Ecological and Environmental Impacts of Eurasion Watermilfoil

摘要

Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) is a submersed aquaticangiosperm considered to be a very troublesome weed throughout the Eastern United States. Its rapid and effective dispersal, largely as plant fragments, and its ability to displace other macrophyte species through competition are major factors. Problems typically caused by Eurasian watermilfoil result from the large amounts of plant material that it produces near the water's surface. Additionally, detached plant material floats for a period of time and may interfere with water intake structures or simply wash up on shore and decay. Decomposition of transported fragments can lead to marked alterations of physical and chemical properties of the water that can have detrimental effects.