Who is going to eat all of that algae?

After a month or two of relatively dry weather, last night the Woods received three quarters inch of rain, with twice that on its way tomorrow. At 5 I went to the SW Gate to see the Woods after the rain.
The southwest Woods has been a swamp all winter with standing water all around the roots of the green ash, elm, sugar berries, persimmons, black willow and others. As I walked northeast, I encountered the new-flooded swamp water 20 feet earlier along the trail. I wonder when the soil eventually dries, as it must this late spring/ summer, how long will it take for earth worms and other soil invertebrates to recolonize the previously-drowned soil? Who will come first? Will the pioneers have rapid population growth with few competitors, or gradually, slowly increase into still challenging too-wet environments? Is the pattern the same each year - or set by random, stochastic factors?

Through the main portion of the Main SW trail where water has been standing the longest, there are great streams and mats of green algae attached to submerged fallen branches, twigs, exposed roots and partly submerged logs. The algae got a fast start more than a month ago during some mild winter weather.. then was exposed to prolonged, harsh, deep cold last fortnight. Looks like the cold killed some of the algae, changing the luminous bright green of new growth into yellow floating mats of damaged algae intermixed with healthy green.

Now all through the algae there are thousands and thousands of small Physa snails..living the dream.. like living in a bowl of ice cream. They should grow quickly. With the additional flooding from rain tonight and Tuesday, their algal feast should be well hydrated and available.

With my knee boots on, I walked the trail and observed the water flow. I moved small logs to open the flow from backed-up areas. The Woods are draining at a good rate now; but the water will be higher tomorrow and there are weeks/ months of water left to drain.

I wonder what native crayfish would do to the mix  in the Woods?