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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
  1. Home
  2. Aquatic Invasives
  3. Aquatic Plants

Aquatic Plants

Invasive aquatic plants include plants (members of the kingdom Plantae) and algae (primitive organisms that contain chlorophyll) that grow partially or entirely submerged in water. This includes plants that are rooted in the sediment with part or all of the plant underwater, as well as plants that float freely without contacting the sediment (Anderson 2011; Smith 2011). Aquatic plants may invade both marine and freshwater environments, including habitats such as wetlands, lakes, rivers, estuaries, coastal zones, irrigation systems, hydroelectric systems, and aquaculture facilities (Anderson 2011).
See also: Terrestrial Plants

Citations:

  • Anderson, L.W. 2011. “Freshwater plants and seaweeds”. In: Simberloff, D. and M. Rejmanek. Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Smith, J.E. 2011. “Algae”. In: Simberloff, D. and M. Rejmanek. Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Note: Our species profiles provide general information about species considered to be invasive. This is not a list of all invasive species, nor does our information have regulatory implications. The large numbers of invasive species prevent us from maintaining detailed information on ALL invasive species. In addition, determining the invasiveness of a species depends on a number of local factors, including type of habitat. Our species profiles are provided as an educational informational tool.