Freshwater Plants Research

Freshwater plants provide important environmental benefits for Florida’s freshwater ecosystems. They capture the suns energy and pump it into the food chain through photosynthesis. They stabilize the shorelines and minimize bank erosion. They filter nutrients and pollutants out of the water to help keep our waters clean. Aquatic plants also oxygenate the water and provide food, habitat, and cover for fish and wildlife. FWRI’s Freshwater Plants team conducts research on Florida’s lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands, with personnel who collaborate with other FWC groups, agencies, and universities to address priority aquatic plant issues. See below for more information about Freshwater Plants’ projects and staff.