The loss to national economies resulting from excessive plant biomass has been appreciable and has put pressure on water managers to develop weed control procedures. The results from the most up-to-date research activities and field trials of leading aquatic plant scientists and managers in all five continents, aimed at resolving these weed problems, has been drawn together in this volume.

The loss to national economies resulting from excessive plant biomass has been appreciable and has put pressure on water managers to develop weed control procedures. The results from the most up-to-date research activities and field trials of leading aquatic plant scientists and managers in all five continents, aimed at resolving these weed problems, has been drawn together in this volume.

This book is a comprehensive collection of information about the features, functions, and services of aquatic macrophytes. As primary producers, aquatic macrophytes form the basis of food webs, play a major role in highly productive aquatic ecosystems, and have a significant impact on ecosystem functions and services. Macrophytes are also known to strongly influence the micro-climate and biogeochemical processes occurring in the littoral zones of marine ecosystems and the sediment dynamics of freshwater systems. They also serve as highly effective carbon sinks and play an important role in carbon sequestration. This book deals with various aspects of aquatic macrophytes, including nutrient recycling, biogeochemical processes, biomass production, wetland ecosystems, water resource management, carbon sequestration, environmental clean-up, and bioenergy production. Additionally, it presents the current status of aquatic macrophytes and discusses the impact of climate change on these plants. The book also highlights the major challenges associated with harnessing the benefits provided by aquatic macrophytes as ecosystem services. The book holds value and relevance for academicians and scientists working in the related domain. Additionally, it will serve as a valuable resource for students and researchers working in the field of ecology, biogeochemistry, wetland conservation, phytoremediation, elements biomonitoring, wastewater management, bioenergy production, etc.

Aquatic plants play a significant role in maintaining water quality, due to their ability of absorbing nutrients. This book aims to show the value of macrophyte use as a tool for biological water treatment of aquaculture farms and also as a culture medium for microalgae. It also discusses the translocation and monitoring of wetland plants; responses of floating macrophytes to different environmental stressors; and vegetation structure of lagoon environments as a result of sediment biogeochemical dynamics and organic matter load.