Abstract
Aquatic plants, like the waters in which they grow, have impinged on human welfare and culture throughout history. Papyrus provided the means for social intercourse in early civilizations, the lotus enriches the religion of Buddhists and Hindus, and rice forms the staple diet for half the people in the world today. The potential for some plants and plant systems to be used intensively for a variety of purposes exists but the high water content of these plants (c. 90%) is a disadvantage. However, this factor does not affect the use of aquatic plant systems to treat wastewaters and the potential for this is under investigation.
Aquatic plants also interfere with human use of water resources. Serious water-weed problems in Australia are caused by alien plants introduced by man. The most troublesome have been declared noxious weeds throughout the continent. Native species that are a nuisance cannot be treated in this way. Water weeds can be controlled by biological, chemical and mechanical means, but sound, long-term management requires careful assessment of the status of the plants as weeds or as beneficial species.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Arthington, A. H., and Mitchell, D. S. (1986). Aquatic invaders. In ‘The Ecology of Biological Invasions’. (Eds J. J. Burton and R. H. Groves.) (Australian Academy of Science: Canberra.) (In press.)
Australian Water Resources Council (1982). Water weeds in Australia: a national approach to management. Australia, Department of National Development and Energy, Water Management Series No. 3.
Australian Water Resources Council (1985). ‘Guidelines for the Use of Herbicides in or near Water. Department of Resources and Energy.’ (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.)
Bardach, J. E., Ryther, J. H., and McLarney, W. O. (1972). ‘Aquaculture: the Farming and Husbandry of Freshwater and Marine Organisms.’ (Wiley Inter Science: New York.)
Bennett, F. D. (1974). Biological control. In ‘Aquatic Vegetation and Its Use and Control’. (Ed. D. S. Mitchell.) pp. 99–106. (UNESCO: Paris.)
Boyd, C. E. (1968a). Freshwater plants: a potential source of protein. Econ. Bot. 22, 359–68.
Boyd, C. E. (1968b). Evaluation of some common aquatic weeds as possible feedstuffs. Hyacinth Control J. 7, 26–7.
Boyd, C. E. (1969). The nutritive value of three species of water weeds. Econ. Bot. 23, 123–7.
Boyd, C. E. (1970). Amino acid, protein and caloric content of vascular aquatic macrophytes. Ecology 51, 902–6.
Boyd, C. E. (1974). Utilization of aquatic plants. In ‘Aquatic Vegetation and Its Use and Control’. (Ed. D. S. Mitchell.) pp. 107–15. (UNESCO: Paris.)
Cook, C. D. K., Gut, G. J., Rix, E. M., Schneller, J., and Seitz, M. (1974). ‘Water Plants of the World.’ (Dr W. Junk: The Hague.)
Cribb, A. B., and Cribb, J. W. (1974). ‘Wild Food in Australia.’ (Collins: Sydney.)
Cribb, A. B., and Cribb, J. W. (1981). ‘Useful Wild Plants in Australia.’ (Collins: Sydney.)
Edwards, P. (1980). Food potential of aquatic macrophytes. International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management, Philippines.
Finlayson, C. M., and Chick, A. J. (1982). Testing the potential of aquatic plants to treat abattoir effluent. Water Res. 17, 415–22.
Finlayson, C. M., and Mitchell, D. S. (1982). Treatment of rural wastewaters in Australia with aquatic plants: a summary. Tropenlandwirt 83, 155–65.
Finlayson, C. M., Roberts, J., Chick, A. J., and Sale, P.J. M. (1983). The biology of Australian weeds: Typha domingensis Pers. and Typha orientalisPresl. J. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. 49, 3–10.
Forno, I. W., and Wright, A. D. (1981). The biology of Australian weeds: Eichhornia crassipes(Mart.) Solms. J. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. 47, 21–8.
Gaudet, J. J. (1974). The normal role of vegetation in water. In ‘Aquatic Vegetation and Its Use and Control’. (Ed. D. S. Mitchell.) pp. 24–37. (UNESCO: Paris.)
Gopal, B., and Sharma, K. P. (1981). ‘Water-hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes): the Most Troublesome Weed of the World.’ (Hindasia Publishers: Delhi.)
Grist, D. H. (1975). ‘Rice.’ (Longman: London.)
Haller, W. T., Knipling, E. B., and West, S. H. (1970). Phosphorus absorption by and distribution in water hyacinths. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Fla 30, 64–8.
Harley, K. L. S., and Mitchell, D. S. (1981). The biology of Australian weeds: Salvinia molestaD. S. Mitchell. J. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. 47, 67–76.
Heyerdahl, T. (1971). ‘The Ra Expedition.’ (Allen and Unwin: London.)
Hocking, P. J., Finlayson, C. M., and Chick, A. J. (1983). The biology of Australian weeds: Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin ex Steud. J. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. 49, 123–32.
Howard-Williams, C. (1985). Cycling and retention of nitrogen and phosphorus in wetlands: a theoretical and applied perspective. Freshwater Biol. 15, 391–431.
Julian, M. H., and Broadbent, J. E. (1980). The biology of Australian weeds: Alternanthera philoxeroides(Mart.) Griseb. J. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. 46, 150–5.
Kadlec, R. H., and Tilton, D. L. (1979). The use of freshwater wetlands as a tertiary wastewater treatment alternative. Crit. Rev. Environ. Control 9, 185–212.
Little, E. C. S. (1979). Handbook of utilization of aquatic plants. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Fish. Tech. Pap. No. 187.
Lumpkin, T. A., and Plucknett, D. L. (1980). Azolla: botany, physiology and use as a green manure. Econ. Bot. 34, 111–53.
Mitchell, D. S. (1978). ‘Aquatic Weeds in Australian Inland Waters.’ (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.)
Mitchell, D. S. (1979a). Assessment of aquatic weed problems. J. Aquat. Plant Manage. 17, 19–21.
Mitchell, D. S. (1979b). Formulating aquatic weed management programs. J. Aquat. Plant Manage. 17, 22–4.
Mitchell, D. S. (1980). Aquatic weeds. In ‘An Ecological Basis for Water Resource Management’. (Ed. W. D. Williams.) pp. 81–9. (Australian National University Press: Canberra.)
Morton, J. F. (1975). Cattails (Typha spp.)—weed problem or potential crop? Econ. Bot. 29, 7–29.
Nuttall, P. M., Kerr, R. I., and Scholes, J. D. (1985). Ammonia control and effluent polishing by parrots feather in an aquatic treatment system. Water (Melb.) 12, 17–20.
Rogers, F. E. J., Rogers, K. H., and Buzer,J. S. (1985). ‘Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment.’ (Witwatersrand University Press: Johannesburg.)
Room, P. M., Harley, K. L. S., Forno, I. W., and Sands, D. P. A. (1981). Successful biological control of the floating weed salvinia. Nature (Lond.) 294, 78–80.
Rudescu, L., Niculescu, C., and Chiva, I. P. (1965). ‘Monografia stufului den delta Dunarii.’ (Editura Academici Republicii Socialiste: Romania.)
Ruskin, F. R., and Shipley, D. W. (Eds) (1976). ‘Making Aquatic Weeds Useful: Some Perspectives for Developing Countries.’ (National Academy of Sciences: Washington, D.C.)
Sainty, G. R., and Jacobs, S. W. C. (1981). ‘Waterplants of New South Wales’. (Water Resources Commission of New South Wales: Sydney.)
Sculthorpe, C. D. (1967). ‘The Biology of Aquatic Vascular Plants.’ (Edward Arnold: London.)
Seidel, K. (1976). Macrophytes and water purification. In ‘Biological Control of Water Pollution.’ (Eds J. Tourbier and R. W. Pierson.) pp. 109–21. (University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia.)
Serfling, S. A., and Alsten, C. (1979). An integrated, controlled environment aquaculture lagoon process for secondary or advanced wastewater treatment. In ‘Performance and Upgrading of Wastewater Stabilisation Ponds’. (Ed. E.J. Middlebrooks.) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 124–145.
Swarbrick, J. T., Finlayson, C. M., and Cauldwell, A. J. (1981). The biology of Australian weeds: Hydrilla verticillata(L.F.) Royle. J. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. 47, 183–90.
Valk, A. G. van der, Davis, C. B., Baker, J. L., and Beer, C. E. (1978). Natural freshwater wetlands as nitrogen and phosphorus traps for land runoff. In ‘Wetland Functions and Values: the State of Our Understanding’. (Eds P. E. Greeson, J. R. Clark and J. E. Clark.) pp. 457 - 67. (American Water Resources Association: Minnesota.)
Wolverton, B. C., Barlow, R. M., and McDonald, R. C. (1976). Application of vascular aquatic plants for pollution removal, energy and food production in a biological system. In ‘Biological Control of Water Pollution’. (Eds J. Tourbier and R. W. Pierson.) pp. 141–9. (University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia.)
Wolverton, B. C., and McKown, M. M. (1976). Water hyacinth for the removal of phenols from polluted waters. Aquat. Bot. 2, 191–201.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1986 CSIRO — Australia
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mitchell, D.S. (1986). Aquatic Macrophytes and Man. In: De Deckker, P., Williams, W.D. (eds) Limnology in Australia. Monographiae Biologicae, vol 61. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4820-4_37
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4820-4_37
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8636-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4820-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive