Abstract

South Africa has a long history of managing the establishment and spread of invasive floating macrophytes. The past thirty years of research and the implementation of nation-wide biological and integrated control programmes has led to widespread control of these species in many degraded freshwater ecosystems. Such initiatives are aimed at restoring access to potable freshwater and maintaining native biodiversity. However, in recent years, there has been a decline in populations of floating invasive plants, and an increase in the establishment and spread of submerged and emergent invasive plant species, which poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems. This chapter highlights the vulnerability of South Africa’s eutrophic systems to successful colonisation by this suite of new macrophytes following the successful biological control of floating invasive macrophytes, and explores a new regime shift in invasive populations partly driven by biological control. We suggest that a more holistic approach to the control of invasive plants would be required to ensure long-term ecosystem recovery and sustainability.

Highlights

  • Aquatic ecosystems in South Africa have been prone to invasion by alien macrophytes, since the first introductions in the early 1900s

  • These alien freshwater plant species have become invasive in many rivers, man-made impoundments, lakes and wetlands in South Africa (Hill 2003), due to anthropogenic dissemination, combined with increasing urbanisation, industry and agriculture, which have resulted in nutrient enrichment and eutrophication

  • This chapter reviews the factors that contribute to the invasiveness of alien freshwater macrophytes in South Africa, discusses their impacts, and assesses the control programmes implemented against these aquatic invaders

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Summary

Introduction

Aquatic ecosystems in South Africa have been prone to invasion by alien macrophytes, since the first introductions in the early 1900s. These alien freshwater plant species have become invasive in many rivers, man-made impoundments, lakes and wetlands in South Africa (Hill 2003), due to anthropogenic dissemination, combined with increasing urbanisation, industry and agriculture, which have resulted in nutrient enrichment and eutrophication. This chapter reviews the factors that contribute to the invasiveness of alien freshwater macrophytes in South Africa, discusses their impacts, and assesses the control programmes implemented against these aquatic invaders

Invasive Macrophytes
Pathways of Introduction
Drivers of Invasion
Impacts
Control
Regime Shifts and Alternate Stable States
Discussion

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