STRATEGIES OF REPRODUCTION, DISPERSION, AND COMPETITION IN RIVER PLANTS - A REVIEW

The present paper reviews the literature on reproduction, survival, di spersion and competition in aquatic plants of mostly European rivers. The specificity of the strategies of colonization in aquatic plants in comparison with terrestrial plants is noted. The importance of the kn owledge of these life history traits in the control of the harmful eff ects caused by aquatic plants and for ecosystem management is also con sidered. The difficulty of applying current ecological theories concer ning adaptative strategies to aquatic plants is discussed, focusing on the great interest of studying the species traits of aquatic macrophy tes for testing such theories and interpreting recolonization patterns of disturbed areas. Knowledge of strategies of reproduction, dispersi on and competition among aquatic plants remains very fragmentary, part icularly from a quantitative view-point, and further studies are requi red both for theoretical and practical applications.