Aquatic plant 151922 225360204 2008-07-13T07:51:53Z Geronimo20 332930 update template {{Cleanup|date=February 2008}} [[Image:Nymphaea alba.jpg|thumb|250px|''Nymphaea alba'', a species of [[Nymphaeaceae|water lily]].]] '''Aquatic plants''' &mdash; also called '''hydrophytic plants''' or '''hydrophytes''' &mdash; are plants that have adapted to living in or on aquatic environments. Because living on or under [[water]] surface requires numerous special adaptations, aquatic plants can only grow in water or permanently saturated [[soil]]. Aquatic [[vascular plant]]s can be [[fern]]s or [[angiosperms]] (from a variety of families, including among the [[monocot]]s and [[dicot]]s). [[Seaweed]]s are not vascular plants but multicellular [[ocean|marine]] [[algae]], and therefore not typically included in the [[:category:aquatic plants|category of aquatic plants]]. As opposed to plants types such as mesophytes and xerophytes, hydrophytes do not have a problem in retaining water due to the abundance of water in its environment. This means the plant has less need to regulate [[transpiration]] (indeed, the regulation of transpiration would require more energy than the possible benefits incurred.) Hydrophytes share several survival characteristics: # A thin [[Plant cuticle|cuticle]]. Cuticles primarily prevent water loss, thus most hydrophytes have no need for cuticles. # [[Stomata]] that are open most of time: so water is (abundant). This means that guard cells on the stomata are generally inactive. # An increased number of stomata, that can be on either side of leaves. # A less rigid structure: water pressure supports them. # flat [[leaf|leaves]] on surface plants for flotation. # Air sacs for flotation. # Smaller [[root]]s: water can [[diffusion|diffuse]] directly into leaves. # Feathery roots: no need to support the plant. # Specialized roots designed to take in oxygen. For example, some species of [[buttercup]] (genus ''[[Ranunculus]]'') float slightly submerged in water; only the flowers extend above the water. Their leaves and roots are long and thin and almost hair-like; this helps spread the [[mass]] of the plant over a wide area, making it more [[buoyancy|buoyant]]. <!-- While that sparsity is the opposite of density, what's important here, is leaf density. -->Long roots and thin leaves also provide a greater surface area for uptake of [[mineral]] [[soluble|solutes]] and oxygen. Wide flat leaves in water lilies (family [[Nymphaeaceae]]) help distribute weight over a large area, thus helping them float near surface. Many [[aquarists|fish keepers]] keep aquatic plants in their tanks to control [[phytoplankton]] and [[moss]] by removing [[metabolites]]. Many species of aquatic plant are [[invasive species]] in different parts of the world. Aquatic plants make particularly good [[weed]]s because they [[Vegetative reproduction|reproduce vegetatively]] from fragments. ==Adaptations== * ''Free Plants: In a pond community, they receive more sunlight than submerged plants. But they also have to compete with one another for sunlight * Submerged Plants: Submerged leaves receive low levels of sunlight because light energy diminishes <!-- Variably --> while passing through a water column.'' ---- '''All floating Plants''' * Have either air spaces trapped in their roots or large air spaces ([[aerenchyma]]) to help them float to obtain sunlight * Have hair on their leaves to trap air * Structural Adaptation ---- '''Duckweed, Water Cabbage''' * Chloroplast found on the top surface of the leaves * Upper Surface has a thick, waxy cuticle to repel water and help to keep the stomata open and clear * Structural Adaptation ---- '''Water Lily''' * Structural Material to Reach higher points and receive more sunlight * Structural Adaptation ---- '''Floating heart, Water Lily, Yellow pond-lily, water-shield''' * Leaves tend to be broader without major lobbing, remain flat on water surface, maximize surface area and make use of full sunlight, chloroplasts found on the top of leaves * Structural/ Behavioral Adaptation ---- '''Most Partially-Submerged Plants''' * Air spaces within the tissues to keep it buoyant so that its leaves can reach the top of the pond, maximizing the amount of sunlight received * Structural Adaptation ---- '''Dissected: Parrots Feather, Horn wort Thread-like: ditch-grass, quill wort''' * Highly dissected/ divided leaves or thread-like ones, Allows for a bigger surface area (surface to volume – S/V) * Structural Adaptation ---- '''Hydrilla''' * Elongates Rapidly to reach water surface and branches out at water surface, More light can be obtained at water surface * Structural/ Behavioral Adaptation ==Human nutrition== Many aquatic plants are, or have been, used by humans as a food source. Note that especially in (South-east) Asia edible but uncooked hydrophytes are implicated in the transmission of [[fasciolopsiasis]].<ref>[http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2002/fasciolopsiasis/fasciolopsiasis.html Fasciolopsiasis]</ref> See also ''[[Fasciola hepatica]]''. * [[Wild rice]] (''[[Zizania]]'') * [[Water caltrop]] (''[[Trapa natans]]'') * [[Chinese water chestnut]] (''[[Eleocharis dulcis]]'') * Indian Lotus (''[[Nelumbo nucifera]]'') * [[Water spinach]] (''[[Ipomoea aquatica]]'') * [[Watercress]] (''[[Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum]]'') * [[Watermimose]], [[Water mimosa]] ? (''[[Neptunia natans]]'') * [[Taro]] (''[[Colocasia esculenta]]'') * [[Rice]] (''[[Oryza]]'') is originally not an aquatic plant. * [[Bullrush]], [[Cattail]], (''[[Typha]]'') * [[Water-pepper]] (''[[Polygonum hydropiper]]'') * [[Wasabi]] (''[[Wasabia japonica]]'') * [[kjosco]]? see also [[Fascioliasis]] * [[totora]], (''[[Scirpus californicus]]'')? ==Animal nutrition== Some examples of aquatic plants * [[Water hyacinth]] (''[[Eichhornia]]'') * [[Duckweed]]: ''[[Lemna]], [[Spirodela]] and [[Wolffia]]'' * ''[[Trichanthera gigantea]]'' <ref>[http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd9/4/mauro942.htm Trichanthera gigantea (Humboldt & Bonpland.) Nees: A review]</ref> ==Some examples of aquatic plants== *''[[Utricularia]]'' (from Latin, ''utriculus'', a little bag or bottle) is a genus of slender aquatic plants, the leaves of which are furnished with floating bladders. They are called [[bladderwort]]s. * [[Water lettuce]] ==Notes and references== {{reflist}} * Cook, C.D.K. (ed). 1974. Water Plants of the World. Dr W Junk Publishers, The Hague. ISBN 90-6193-024-3 ==See also== {| |-valign=top | *[[Bog]] *[[Helophyte]] *[[List of freshwater aquarium plant species]] *[[Marsh]] *[[Fishing by country#Aquatic plants|Commercial production of aquatic plants]] | width=40 | | *[[Paddy field]] *[[Salt marsh]] *[[Sea grass]] *[[Swamp]] |} == External links == * [http://www.lilieswatergardens.co.uk/advice.asp Advice for Planting Aquatic Plants] * [http://www.pondplants1.com/lilies.htm 100's of Pictures of Aquatic Plants] * [http://www.naturalenviro.com/Article.php?ArticleSKU=Controlling-Algae Algae Control] Information on controlling algae {{Commons cat|Aquatic plants}} {{fisheries and fishing}} [[Category:Aquatic plants| ]] [[Category:Plant morphology]] [[cs:Hydrofyty]] [[da:Vandplante]] [[de:Wasserpflanze]] [[et:Veetaimed]] [[es:Planta acuática]] [[fr:Plante aquatique]] [[it:Pianta acquatica]] [[he:צמחי מים]] [[ja:水草]] [[no:Vassplanter]] [[nn:Vassplantar]] [[pl:Hydrofity]] [[pt:Hidrófita]] [[ro:Hidrofit]] [[fi:Kosteikkokasvi]] [[te:నీటి మొక్కలు]] [[zh:水生植物]]