The development of vegetation in the English lakes, considered in relation to the general evolution of glacial lakes and rock basins

During the past seven years, 1913—20, a large number of observations have been made in the English Lakes in an attempt to obtain some knowledge of the life conditions of aquatic plants. While the immediate object was to obtain light on the factors governing the distribution of these plants, it was also hoped that the results might bear upon more general problems of aquatic biology. The considerable data thus obtained, though far from complete, seem to be of interest from both these points of view. They are also capable of a more general interpretation, which is here attempted, and which, for the sake of clearness, may be indicated at this stage. It is assumed that lakes and lake basins become modified as they increase in age. Evidence is then presented for considering the English Lakes as a series illustrating this process of lake development, and an attempt is made to describe the phases in this process, and to relate the marked differences in lake vegetation and fauna to the stages in the topographical evolution of a lake.