Biology and ecology of Pontederia crassipes in a Mediterranean river in Lebanon
Résumé
Invasive aquatic plants are considered the second cause of biodiversity loss in aquatic ecosystems. Pontederia crassipes Mart., formerly Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms (water hyacinth) is one of the most dangerous invasive species in the world. Since 2006, P. crassipes has invaded Lebanon's Al Kabir River, causing ecological and socioeconomic problems. To solve them, ecological and biological characteristics are important to understand the water hyacinth response to variations in environmental conditions. The aims of this study were (i) to analyze P. crassipes growth and (ii) physico-chemical parameters at two sites and (iii) to determine ecological relationships between P. crassipes and other plant species. The main results show the existence of different cohorts of water hyacinth at the two sites. Differences in growth between these cohorts are likely due to physico-chemical differences. In addition, P. crassipes coexist with other invasive and native plants. This ecological study can help ecologists and stakeholders map invasive plants in rivers and improve their control