Invasive aquatic floating plants are naturalizing in the Yucatán Peninsula, México

Le résumé fourni par la source

The Yucatan Peninsula (YP) is a unique hydrological region, characterized by a broad range of freshwater environments, most of them oligotrophic and interconnected by karstic subterranean channels, without surficial connections.Urban expansion and tourism over the last several decades have led to increased eutrophication of this aquatic system.For over a century, the invasive floating plants (FP) water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.) and water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes [Mart.])have become naturalized in many eutrophic waterbodies throughout México and Central America.La Sabana is a small (109 ha), peri-urban lake near the coastal city of Chetumal in in the state of Quintana Roo that has recently shifted from a mesotrophic to hypereutrophic state due to municipal wastewater discharges.Starting in 2017, coincident invasions of both species survived and reproduced into monospecific infestations in La Sabana.A supervised classification and analysis of satellite imagery measured significant expansions (M-K test z = 6.13) of water lettuce peaking to 24.7 ha in 2021 and water hyacinth peaking to 18.9 ha in 2023.According to historical surveys, detection of these FP in the YP goes back decades, but here is a first report of FP populations in the YP naturalizing into perpetuating colonies.Eutrophication of YP freshwater systems is likely increasing the suitability for FP to establish and thrive.While a lack of surficial connections is impeding natural hydrochory, increasing human visitation (e.g., tourism) will increase the risk of stochastic introduction.This study describes the naturalizing process of FP in La Sabana and is an early warning of potential vulnerabilities to the rest of the waterbodies in the YP to FP naturalizations that could have irreversible consequences with environmental quality, ecological disruption, and future economic burdens.

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