DUCKWEED: AN INTRODUCTION

Duckweeds are a family (Lemnaceae) of floating water plants. The 22 species are common all
over the world, in a wide variety of habitats but are most frequently found in still or slow
flowing water, in ponds and ditches or streams. They are flowering plants but also reproduce
by a very rapid form of a-sexual, vegetative reproduction called budding. Duckweed is easily
carried from one habitat to another, for instance on the feet of birds, and so is commonly an
invasive plant species. Apart from its nuisance value as an invasive species, duckweed is high
in protein and is consumed by humans in Asia. It is also an efficient absorber of phosphates
and nitrates from water and might have use as a form of water purifier.
Duckweed invasion on Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, 2004:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=4654

The a-sexual growth of duckweed in ideal

conditions, can approach exponential rates.
Growth will not be truly exponential since
there is a limit to the number of buds which
can be produced on one frond and fronds die
after a short time. A colony of duckweed
might double in size in 3 or 4 days in ideal
conditions.

The most usual method of measuring growth of duckweed is to count fronds. (The fronds of
duckweed look like small leaves floating on the surface but are actually adapted stems of the
plant.) Most duckweed research depends on frond counts. Counting fronds is relatively easy
but can take considerable time.
When counting fronds, it is the accepted
procedure to count every visible frond, even the
new fronds that are just beginning to emerge
pocket of the mother frond. The "blackboard"
shows an example with several fronds in different
orientations and stages of growth, and with two
plants connected by a stipe (stipule). Every tiny
individual, budded clone should be counted as one
frond. A magnifying glass is usually necessary to count
fronds. It is all too easy to miss fronds or count them
square-ruled sheet of paper beneath the
culture can help to reduce counting errors.

tips of small
from the
drawing

independent
duckweed
twice. Placing a

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE GROWTH RATE OF DUCKWEED.

What conditions (abiotic factors) could you investigate with duckweed?

Nutrients fertiliser present, loose soil mixed in water, nitrates, phosphates

Light intensity, colour, length of day

Toxins present heavy metals such as copper (present as copper (II) nitrate),
detergent, motor oil, weed killer

Water temperature, disturbance

Salinity

GENERAL AIM: Choose one of the abiotic conditions above and investigate how does that
abiotic factor influence the growth of duckweed over 7 days? You will need to set up two
experimental samples, one of which is the control, not influenced by the abiotic factor.
YOUR TASK: Using simple apparatus, design a method to investigate the above aim. You
will need to plan (using the planning format) and report (in your notebook) on your practical
investigation, including the following things:

Write a suitable hypothesis

Identify the variables

Identify the apparatus

Develop a usable method

Record data in an appropriate table

Treat the data from a table by making two graphs of the results

Make a valid conclusion to the experiment

Evaluate the investigation and identify the sources of error, and suggest
improvements

Communicate your investigation

TIMETABLE:
Monday 28th November : Plan investigation

Tuesday 29th (9B) & Wednesday 30th (9A): Set up investigation

Through Monday 5th December: Recording results
Monday 5th December: Graph, Evaluation and delivery
(Following week - communication)