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The water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes: An invasive plant in the Guadiana River Basin (Spain)

Abstract:

The recent invasion of water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (C. Mart.) Solms (1883) in the Guadiana River Basin (Spain) is described and the distribution of this Amazonian floating plant is analyzed from a geobotanical and chorological perspective. Georeferenced locations of invasion in Spain and Portugal are presented and the relative growth rate (RGR) and doubling time (DT) indexes defined by Gopal (1987) were calculated. The sexual reproductive cycles were determined in order to evaluate the invasive capacity at these latitudes. Pbkp_redictive models of the plant's potential distribution in the Guadiana River were constructed based on expert knowledge and using a Geographic Information System, on the basis of the water's physico-chemical parameters. Given the size of the potential area of distribution, it seems necessary to make provision for an important increase and subsequent maintenance in the level of the means and logistics targeted at the prevention and control of this weed. © 2008 The Author(s).