SOME ADAPTATIONS OF AQUATIC PLANTS

Some things to look for in aquatic plant adaptations are: gaseous exchange - to aid flotation of leaves and stems surface area to volume ratios of leaves - for flotation and ability to seek sunlight waxiness of leaves - to protect against transpiration and saturation softness of leaves and stems - to aid propagation by pieces breaking off and regrowing hardness, stiffness uprightness or erectness - to stand up tall and get above other plants for sunlight or to protect from damage when the water flows the type of root system - to hold the plant or to allow it to move propagation methods - transportation of seeds or plant parts, flowers that float, move with the breeze or attach to birds and insects rhizomes - that encourage clumping and spreading, allowing a plant to dominate a patch or zone ability to quickly recover from drying out the plants role as food and habitat for animals and insects for fertilization and assistance with transportation and propagation growth response to nutrients - some will grow very rapidly with only a small increase in nutrient levels Cumbungi - a upright tall emergent plant. The hardness protects the plant from strong water flows and strong winds and tallows it to compete vigorously with other surface and floating plants. It uses rhizomes to propagate and clump so there is group protection and a non reliance on seed for continual growth. Water Primrose - the creeping and floating stems allow it to find open water and sunlight through the larger emergent plants. The waxy and large surface area leaves help it to float on the surface. The gaseous exchange means it can add gasses to aid buoyancy. Tall Spike Rush is hollow and uses gasses to inflate its stem to remain upright and to provide maximum surface area for sunlight absorption/photosynthesis and flotation. Its flower and seed spike is right at the top so it has maximum exposure to wind and open water. It also clumps to aid in protection from wind and currents.

Azolla has hairy leaves which collect air bubbles and add surface tension for flotation. The hairs also help in attaching to birds for transportation. It also has a relationship with Blue-green algae to help provide Nitrogen for growth. Water Couch behaves like a grass except that it likes swampy conditions. It can use its spreading rhizomatous habit to spread over the surface of water bodies. It also survives out of the water and some distance from the edge in moist ground. It is very salt tolerant and survives in brackish water. Slender Knotweed lives on the edges of lakes, lagoons, ponds and dams. Tolerates very low water levels and brackish conditions. Is a vigorous grower and can cover large areas very quickly making it an opportunistic and aggressive competitor. Can also behave as an annual broadening its range of adaptability to climatic conditions. The leaves of this plant contain a toxin that when crushed and allowed to spread in the water can stun fish. This is a chemical method of protection against predation by some aquatic species. Nardoo a floating fern, fronds (leaves) hairy underneath to assist in flotation. Can survive with leaves just below water. Leaves with large surface area assists in gathering sunlight and in flotation. Stems also tend to be hairy and tube like , filled with gasses aiding flotation, helping fronds to reach the surface and also flexible to resist damage from water flow. Common Rush a tough clumpy tussocky perennial that has very hard stems and a profuse seed head close to the tip. It survives well in what appear to be almost dry water channels and can tolerate brackish conditions. Has no true leaves present to reduce water loss and photosynthesis occurs in the hard stem. Very hardy and tolerates a wide range of conditions. The hardness of the leaves assists in reducing grazing animals from eating it. These days cows and sheep but originally kangaroos. Many aquatic plants can survive with a minimum of water. Sometimes the dead or dried out plant material is sufficient for a new plant to grow from once water returns. Many have very long life viable seed and spores which wait for the opportunity to grow. Others use birds and insects for transportation and can recolonise water bodies very quickly from seed, spores or plant matter brought in in birds feathers, insects hairs and the faeces of various animals.