Moderate hydrological disturbance and high nutrient substrate enhance the performance of Myriophyllum aquaticum

Phenotypic plasticity can determine the performance of exotic plants in environmental disturbance. Aquatic plants can adapt to the stress caused by water level fluctuations in the water level, water depth, or substrate nutrients through phenotypic plasticity. The high-potential invasiveness of Myriophyllum aquaticum in riparian wetlands may be associated with its growth and phenotypic plasticity. The interactive effects of fluctuations in the water level, water depth, and substrate nutrients on the growth performance of M. aquaticum were evaluated. We performed two two-factorial experiments to evaluate the effects of (i) frequency and amplitude of water level fluctuations and (ii) water depth and substrate nutrients on the performance of M. aquaticum . The results indicated that in the first experiment, low fluctuation frequency with a ± 20 cm amplitude significantly increased the value of all growth traits (except for total length of lateral branches). Regardless of fluctuation frequency, relative to a ± 60 cm amplitude and a static water level, the maximum values of total biomass, plant height, relative growth rate, and total length of lateral branches existed in moderate fluctuation amplitudes (± 20 cm, ± 40 cm). In the second experiment, the growth performance of M. aquaticum decreased with increasing water depth from 25 cm to 75 cm. High nutrient substrate significantly increased all growth traits (except for chlorophyll content) in water depths of 25 and 50 cm. Above all, M. aquaticum has optimal growth performance in response to low fluctuation frequency, moderate fluctuation amplitudes (± 20 cm, ± 40 cm), and high nutrient substrate in shallow water (water depth lower than 75 cm). These results indicate that M. aquaticum has a high-potential invasiveness in shallow water and with low disturbance of freshwater habitats.