Wetland plants and aquatic macrophytes

Ecologists, conservationists, and managers frequently need to recognise and survey different aquatic plant species, vegetation types, plant communities, or habitat. It is, after all, the vegetation that defines the extent of a freshwater wetland. This chapter reviews the methods used to survey both ‘terrestrial’ and ‘aquatic’ freshwater plants and considers the approaches taken, some of the specialised equipment used, and technical expertise needed to conduct wetland vegetation surveys. The techniques and approaches used and associated sampling strategies are considered for field surveys; experiments including meso- and macrocosms; and surveys involving remote sensing techniques. The chapter ends by examining a series of examples that illustrate how different vegetation research questions in ecology, conservation, and management can be answered using a diversity of methods.