An ecological study was conducted to determine the association of macroinvertebrates with 12 species of submerged aquatic plants common in central New York. The abundance and kind of animals associated with each plant species and with their substrates were determined. An Ekman dredge vas used in obtaining the samples, which totaled 543 for the plants and 181 for the combined plant-substrate samples. These were taken in the shallows of five aquatic areas during the period of AprilOctober, 1966. A total of 114 different taxonomic categories of animals was collected. Some plants harbored a larger biomass, greater numbers, and a greater taxonomic diversity than other hydrophytes. Three plant species harbored nearly 60 percent of the animal species found. Macroinvertebrates appeared to be many times more abundant in vegetated areas than in non-vegetated areas. On the average, 1 g of animal life was found associated with 100 g of plant material. Hydrophytes believed to be poor waterfowl food p]ants almost assuredly are indirectly important to waterfowl production, because they harbor large quantities of macroinvertebrates which furnish a source of animal protein. The primary objective of this study was to relate the abundance, diversity, and seasonal occurrence of macroinvertebrates to several species of submerged aquatic plants. Abundance and diversity of benthos beneath the plants was also ascertained. The capacity of waterfowl habitats to provide food for ducks has, in the past, been considered almost exclusively on the basis of plant resources. Small animal life associated with the plants, free swimming animal life, and animal life on or in the hydrosol, all serving as potentially important food for ducks, have been, until very recently, almost entirely disregarded. In general, we know that immature and adult insects, snails, and crustaceans are eaten, but few definitive studies have been conducted on the food habits of egg-laying females, downy young, or molting adults. Beard (1953:424) stated that, <'Ducklings of all species rely almost entirely upon animal foods during the first two or three 1 This work was partially financed by the State University of New York, College of Forestry, Syracuse, and the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Division of Wildlife Refuges, Boston. 2 Present address: Department of Zoology, Southern Il]inois University, Carbondale. weeks of their existenee." Collias and Collias (1963:7) related that ten speeies of dueks, both in the field and in the laboratory, "all readily eaptured and ate many daphnids, amphipods, and various aquatic inseets." Bartonek and Hiekey (1969:455) demonstrated that of the food eonsumed by juvenile eanvasbaeks ( Aythya valisineria) and redheads (A. americana), 96 and 43 percent respeetively, eonsisted of animal material. Little is known regarding the specifie nutritional requirements of wild ducks. Hawkins (1964:193) related that, "Before and during the nesting period, protein demands of the hen are espeeially high. They continue to be high for ducklings and for moulting adults." Holm and Seott (1954: 171 ) reported that young wild dueklings of several different speeies developed satisfaetorily on 19 pereent total protein or 8 pereent animal protein. These authors also! found that breeding and egg-laying mallards ( Anas platyr1Vynchos) exhibited satisfactory egg produetion and hatehability of fertile eggs when a diet containing 19.64 percent protein was fed, but unsatisfaetoryresults were obtained with a 17 percent protein diet.