Paper Details

Abstract

Owing to their rapid growth, ability for dispersal and establish feral populations, and because of their detrimental ecological and economic effects, non-native aquatic plants present significant challenges in the environmental management of aquatic ecosystems. The aquatic herbaceous perennial watercress (Nasturtium officinale; Brassicaceae) is native to Europe, Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, Macronesia, north and northeast tropical Africa, which has been introduced to all continents except Antarctica. In the past century this species was deliberately imported to China, and it has been widely cultivated for its use as both an edible leafy vegetable and as a medicinal aquatic plant. Watercress escaped from contained, cultivated sites and established feral populations in a diversity of natural waterbodies. However, there is limited knowledge regarding this species in China, and insufficient scientific research and monitoring has made it difficult to control this aquatic non-native species. In this study, we describe the introduction process, present the species’ current distribution, and evaluate the ecological impacts of watercress by doing field research and reviewing the literature. Our research provides a valuable resource for managing the use of non-native aquatic plants.

To Cite This Article