This book presents a theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics of shallow lake communities as it has evolved over the past years from a combination of empirical studies, experimental work and model analysis. Although, as in most theoretical work, mathematical formulations play a role, the models that are used remain simple and most analyses are graphical rather than algebraic. The book will therefore appeal to workers who do not usually dig deep into theoretical ecology such as lake managers, field biologists and experimentalists. Students of theoretical ecology will also gain from...

Ecology of Shallow Lakes brings together current understanding of the mechanisms that drive the diametrically opposite states of water clarity, shown by the cover paintings, found in many shallow lakes and ponds. It gives an outline of the knowledge gained from field observations, experimental work, and restoration studies, linked by a solid theoretical framework.

The book focuses on shallow lakes, but the lucid treatment of plankton dynamics, resuspension, light climate and the role of vegetation is relevant to a much wider range of aquatic systems. The models that are used...