Variable leaf Pondweed

Biological Name:

Potamogeton pusillus (Variable-leaf-Pondweed)

Natural Habitat:

Variable-leaf-Pondweed: This plant is native to North America, and it can grow in a variety of aquatic habitats, including ponds, lakes, and streams.

Description:

Variable-leaf-Pondweed also known as Potamogeton is a plant that is native to grassland and prairie regions of North America. It is a perennial aquatic plant that can grow up to six feet tall and it has narrow elongated leaves and small inconspicuous flowers that are typically green or yellow in color. The plant is known for its ability to grow in a variety of water depths and conditions and it is often used as a source of food and shelter for aquatic animals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How do you control variables in a pondweed leaf?
A: Variable-leaf pondweed can be removed by raking or seining it from the pond, but will re-establish from any remaining roots and seeds. Fertilization to produce a phytoplankton or algal “bloom” to prevent the establishment of most bottom rooted aquatic weeds. This also produces a strong food chain for the pond fish.
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Q: What is the dependent variable in the pondweed experiment?
A: Dependant variable: the number of oxygen bubbles given off (the rate of photosynthesis). Controlled variables: the size of the pondweed, the volume of water used and its temperature.
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Q: What is the independent variable in pondweed?
A: Independent variable – the light intensity (how close the light is). Dependant variable – the number of oxygen bubbles given off (the rate of photosynthesis). Controlled variables – the size of the pondweed, the volume of water used and its temperature.
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Q: What are the variables in a plant experiment?
A: Examples include: how much water each plant gets, what kind of soil the plants are in, and the temperature of the air. If any of these variables were to change during the experiment, you could not be certain that the results occurred solely due to the amount of sunlight each plant got.
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Q: What was your dependent variable in the floating leaf experiment?
A: For example the one independent variable is the “light intensity” and the dependent is the “rate of photosynthesis” in leaf discs.
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Q: What is the control variable in water experiment?
A: Control variables: The mass of sugar used; the temperature of the water; the amount of water. ‘amount of water’ should be volume of water.
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Q: What 3 variables affect photosynthesis?
A: The main factors affecting rate of photosynthesis are light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration and temperature.
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Q: What kills floating leaf pondweed?
A: Our top recommended products to treat pondweed is Diquat Herbicide. Diquat Herbicide is labeled to control Pondweed (except for Richardsons pondweed) and has shown to do a great job against it. Diquat also carries a wide label so it can kill a large number of other unwanted aquatic weeds you may be dealing with too.
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Q: Can you use RoundUp on pond weeds?
A: RoundUp, a commonly used glyphosate herbicide is not approved for use in ponds. There are other glyphosate herbicides which are approved for aquatic sites. The difference lies in additional ingredients in RoundUp®, making it more toxic to certain kinds of aquatic life.
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Q: What naturally kills pond algae?
A: It sounds strange, but the answer to natural pond algae control is barley straw. Not only is barley straw a natural pond algae killer, but it won’t harm your fish or plants – and it’s cheap to buy too.
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Q: What are the adaptive features found in pondweed?
A: All pondweeds have their roots firmly underwater and are green, but their leaves are of different shapes, and sizes. These plants’ greatest adaptation is to living in water, which is their main life giver. These plants have many cells on their leaves (surface cells) can absorb water, nutrients and even dissolve gasses.
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Q: What is the control variable in the pondweed experiment?
A: Dependant variable: the number of oxygen bubbles given off (the rate of photosynthesis). Controlled variables: the size of the pondweed, the volume of water used and its temperature.
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Q: What are three adaptive features of aquatic plants?
A: 4.1 Emergent.4.2 Submerged.4.3 Floating-leaved.4.4 Free-floating.
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Q: What are the three adaptations of aquatic plants?
A: Adaptations are many and varied. Many aquatic flowing plants have leaves that lie flat on the water for maximum sunlight collection. The stems of many aquatic plant have large air-filled areas to increase buoyancy. Many fruits of aquatic plants float on water, which increases dispersal as fruits and seeds float away.
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Q: Why is pondweed used for photosynthesis?
A: Like other green plants, pond weed can make sugar from carbon dioxide and water. When this happens, oxygen is also made. This oxygen comes out of the plant and can be seen as bubbles in the water around the pond weed. To do this job, the pond weed needs energy.
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Q: What type of aquatic plant is pondweed?
A: Potamogeton is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed (Elodea canadensis).
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Q: What is the problem with curly-leaf pondweed?
A: Why is it a problem? In spring, curly-leaf pondweed can interfere with recreational and other uses of lakes and rivers by producing dense mats at the water’s surface. Matted curly-leaf pondweed can displace native aquatic plants. In mid-summer, curly-leaf plants usually die, and dying plants accumulate on shorelines.
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Q: Should I remove pondweed?
A: A small amount of algae or pondweed is beneficial to ponds, providing food for tadpoles and other water creatures, but too much can block light from submerged plants and prevent them from photosynthesising, reducing oxygen levels in your pond.
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Q: Is curly-leaf pondweed harmful to fish?
A: When curly-leaf pondweed dies back in the summer, the dense mats decay releasing nutrients into the water column which contribute to algal blooms. The decomposing plant material can also deplete oxygen levels in the water, causing anoxic conditions leading to possible fish kills.
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Q: Is pondweed an invasive plant?
A: Curly-leaved Pondweed is a hardy, aggressive non-native invasive plant. The oblong light to dark green leaves are distinctly serrated, wavy, and typically 3” long.
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Q: Can you eradicate leaf curl?
A: Leaf curl can usually be controlled satisfactorily by a spray of a suitable registered fungicide at any stage of dormancy. Most effective control is achieved by spraying when the buds are swelling but before they have opened. It’s not possible to control the fungus once it’s entered the leaf.
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Q: Can curly leaves goes back to normal?
A: Curling leaves happen, and they’re not difficult to fix. If you spot them, check your plants’ water levels, soil, lighting, and leaves for any pest infestations. Once you fix the potential problem or simply pluck the curled leaves, your plant should start looking as good as new in no time.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.