Common water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) invades Lakes Edward,George, and Kazinga Channel: A call for immediate action |
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| Affiliation: | 1. School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, 440 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;2. Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, Northwestern Michigan College, 1701 Front St, Traverse City, MI 49686, USA;1. NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA;2. NOAA, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA;3. National Center for Water Quality Research, Heidelberg University, Tiffin, OH 44883, USA;4. Department of Biology & Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA;5. Environment & Climate Change Canada, Watershed Hydrology & Ecological Research Division, Burlington, Ontario, Canada;1. Department of Civil Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada;2. Department of Physics and Space Science, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, Canada;3. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Water Science and Technology Branch, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada;1. Great Lakes Center, SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA;2. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office, Chicago, IL, USA;3. Alumnus, Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7R4A6, Canada;4. Aquatic Ecostudies Limited, 287 Miller Road, Dutton, Ontario N0L 1J0, Canada;1. Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;2. Water Quality Engineering, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany;3. Department of Earth & Environmental Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States;4. Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States;1. F.T Stone Laboratory, The Ohio State University, 878 Bayview Ave., Put-in-Bay, OH 43456, USA;2. Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA;3. Department of Biology and Environmental Science and National Center for Water Quality Research, Heidelberg University, Tiffin, OH, USA |
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| Abstract: | Common water hyacinth, Pontederia (former Eichhornia) crassipes is a notorious aquatic invasive species. In African Great Lakes, the species is known for deleterious social, economic, and environmental impacts in lakes such as Victoria, Kyoga, Albert, Malawi, Tanganyika, Tana, and Naivasha. We report invasion and establishment of the species in Lake Edward, Kazinga Channel and possibly in Lake George. Lake Edward is one of the African Great Lakes. Common water hyacinth was observed at multiple locations on Lake Edward and Kazinga Channel. Presence of ‘mats’ of the weed with flowers is a sign of successful establishment. We observed free floating Common water hyacinth plants, indicating that the invasion is spreading. The invasion and establishment of the weed threatens a fishery of significant importance to rural livelihoods, fish species of conservation importance and tourism among others. At the current extent of invasion, mechanical removal and use of water hyacinth weevils, if expedited, could be adequate for stopping the expansion of the invasive weed. We recommend immediate action by government agencies responsible for the management of fisheries and protected areas to control the weed. |
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| Keywords: | Invasive species Common water hyacinth Pontederia crassipes Lake Edward Lake George |
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