Aquatic macrophyte mats as dispersers of one invasive plant species

Michelan et al cite that aquatic macrophytes can form mats that are carried by water flow. These mats are a means of dispersion of aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates. In tropical aquatic ecosystems, floating mats are composed mainly by a mixture of free floating, epiphytic and emergent macrophytes. Dispersion of organisms by water flow in macrophyte mats may increase the delivery of propagules in sites far from the area where the organisms originated. This type of dispersion can enhance invasive species success. Their observation evidenced that U arrecta has a great plasticity, growing as an epiphyte life form over drifting floating macrophyte mats. Considering the common occurrence of macrophyte mats in different types of aquatic ecosystems, it was concluded that these mats could be efficient dispersers of this invasive Poaceae. Finally, identifying what are the sources of U arrecta propagules and how far macrophyte mats can go, is important to assess the dispersion potential of this invasive species.