Status of aquatic macrophytes in changing climate: A perspective

Abstract

Increased emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and associated increase in Earth’s surface and water temperature has been seen as the major climatic change of the last decade. Aquatic macrophytes form a major part of highly productive aquatic ecosystems. Increased eutrophication, acidification and salination of water adversely affect the growth and development of aquatic macrophytes via phenological and metabolic alterations. Predicted increases in temperature and increase in rainfall suggest the enhancement in the growth of emergent aquatic macrophytes. The changes in the growth profile of aquatic macrophytes, distribution and abundance are supposed to ultimately cause a strong ecological impact on the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems globally.