Effect of Salinity Levels on the Growth and Anatomical Structure of Hydrilla verticillata
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
In Person or Zoom Presentation
In-Person
Campus
Daytona Beach
Status
Student
Faculty/Staff Department
Biology and Chemistry
Student Year and Major
Senior Biology
Presentation Description/Abstract
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is a highly invasive submerged aquatic plant that forms dense mats, displaces native vegetation, and disrupts water flow in lakes and rivers. The increasing intrusion of saltwater into freshwater systems caused by sea-level rise, storm surge, and urban runoff may influence the survival and distribution of hydrilla. Hydrilla tolerates salinity up to about 5–6 ppt, guiding the test levels. This study will assess the effects of different salinity levels on the growth and anatomy of hydrilla. Hydrilla samples will be collected from a pond on the Bethune-Cookman University campus and grown under controlled laboratory conditions with varying salinity treatments. The shoot fragments, including SAM (Shoot Apical Meristem), about 50 mm long, will be placed in 400 mL of water with salinity levels of 0.5 ppt, 2 ppt, or 5 ppt, with 10 shoots per sample. Each sample will be placed at room temperature in direct sunlight. Measurements will be taken weekly for four weeks and will include shoot length, leaf density, and total biomass. Preliminary data indicate that hydrilla grows well under low-salinity conditions but demonstrates considerable loss of biomass and shoot length when salinity levels exceed tolerance levels. This study will provide insight into the potential range of hydrilla in estuarine-influenced freshwater habitats and the possibility of using salinity levels as an invasive management control.
Keywords
Hydrilla verticillata, salinity tolerance, invasive macrophytes, freshwater–estuarine interface, physiological adaptation, biomass allocation, environmental perturbation.
Effect of Salinity Levels on the Growth and Anatomical Structure of Hydrilla verticillata
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is a highly invasive submerged aquatic plant that forms dense mats, displaces native vegetation, and disrupts water flow in lakes and rivers. The increasing intrusion of saltwater into freshwater systems caused by sea-level rise, storm surge, and urban runoff may influence the survival and distribution of hydrilla. Hydrilla tolerates salinity up to about 5–6 ppt, guiding the test levels. This study will assess the effects of different salinity levels on the growth and anatomy of hydrilla. Hydrilla samples will be collected from a pond on the Bethune-Cookman University campus and grown under controlled laboratory conditions with varying salinity treatments. The shoot fragments, including SAM (Shoot Apical Meristem), about 50 mm long, will be placed in 400 mL of water with salinity levels of 0.5 ppt, 2 ppt, or 5 ppt, with 10 shoots per sample. Each sample will be placed at room temperature in direct sunlight. Measurements will be taken weekly for four weeks and will include shoot length, leaf density, and total biomass. Preliminary data indicate that hydrilla grows well under low-salinity conditions but demonstrates considerable loss of biomass and shoot length when salinity levels exceed tolerance levels. This study will provide insight into the potential range of hydrilla in estuarine-influenced freshwater habitats and the possibility of using salinity levels as an invasive management control.