I also noticed that the floating mats around the edge are a favorite place for frogs to sit. I have a good population of frogs and tadpoles, even though more recently rains have sent the FA mats to the bottom and are pretty much unseen. I think it helps keep the predators (LMB) at bay, giving the frogs much more cover in the mats than they would otherwise have to lay eggs and cover for the tadpoles.
I have a theory. It is not a very good theory because I pretty much don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to ponds. But everybody has opinions, even when they don't know what they are talking about. So here goes.
I believe FA is the organism that takes advantage of plentiful nutrients in a BOW until the time that root based aquatic weeds take over that job. In the absence of said aquatic weeds, the FA provides a valuable function of providing YOY fry, aquatic insects and other "critters" valuable cover, thereby enhancing the long term success of the fishery.
FA can be a good thing. There, I said it. The way it makes a pond look sucks, but as far as the under water portion of pond health goes, it provides a valuable service.
I just came out of the FA "closet". I kind of like a certain amount of the stuff (but not too much
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