The Hydrilla is an marine freshwater plant. The Hydrilla will grow to the waters surface from a depth of up to 20 feet. This is a very standard flora because it can almost grow in any fresh waters such as springs, rivers, fenland, ditches, and lakes. Hydrillas can grow in as little as a few inches of water or in as much as 20 feet of water. This plant can grow in oligotrophic (low nutrient) to eutrophic (high nutrient) conditions in water.
The Hydrilla is suited to more mild climates as it will only tolerate temperatures between 20 C and 27 C. Upon reaching the surface, the Hydrillas full branches spread out to form a thick mat. The Hydrilla can have underwater stems that reach up to 25 feet in length. Rhizomes, another name for the roots, are off-white to yellow in color. There are lots of ways a Hydrilla can procreate. When it is time to multiply the Hydrilla accomplishes this in one of four ways: fragmentation, seeds, tubers and turions (auxiliary buds).
When equated with other plants the Hydrilla has a number of advantages. Only one percent sunshine is need for the Hydrilla to grow. These plants also take up the rich foods from its place so that the other native sources cant get it. Hydrillas grow quickly, contending with native floras, and are thus believed a noxious pest. The greatest danger of Hydrilla is that it can grow out of control and undetected until it pops out at the surface at the last minute. When it covers a big area, all the marine floras that fall under it die due to the lack of sunshine or nutrition. When Hydrilla encompasses a large area, all the other marine plants fail because the do not receive enough sunshine or foods.
Each year, millions are spent on herbicides and harvesting all in an effort to control the growth and spread of Hydrilla. Hydrilla harms the vegetation in the surrounding area making it near hopeless for fishermen to fish. Hydrilla slows down the water flow and totally chokes irrigation and flood-control channels. Hydrilla impedes swimmers, boaters and fishers alike. When a lot of Hydrilla grows together, it can totally take down that areas water oxygen level.
Elodea and Egeria are oftentimes confused for Hydrilla. The aquatic plants Elodea and Egeria are oftentimes thought to be Hydrilla. In the case of a Hydrilla, there is one or more teeth located at the bottom of the midrib. But for Elodea and Egeria, this is not present. Because of the teeth, Hydrilla will feel rough. Hydrilla will feel rough due to the presence of the teeth on the underside of the flora. The blossoms the Egeria produce are also larger than the Hydrilla.
Hydrilla is consumed by macro and micro invertebrates. Upon dying, these micro and macro organisms break up and become food for other land and aquatic wildlife. When Hydrilla dies naturally, they are rotted by bacteria and fungi and the end result is detritus a food for a number of marine invertebrates. Ducks frequently eat Hydrilla turions and tubers, but this is not a substantial source of food. Ducks will oftentimes feed on the tubers and turions of Hydrilla, but they dont make a great diet.
About the Author:
Dave McNabb founded a full service aquatic maintenance company located in Lafayette, California in 1996. Dave started his aquatic career in 1980 with Aquatics Unlimited located in Martinez, California. In 1984 Dave became the very first Aquamog operator and has run the machines for the past 25 years.
