Abstract for: A dynamic model of invasive aquatic plant Egeria densa: valorisation and impact on rice crops

Egeria densa is a south-american aquatic plant commonly used for aquarium decoration. The release of a single individual of this species in water bodies where the plant is non-native can generate a problem due to its invasive behaviour. The appearance of this plant at several locations across the Spanish geography, coupled with an understanding of its potential damage to native species including their habitats and ecosystems, led to the inclusion of Egeria densa in the Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Species. Rice crops are quite widespread in some Spanish regions. Egeria densa has become a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems where rice is grown, changing the optimum conditions for cultivation and displacing aquatic plants, and endangered fish species that depend on them like Aphanius iberus or Valencia hispanica. As a result of this situation, there is a need to design and develop strategies to efficiently manage Egeria densa or to prevent its occurrence if possible. We developed a dynamic model to emulate the appearance and the colonisation process of a wetland by Egeria densa.