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Growth of free-floating aquatic macrophytes in different concentrations of nutrients

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Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth of the free-floating aquatic macrophytes Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, and Salvinia molesta. The plants were cultured in 2,000-l outdoor concrete tanks. Triplicate tanks, with a continuous flow of effluent from culture ponds containing Nile tilapia, were used for each plant type (n = 3). The plant material was collected monthly from 0.25 m2 floating quadrats, at the two ends of the tanks (higher nutrient concentrations near the inflow and lower nutrient concentrations near the outflow). In low nutrient concentrations, the maximum relative growth rates (RGRs) for E. crassipes (0.016/day) and P. stratiotes (0.016/day) were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) than for S. molesta (0.029/day). There were no significant differences between the RGRs of S. molesta in the different nutrient concentrations. Eichhornia crassipes and P. stratiotes had their growth limited by nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. The increase in plant density during the experiment probably also affected the growth of these species. In this context, E. crassipes and P. stratiotes can cause problems in nutrient-rich waterbodies, but under these experimental conditions their growth was limited by nitrogen and/or phosphorus concentrations. The growth of S. molesta was not influenced by the different nutrient concentrations.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Sidinei M. Thomaz and two anonymous reviewers for constructive and helpful comments. We also thank Osmar Cantelmo (CEPTA/IBAMA) and Carlos Sanches for fieldwork and laboratory analyses, Miguel Petrere Jr. and Janet W. Reid for correcting the English text, and Rodrigo Silva Costa for critical comments. Financial support: FAPESP. Process number: 98/16375-1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, 59625-900, Mossoro, RN, Brazil

    Gustavo G. Henry-Silva

  2. Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, CP 199, 13506-900, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil

    Antonio F. M. Camargo

  3. Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, CP 676, 1365-905, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Maura M. Pezzato

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  1. Gustavo G. Henry-Silva
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  2. Antonio F. M. Camargo
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  3. Maura M. Pezzato
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Correspondence to Gustavo G. Henry-Silva.

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Handling editor: S. M. Thomaz

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Henry-Silva, G.G., Camargo, A.F.M. & Pezzato, M.M. Growth of free-floating aquatic macrophytes in different concentrations of nutrients. Hydrobiologia 610, 153–160 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-008-9430-0

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