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Oil Effect on Duckweed

Duckweed is an aquatic plant that grows floating in slow-moving or still bodies of fresh water. Lemna, one of the best-known duckweeds, grows at a rapid rate. When exposed to oil, duckweed is affected in the same way as other aquatic plants.

Impeded Growth
- Oil impedes the growth of aquatic plants including duckweed by cutting off its exposure to sunlight and air. This makes photosynthesis -- the process plants use to make food -- almost impossible. The germination and growth of duckweed is hampered or stops entirely when it is covered in oil.
Algae Production
- While oil impedes the survival of some aquatic plants, it can sometimes aid in the growth and formation of algae. A surge in the production of algae typically affects the growth of local duckweed plants in a negative way, as quick-growing, widespread populations of algae obstruct and usurp areas usually occupied by other aquatic plants.
Long-Term Effects
- Oil is able to persist in an environment for up to 30 years after a spill. Over time, oil spills left uncleaned cause long-term damage to aquatic plants and wildlife. If spilled oil isn't removed from the water entirely, duckweed and other aquatic plants may never fully recover.

Nature