Invasive aquatic plants (Watermilfoil)
Photo: With my research collaborator Bruno Courtemanche at Lake Brompton, August 2021, during a follow-up visit.
The Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) is an invasive non-native aquatic plant species that is found in some lakes from Southern Quebec. Because it has major impacts on lake ecosystems and on aquatic recreation activities, rigorous prevention measures are in place to prevent its spread to other lakes. These include washing boats to avoid transporting fragments from lake to lake, as this is the main mean of reproduction for this plant.
Where the EWM is present, it competes with indigenous aquatic plant species and affects the oxygen and nutrient levels in the water column. Dense EWM mats hinder navigation and decrease the real estate value of properties.
We are studying the efficiency of a control method combining the use of jute or plastic mats with manual removal with professional divers . Students interested by this study can contact us.