Studies in lakes and rivers have shown that water hyacinth alters water quality. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is an invasive species that has modified ecosystem functioning in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta), California, USA. Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes is a highly invasive weed which is considered to pose a threat to the many aquatic ecosystems it grows in Navarro Phiri, 2000. Water Hyacinth Effects on Ecosystem. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a floating non-native plant that has been reoccurring in Lake Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico for more than 100 years. Water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, is widely recognized as one of the world’s worst weeds.The plant is a native of the Amazon, but tolerates a wide range of climatic and aquatic conditions, allowing world-wide infestation across a range of latitudes and climates. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plants and is known to cause significant ecological and socio-economic effects. The Effects of Introduced Water Hyacinth 747 widespread on a global scale, first being intro-duced to the Sacramento River in California by or-namental pond enthusiasts in 1904 (Finlayson 1983; Gopal 1987). Molecular Ecology 19(9):1774-1786. It is a fast-developing and -reproducing plant which is able to quickly overtake a body of water such as a lake or river. Questionnaires were distributed in water hyacinth infested and non-infested sections for comparative purposes, a total of 50 questionnaires were distributed to collect data on social and ecological effects of water hyacinth. Water hyacinth is very efficient in taking up Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Ferric, Manganese, Aluminum, Boron, Cupper, Molybdenum, Zinc, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium favoring its growth over other aquatic species [2] . Water hyacinth in the Wazimenya and Gobero sub-bays was mostly non-bulbous, of poor physical condition, and heavily infested with biological control weevils. The Effects of Salinity on Water Hyacinth (Eichhonia crassipes) Jack Cheng Abstract The water hyacinth’s ability to cope with various ecosystems has been the primary reason why it has been so successful in infesting fresh and brackish waterways. bays that had considerable quantities of water hyacinth. Genetic uniformity characterizes the invasive spread of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), a clonal aquatic plant. Impacts of water hyacinth infestation on fish and the water environment The impact of water hyacinth infestation on fish 2010. Its expansion is currently managed by abstraction (removing by hand); nonetheless, the disposal of mats and formation of pools are remaining problematic. Estuaries 26(3):746-758. Questionnaires were distributed in water hyacinth infested and non-infested sections for comparative purposes, a total of 50 questionnaires were distributed to collect data on social and ecological effects of water hyacinth. Zhang, Y., D. Zhang, and S.C. Barrett. Water ranks right up there with food, sunlight and oxygen as necessary to sustain life. Such beneficial uses include biogas production and removal of heavy metals from industrial pollution when water passes and is sieved by the water hyacinth fabric. WATER HYACINTH CONTROL AND POSSIBLE USES Introduction Water hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes) Water hyacinth is an aquatic plant which can live and reproduce floating freely on the surface of fresh waters or can be anchored in mud. In tidal systems, such as the Delta, water moves back and forth through the water hyacinth patch so water quality directly outside the … Floating water weeds such as duckweeds, water hyacinth, and water lettuce are ecosystem service providers and have been studied extensively for their ability to remove metal from water and their application in constructed wetlands for waste water treatment (Vymazal et al., 1998; Hadad et al., 2009; Zhang et al., 2009). And in terms of plant count rather than size, they are said to multiply by more than a hundredfold in number, in a matter of 23 days. The questionnaires were distributed to both men and women since they have different levels of interaction with the river. Once the plants are introduced they rapidly increase in coverage, as hyacinth has the highest growth rate of any saltwater, freshwater, The study concluded that the water hyacinth had varied and mixed affects on the economic activities of the riparian communities at Dunga beach and thus recommended that the multiple effects of the water hyacinth must be considered whenever efforts to Incursion of water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, has been a potential threat to Lake Tana and its ecosystem services. The effects of introduced water hyacinth on habitat structure, invertebrate assemblages, and fish diets. In this research, I explore the effects of water hyacinth on freshwater ecosystems worldwide and specifically on Lake Chapala. 573 The effect of water Hyacinth, Eichhornia Crassipes, infestation on phytoplankton productivity in Lake Naivasha and the status of control John Momanyi Mironga Department of Geography, Faculty of Environment and Resource Development, Egerton University, PO Box The role of water in an ecosystem is manifold: It provides minerals and nutrients for physical organisms, a home or breeding grounds for multiple life forms and a fundamental building block that supports life. level of water hyacinth infestation was low.