March 02, 2019

Flooded forests, sunken grasses...emerging ideas?

I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not an aquatic plant expert. In fact, I know very little about them! However, I'd be inclined

The reality is that many of the (South American) habitats which we play with simply don't have much in the way of true aquatic plants in them. For example, the igapo flooded forests and small streams usually just don't have much more than epiphytic algae and submerged terrestrial plants in them.

However, you can grow plants in your "version", of course. I think it's more of a matter of trying various plants which tend to come from lower ph, blackwater habitats, and applying these ideas to their care. My list is ridiculously superficial, of course- so you hardcore plant people will have to take the flag and run with this!

(The Red Howler Monkey knows a thing or two about Amazonian plants and trees! Image by Gordon E Robertson, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

Now, my other "challenge' to plant lovers in general: Let's figure out which terrestrial plants can tolerate/grow/thrive under submerged or partially submerged (blackwater) conditions. Perhaps a more "realistic" (not in the hardcore "biotope aquarium contest" context, of course) avenue to explore in this regard?

I've got one tree for you to research...the dominant terrestrial plant in this habitat is Eugenia inundata... Don't think I'm not well underway in my (somewhat futile) efforts to see if we can secure fallen leaves of THIS plant! You'll also find Iriartea setigera, Socratea exorrhiza, Mauritiella aculeata palms in these areas..

(Mauritiella aculeata - Image by pixel too used under CC BY 2.0)

Like so many things from the Amazon, it's not easy (read that, damn near impossible) to secure botanical material from this region, so the proverbial "Don't hold your breath waiting for this" comes to mind! Oh, and the submerged grasses we see and drool over in those underwater pics from Mike Tucc and Ivan Mikolji of these habitats?