Aquatic vegetation - a primer for hydrodynamic specialists

This paper is about aquatic vegetation, written by a biologist, and is aimed at those working in hydraulics, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology and related fields. It provides information on the basic biology of riverine plants, their evolution, their basic requirements and their distribution patterns in space and time. Key ecological processes, such as succession, are described. It discusses how these plants can be grouped according to their shapes and traits and how these are associated with specific types of hydraulic habitat. The realistic parameterization of empirical experiments is considered. The application of fundamental hydraulic research to environmental management is discussed, focusing on eutrophication, channel conveyance and the downstream impacts of dams.