<em>Elodea canadensis</em>: introduction, phytoremediation and spread control

Abstract

The uncontrolled spread of invasive non-native species can have significant ecological, social and economic consequences. This paper provides numerous examples of how Elodea canadensis Michx. interacts with various environmental contaminants. Previous experiments have shown that Elodea has a rather high phytoremediation potential. Therefore, there is interest in cultivating this plant for phytoremediation purposes. This article describes the pros and cons of Elodea that society faces when dealing with this plant. The aim of the article is to investigate the invasive capacity of elodea (Elodea canadensis) when introduced into a freshwater body inhabited by other aquatic plant species. Three years of experience are described in this article and it has been shown that E. canadensis quickly adapts and multiplies in new water ecosystems (central Russia) and displaces other aquatic plants. For this reason, it is convenient to grow E. canadensis in incubator ponds and then use it for phytoremediation. The reported results add to the evidence that E. canadensis is a weed of waterways and a nuisance to navigation, but is useful in remediating aquatic environments from anthropogenic pollution. The article is of interest to researchers working in ecology, hydrochemistry, hydrobiology, various environmental and biosphere sciences.