Heavy metal pollution has become an increasingly recognized threat to the aquatic environment. In response to heavy metal stresses, various terrestrial plants produce the hormone nitric oxide (NO), but minimal information is available about the role of NO in aquatic macrophytes under high zinc (Zn) stress. In this study, we measured physiochemical parameters in the leaves of Hydrilla verticilla...

BACKGROUND: Small species of fish and juveniles of larger species occupy aquatic plant patches for food (Pardue 1973; Keast 1984) and protection from predators (Crowder and Cooper 1982; Savino and Stein 1989). Differences in density and morphology of plants influence foraging intensity and degree of predator avoidance (Dionne and Folt 1991; Lillie and Budd 1992; Wychera et al. 1993; Dibble, Kil...

Background: Aquatic plants are an important component of aquatic ecosystems. They are valuable for the oxygen and carbon dioxide household and generate habitats especially for small fish and other small organisms. However, problems for the maintenance of water bodies can result from mass occurrences of these plants. Invasive neophytes such as members of the Elodea genus are particularly problem...

This research focused on studying how light and endogenous abscisic acid regulate leaf development in Hippuris vulgaris, a species of heterophyllic aquatic plant. Amounts of photosynthetically active radiation greater than 300 micromoles per square meter per second caused submerged H. vulgaris shoots to produce aerial-type leaves. Abscisic acid was not detected in shoots grown under noninducing...

The flowering plant family Elatinaceae is a widespread aquatic lineage inhabiting temperate and tropical latitudes, including ∼35(-50) species. Its phylogeny remains largely unknown, compromising our understanding of its systematics. Moreover, this group is particularly in need of attention because the biogeography of most aquatic plant clades has yet to be investigated, resulting in uncertaint...

Term Definition alga(e) Primitive, often aquatic, plants that carry on photosynthesis but lack the flowers, roots, stems, and leaves of higher plants. algal bloom High concentrations or densities of algae. allopathy The suppression of growth of an organism by another due to the release of a toxic substance. amino acids The building blocks for the synthesis of proteins. Can be a source of nitrog...

Th ere have been several reports of symbionts in the roots of plants that live in aquatic environments. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are the most common microsymbionts and possibly recolonized the aquatic environment together with plants; however, their functions and the extent of their benefi ts are unclear. Furthermore, the presence of other groups of fungi, such as dark septate fungi (...

The environmental DNA (eDNA) method has increasingly been recognized as a powerful tool for monitoring aquatic animal species; however, its application for monitoring aquatic plants is limited. To evaluate eDNA analysis for estimating the distribution of aquatic plants, we compared its estimated distributions with eDNA analysis, visual observation, and past distribution records for the submerge...