ABSTRACT
Aquatic plants are an essential feature of the aquatic ecosystem. Benefits of aquatic plants in the ecosystem include: production of oxygen through photosynthesis, cover for young fish to escape predation, sites for attachment by a number of organisms, protection against wave erosion, food for wildlife and waterfowl, and removal of nutrients from the water. The science of ecology may be simply defined as the study of the interrelationships among biological organisms and their influence on, or their reaction to, the environment. Ecologic investigations may take the form of studying the response of a single species to the environment, or the interactions of a community of species. Large-scale modification of vegetation for water resource development is thought to cause changes in climate. Another potential problem is the increased laterization of the soil. This refers to an indurated concreationary soil deposit high in iron or aluminum oxide.
