Using binoculars and the information provided, try to distinguish between the cattails and bulrushes. Discuss how their distribution is dictated by the water level in the marsh. These plants form tall, dense stands that encompass the open water of a pond, or they can completely envelop a pond. As stands of cattails die, they contribute to the organic material which fills in the pond, makes the pond more shallow and thus provides for ideal cattail habitat. When this occurs, a pond can take on the appearance of a cattail meadow .
Cattails can also germinate or root sprout in shallower water during dry periods.
When the rain returns, they can then survive in deeper water providing that the shoots can remain above the water level. The cat s tails are actually the flowers of plant. At first glance, these plants appear similar but certain features can be used to easily distinguish them. The cattails have flowers which are brown, cigar-shaped structures on top of the stem whereas the bulrushes have flowers which are loosely clustered into tassels at the very tip of the stem. Aerobic respiration provides energy much faster than anaerobic respiration.