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Beneath the surface of bodies of freshwater-springs, streams, rivers, ponds and lakes-there is a world of plants of great variety and beauty, a realm that is often poorly known and understood. Correctly identified, these plants can tell us much about the character and condition of the habitats in which they live. A collaboration of Danish, German, and British field botanists specializing in freshwater plants, this guide presents all of the known aquatic plants of Northern and Central Europe (including Britain and Ireland, the Benelux, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Greenland) as well as many marginal and wetland species.
This is the first comprehensive guide to the identification of the region's 410 species and hybrids of both native and non-native ferns and flowering plants that are dependent upon freshwater wetlands. Following the latest taxonomy, the book features 358 plates in pen and ink, more than 1,400 colour photographs, illustrated keys, distribution maps and detailed descriptions. The introduction gives an overview of evolution, anatomy and morphology, ecology, eco-physiology, research traditions and more, and the book also includes guidelines for working with aquatic plants.
Jens Christian Schou is a botanist, illustrator and photographer who specializes in Nordic plants. Bjarne Moeslund is an environmental consultant who led the creation of the first guide to Denmark’s aquatic plants and was later coauthor of a more comprehensive book on the subject. Klaus van de Weyer is a freshwater ecologist and botanist, an expert on macrophytes and an underwater photographer who teaches classes on macrophyte ecology and identification. Richard V. Lansdown works in wetland conservation, has surveyed macrophytes in rivers throughout Britain and Ireland and teaches courses on aquatic plant identification. Gerhard Wiegleb is a professor emeritus of general ecology at Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus and a widely published expert on macrophyte ecology. Peter Holm is an expert on the identification of macroinvertebrates and aquatic plants in rivers, streams and lakes. Lars Baastrup-Spohr is an assistant professor in freshwater ecology at the University of Copenhagen. Kaj Sand-Jensen is a professor of freshwater ecology at the University of Copenhagen and the author of books and popular science articles on Danish nature.
"[...] Species accounts are profusely illustrated with photographs and line drawings, but most useful of all are the illustrated keys. Absolutely anything that might cause any trouble has a little sketch [...] All the lovely illustrations are the work of the first author, who surely deserves a medal. [...] A monumental work, both conceptually and physically (c. 3.5 kg). It's surely the book on aquatic plants of the region, not just right now, but for the foreseeable future"
– Ken Thompson, The Niche 55(1), spring 2024
"A MUST-HAVE for anyone with a serious interest in aquatic plants of the region!"
– Ian Paulsen, The Birdbooker Report
"A monumental work by any standards, representing the combined knowledge and experience of renowned experts from across Europe [...] A comprehensive catalogue of species, with beautiful full colour illustrations, sketches, diagrams and maps, is nothing short of breathtaking in its coverage."
– David M. Gascoigne, Travels With Birds
