Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 125-137 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | AMBIO |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Invasions of water bodies by floating vegetation, including water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), are a huge global problem for fisheries, hydropower generation, and transportation. We analyzed floating plant coverage on 20 reservoirs across the world’s tropics and subtropics, using > 30 year time-series of LANDSAT remote-sensing imagery. Despite decades of costly weed control, floating invasion severity is increasing. Floating plant coverage correlates with expanding urban land cover in catchments, implicating urban nutrient sources as plausible drivers. Floating vegetation invasions have undeniable societal costs, but also provide benefits. Water hyacinths efficiently absorb nutrients from eutrophic waters, mitigating nutrient pollution problems. When washed up on shores, plants may become compost, increasing soil fertility. The biomass is increasingly used as a renewable biofuel. We propose a more nuanced perspective on these invasions moving away from futile eradication attempts towards an ecosystem management strategy that minimizes negative impacts while integrating potential social and environmental benefits.
Keywords
- Biological invasions, Dams, Google earth engine, Land cover change, Urbanization, Water-energy-food nexus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Science(all)
- Ecology
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: AMBIO, Vol. 50, No. 1, 01.2021, p. 125-137.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Living with floating vegetation invasions
AU - Kleinschroth, Fritz
AU - Winton, R. Scott
AU - Calamita, Elisa
AU - Niggemann, Fabian
AU - Botter, Martina
AU - Wehrli, Bernhard
AU - Ghazoul, Jaboury
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/1
Y1 - 2021/1
N2 - Invasions of water bodies by floating vegetation, including water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), are a huge global problem for fisheries, hydropower generation, and transportation. We analyzed floating plant coverage on 20 reservoirs across the world’s tropics and subtropics, using > 30 year time-series of LANDSAT remote-sensing imagery. Despite decades of costly weed control, floating invasion severity is increasing. Floating plant coverage correlates with expanding urban land cover in catchments, implicating urban nutrient sources as plausible drivers. Floating vegetation invasions have undeniable societal costs, but also provide benefits. Water hyacinths efficiently absorb nutrients from eutrophic waters, mitigating nutrient pollution problems. When washed up on shores, plants may become compost, increasing soil fertility. The biomass is increasingly used as a renewable biofuel. We propose a more nuanced perspective on these invasions moving away from futile eradication attempts towards an ecosystem management strategy that minimizes negative impacts while integrating potential social and environmental benefits.
AB - Invasions of water bodies by floating vegetation, including water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), are a huge global problem for fisheries, hydropower generation, and transportation. We analyzed floating plant coverage on 20 reservoirs across the world’s tropics and subtropics, using > 30 year time-series of LANDSAT remote-sensing imagery. Despite decades of costly weed control, floating invasion severity is increasing. Floating plant coverage correlates with expanding urban land cover in catchments, implicating urban nutrient sources as plausible drivers. Floating vegetation invasions have undeniable societal costs, but also provide benefits. Water hyacinths efficiently absorb nutrients from eutrophic waters, mitigating nutrient pollution problems. When washed up on shores, plants may become compost, increasing soil fertility. The biomass is increasingly used as a renewable biofuel. We propose a more nuanced perspective on these invasions moving away from futile eradication attempts towards an ecosystem management strategy that minimizes negative impacts while integrating potential social and environmental benefits.
KW - Biological invasions
KW - Dams
KW - Google earth engine
KW - Land cover change
KW - Urbanization
KW - Water-energy-food nexus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088659386&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s13280-020-01360-6
DO - 10.1007/s13280-020-01360-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 32720252
AN - SCOPUS:85088659386
VL - 50
SP - 125
EP - 137
JO - AMBIO
JF - AMBIO
SN - 0044-7447
IS - 1
ER -