Aquatic plants

Functions of aquatic plants

Aquatic plants are important primary producers and are the basis of food web for many aquatic fauna, especially wetland species. They compete with phytoplanktons for excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, thus reducing the prevalence of eutrophication and harmful algal blooms, and have a significant effect on ripariansoil chemistry as their leaves, stems and roots slow down the water flow, capture sediments and trap pollutants. Excess sediment will settle into the stream bed due to the reduced flow rates, and some aquatic plants also have symbioticmicrobes capable of nitrogen fixation and breaking down the pollutants trapped and/or absorbed by the roots. Historically, aquatic plants have been less studied than terrestrial plants, and management of aquatic vegetation has become an increasingly interested field as means to reduce agricultural pollution of water bodies.