Beyond Removal: Strategies for Sustainable Control of Water Hyacinth in Tropical Freshwater Ecosystems
19 affiliations
- 1Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. [email protected]
- 2Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. [email protected]
- 3Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. [email protected]
- 4Department of Landscape Monitoring, Survey and Statistics Division, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Ås, Norway
- 5Department of Economics and Society, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
- 6Division of Biotechnology and Plant Health, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Ås, Norway
- 7Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
- 8Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- 9Lake Tana and Other Waterbodies Protection and Development Agency, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- 10Department of Geography, System Dynamics Group, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- 11Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Research Aquatic Biosecurity, Bergen, Norway
- 12Department of Natural Resource Management, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- 13Threatened Species Conservation (TSC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- 14School of Earth, Environment & Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- 15Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- 16Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- 17Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- 18Aarhus Institute for Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- 19Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Abstract
Water hyacinth is among the world's most damaging aquatic invasive plants, forming dense mats that disrupt ecosystem functioning, fisheries, navigation, and livelihoods across tropical and subtropical freshwater systems. Its rapid spread is driven by clonal propagation, short life cycles, and prolific seed production, particularly under nutrient-enriched conditions. Although mechanical, chemical, and biological control methods are widely applied, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain when underlying eutrophication persists. Here, we present a large-scale, one-time water hyacinth removal campaign in Lake Tana, Ethiopia's largest lake and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, as a representative nutrient-rich tropical freshwater system. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, we quantified coverage one month before removal, one month after removal, and one year later. We integrated SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis with a socio-ecological system map to assess mitigation mechanisms and identify sustainable management pathways capable of providing long-term solutions to halt water hyacinth proliferation in freshwater bodies. The campaign removed over 75% (~1271 ha) of water hyacinth, yet within one year the plant resurged to levels ~18% higher than pre-removal. This rebound highlights the ecological resilience of water hyacinth and the limitations of short term, noncontinuous control strategies. Our analysis identifies unmanaged catchment nutrient inputs as the primary driver of proliferation. Lake Tana serves as a model system demonstrating that water hyacinth functions less as a traditional invader and more as a bioindicator of eutrophication. We propose a transferable conceptual and methodological framework combining continuous removal, catchment-based nutrient management, and circular bioeconomy approaches, offering globally relevant lessons for sustainable management of nutrient-enriched tropical freshwater systems.
Related
- Zoogeochemical engineers: Galapagos giant tortoises link terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems through sediment transport and nutrient dynamics
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- IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: Coral Reefs of the Eastern Tropical Pacific
BibTeX
@article{chala2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond Removal: Strategies for Sustainable Control of Water Hyacinth in Tropical Freshwater Ecosystems}},
author = {Desalegn Chala and Diress Tsegaye and Habtamu Alem and Belachew Asalf and Melesse Eshetu Moges and Nega Tassie and Ayalew Wondie and Aklilu Tilahun Tadesse and Abebayehu Aticho and Alemu Gonsamo and Lanhui Wang and Erick J. Lundgren and Jeffrey Taylor Kerby and Jens‐Christian Svenning},
journal = {Environmental Management},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1007/s00267-026-02494-1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-026-02494-1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Beyond Removal: Strategies for Sustainable Control of Water Hyacinth in Tropical Freshwater Ecosystems
AU - Desalegn Chala
AU - Diress Tsegaye
AU - Habtamu Alem
AU - Belachew Asalf
AU - Melesse Eshetu Moges
AU - Nega Tassie
AU - Ayalew Wondie
AU - Aklilu Tilahun Tadesse
AU - Abebayehu Aticho
AU - Alemu Gonsamo
AU - Lanhui Wang
AU - Erick J. Lundgren
AU - Jeffrey Taylor Kerby
AU - Jens‐Christian Svenning
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/20
JO - Environmental Management
DO - 10.1007/s00267-026-02494-1
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-026-02494-1
AB - Water hyacinth is among the world's most damaging aquatic invasive plants, forming dense mats that disrupt ecosystem functioning, fisheries, navigation, and livelihoods across tropical and subtropical freshwater systems. Its rapid spread is driven by clonal propagation, short life cycles, and prolific seed production, particularly under nutrient-enriched conditions. Although mechanical, chemical, and biological control methods are widely applied, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain when underlying eutrophication persists. Here, we present a large-scale, one-time water hyacinth removal campaign in Lake Tana, Ethiopia's largest lake and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, as a representative nutrient-rich tropical freshwater system. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, we quantified coverage one month before removal, one month after removal, and one year later. We integrated SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis with a socio-ecological system map to assess mitigation mechanisms and identify sustainable management pathways capable of providing long-term solutions to halt water hyacinth proliferation in freshwater bodies. The campaign removed over 75% (~1271 ha) of water hyacinth, yet within one year the plant resurged to levels ~18% higher than pre-removal. This rebound highlights the ecological resilience of water hyacinth and the limitations of short term, noncontinuous control strategies. Our analysis identifies unmanaged catchment nutrient inputs as the primary driver of proliferation. Lake Tana serves as a model system demonstrating that water hyacinth functions less as a traditional invader and more as a bioindicator of eutrophication. We propose a transferable conceptual and methodological framework combining continuous removal, catchment-based nutrient management, and circular bioeconomy approaches, offering globally relevant lessons for sustainable management of nutrient-enriched tropical freshwater systems.
SN - 0364-152X
SN - 1432-1009
ER -