Diverse, moderately dense stands of aquatic plants in a lake's littoral zone benefit fish and wildlife and the functioning of the littoral ecosystem. Certain plant species are aesthetically pleasing and do not hamper recreational water uses. The technology is available to manipulate community structure, to increase diversity, and to select for desirable species. However, this technology has not been used in community manipulation strategies. This paper discusses the beneficial and negative attributes of a number of aquatic species common to the north central United States, discusses the technologies available for community manipulation, proposes a management scheme for University Bay of Lake Mendota, and urges field testing of ideas so that community manipulation may provide consistent, predictable, and beneficial results.
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