distribution of current speed in the pool underwent a change due to the spate, with a large increase in the area with flow rates under 0.05 m/s. The separation of the two species based on current speed was still evident after the spate, but the entire pattern was shifted to areas of slower flow. There was also a reduction in the average plant cover per m2 after the spate.