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Non-Native Invasive Aquatic Plants in the United States
Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida |
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Non-Native Invasive Aquatic Plants in the United States
Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida |
pronounced: mirio-file-um / spi-ka-tum (audio clip)
from:
a plant with many leaf divisions, and a spike of flowers
There are a number of water-milfoils in the
U.S., both native and non-native. This species, Eurasian
water-milfoil, is the most troublesome of the non-native water-milfoils. While it occurs in
almost
every
U.S. state, it is especially weedy and the subject of much control effort, in the northern tier of
states and in Canada, where it fills recreation and fishing lakes, interferes with wildlife and
degrades water quality. It has been sold as an aquarium plant.
Habitat:
Quick ID:
The best way to track the spread of invasive aquatic plants may be to identify
the drainage basins (watersheds) they have been discovered in. Drainage maps give useful
information to eco-managers because drainage maps show precisely where the plants are, making
it easier for managers to infer where the plants might go next, and thus where to take preventive
measures.
How it got here:
Potential to spread elsewhere in U.S.:
Problems/Effects:
Control:
in Okanagan Lake, British Columbia, authorities have apparently successfully experimented with
management by simultaneously rototilling plants and roots and
underwater vacuuming (Newroth 1988)
Water level manipulation (drawdown) has been used effectively to control
Eurasian water-milfoil in Tennessee reservoirs (Bates et al. 1985)
From the University of Florida Aquatic
Weed Management Guide by V.V. Vandiver, 1999:
What can you do?
Laws and lists:
Want to know more?
If you want to read the research yourself, perhaps to clarify or expand an area of information
contained here, or to help determine your own line of research, you are welcome to query the
world's largest collection of international scientific literature about aquatic, wetland and invasive
plants, the APIRS
bibliographic database, which contains more than 54,000 citations and their content
keywords. Or you might want to ask us to do
it for you and mail or e-mail the search results to you.
This is the literature about Myriophyllum spicatum that was used
to develop this web page. More research items about this plant may be found at APIRS:
Habit:
Myriophyllum spicatum: Eurasian water-milfoil is a rooted submersed herb
with
long branching stems and feather-like whorled leaves; its small reddish flowers are held above
the
water on a spike
More complete identification:
Myriophyllum spicatum L.
Original description: Linnaeus 1753
Myriophyllum spicatum might be confused with a number of other
submersed plants, including other water-milfoils and other submersed plants.
-- has fewer than 12 leaf segments on each side of the leaf axis, whereas Eurasian
water-milfoil leaves have 14 or more leaf segments on each side of the leaf axis; and has
somewhat
stouter stems than does Eurasian water-milfoil
--leaves are toothed and the plant feels rough when pulled through the hand, whereas
Eurasian water-milfoil leaves are not toothed and the plant does not feel rough
Origin:
Distribution in the U.S.:
U.S. distribution map, detailed
occurrence data, and other information about
Eurasian water-milfoil was prepared by C. Jacono of the U.S. Geological
Survey,
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program, which is located on the USGS-NAS web site.
Due to decades of university, state and federal research and experience with
Myriophyllum spicatum in the U.S. and Canada, several methods have been
developed to help in its management.
the use of mechanical harvestors and chopping machines should be carefully
considered because resulting plant fragments may easily regrow or be carried downstream to
create new infestations; harvesting machines are effective at reducing a large biomass in a short
time, however harvesting may have to be done several times per year
years of research to find insect
biocontrols has resulted in the successful introduction of insects which are
believed to be helping keep Eurasian water-milfoil under control; biocontrol
fish also have been successfully used (Bonar et al. 1993.)
registered aquatic herbicides such as endothall, 2,4-D and fluridone do
provide
temporary control of Eurasian water-milfoil, but efforts to eradicate the plant "are rarely, if ever,
likely to succeed" (Smith & Barko 1990)
According to this Guide, a number of aquatic herbicides may be used to manage
"watermilfoil", including formulations of endothall, diquat, copper, 2,4-D, and fluridone. A
concentration of 5 ppm 2,4-D for 1 h will kill all plants (Steward & Nelson 1972). As always,
comply with federal law by following the herbicide
label instructions, permissible sites and application rates.
Myriophyllum spicatum
Category II - "species that have shown a potential to disrupt native plant communities in
Florida"
The information contained on this wep page was extracted from
published
scientific literature and agency reports. It is important to know that plant research, like most
areas of scientific research, is still relatively young and incomplete--much may have been
published about the physiology of one plant but not about its management; much may have been
published about how to culture and grow another plant but not about its natural ecology.
Thousands of research articles may have been published about one invasive plant, but perhaps
only a dozen about another.
Anecdotal information about Myriophyllum spicatum would be appreciated by users
of this web site. Please submit anecdotal information, additional reference citations and
corrections for this page to
CAIP-WEBSITE@ufl.edu
