Aquatic plants

Aquatic plants are a specialized group of plants that have adapted to live in water or in soil that is periodically aquatic. They are also known as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other small plants that live in water. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface.

Classification

Aquatic plants are generally divided into four groups for management purposes. These groups are:

• Emergent Plants: These are plants with leaves above the water surface and a root system below the surface. Examples include water lilies and lotus.
• Submerged Plants: These are plants completely under the water, such as seaweed and eelgrass.
• Floating Plants: These are plants that are not anchored to the soil and are free-floating on the water surface. Examples include duckweed and water hyacinth.
• Marginal Plants: These are plants that live in the shallow water around the edges, or margins, of bodies of water. Examples include cattails and reeds.

Adaptations

Aquatic plants have developed several adaptations to survive in water. These include:

• Aerenchyma: This is a spongy tissue that provides buoyancy and allows the circulation of gases.
• Stomata: These are located on the upper surface of the leaves in floating plants to allow gas exchange with the air.
• Roots: In many aquatic plants, the roots primarily serve as an anchor, while nutrients are absorbed through the leaves directly from the water.

Importance

Aquatic plants play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy water environment. They provide oxygen for fish and other aquatic life, absorb carbon dioxide, and help control algae by absorbing nutrients from the water. They also provide food and habitat for many aquatic species.

See also

• Wetland
• Aquatic animals
• Aquatic ecology