Germination Requirement of Vallisneria natans Seeds: Implications for Restoration in Chinese Lakes

Due to eutrophication submerged macrophytes have disappeared from many Chinese lakes. This is unfortunate as submerged macrophytes are important to improve water quality, and its re-establishment is therefore desirable. For this purpose a potential method to use is re-seeding, this being particularly attractive due to the high seed productivity of V. natans. We conducted laboratory studies to investigate the effects of five environmental variables (temperature, substratum, oxygen, light availability, and burial depth) on the seed germination of V. natans. Our results showed that a wide temperature range (25–35 °C) was favorable for germination; that seeds germinated well under both gravel and silt; that anaerobic condition proved to accelerate seed germination although the final germination percentage did not rise; and that light and burial acted as limiting factors. These results suggest that V. natans is a potential candidate for successful restoration of vegetation in lakes recovering from eutrophication.