Emersed plant biomass

Emersed plant biomass (as used by Florida LAKEWATCH) is the average weight of fresh, live emergent aquatic plants growing in one square meter of a lake's bottom area. The measurement of average emersed plant biomass in a waterbody is one of several measurements that can be used to assess a waterbody's overall biological productivity.

IN FLORIDA
Average emersed plant biomass in Florida lakes generally ranges from 0 to 27 kg wet wt/m².

in biologically less productive lakes (oligotrophic lakes), the average emersed plant biomass is about 2.5 kg wet wt/m2;
in moderately productive lakes (mesotropic lakes) the average emersed plant biomass is about 3.0 kg wet wt/m2;
in highly productive lakes (eutrophic lakes) the average emersed plant biomass is about 3.5 kg wet wt/m2;
in the most highly productive lakes (hypereutrophic lakes) the average emersed plant biomass is about 4.0 kg wet wt/m2.

See also:
Trophic states and each of its categories: oligotrophic, mesotrophic, eutrophic, and hypereutrophic
Average plant biomass
Biological productivity

The information on this page was derived in part from the following publication of
Florida Lakewatch of the University of Florida Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.
This booklet may be downloaded in its entirety as a PDF file by clicking here.
Scroll down till you see the Circular 101 icon.

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This project is a collaboration of
the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida,
and the Bureau of Invasive Plant Management, Florida Department of Environmental Protection