Main description:

This book focuses on the topic of ecotoxicology of aquatic macrophytes and is wide ranging, including the use of macrophytes for remediation of contaminated sites. Many human activities are threats to the equilibrium of natural ecosystems. Pollution from point and non-point sources can be assessed using a variety of techniques, such as biomonitoring, biomarkers and biosensors. In aquatic ecosystems, biomonitoring of pollutants is mostly conducted by analysis of the tissues of invertebrates and fishes, and biomarker studies are also more widely applied to animals rather than in plants. Aquatic macrophytes occupy a key niche in aquatic ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services. In addition to their role in primary production, vegetation plays a key role in the cycling and retention of nutrients and generally acts as a sink for pollutants. Therefore, because of their importance to aquatic ecosystems, more attention should be paid to understanding the fate of pollutants and to developing methods to evaluate the health status of macrophytic plants in freshwater, marine and estuarine environments.

Contents:

Menone and Metcalfe
Aquatic macrophytes: An Introduction to chemical contamination and ecotoxicology.

Matthew Moore et al. USDA ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory, MS, USA.
Mesocosm studies and field studies with vegetated ditches for mitigation of complex contaminant mixtures.

Stephan Pflugmacher Lima et al., Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, MB, Canada.
"Green liver" concept and use of biomarkers of pollution in aquatic macrophytes.

Mark Hanson et al., Department of Biology, University of Manitoba, MB, Canada.
Recovery of aquatic macrophytes after exposure to herbicides.
Accumulation of pesticides by wild rice.

Mirta L. Menone et al., Mar del Plata National University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Physiological, biochemical and genotoxicity biomarkers in aquatic macrophytes

Verena Sesin et al. School of the Environment. Trent University, ON, Canada
Aquatic macrophytes for ecological risk assessments

Gertie Arts et al., Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra) The Netherlands.
Use of aquatic macrophytes for regulatory purposes.

Authors to be contacted:

Michael Sievers et al., School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, QLD, Australia.
Impacts of multiple stressors on aquatic macrophytes in coastal ecosystems.

Agnieszka Klink, et al., Department of Ecology, Biogeochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Wroclaw, Poland.
Accumulation and effects of metals and metalloids on aquatic macrophytes.