Key takeaways for pond aeration

• Aeration relieves the low dissolved oxygen levels caused by large duckweed populations and the chemical treatments that treat duckweed.
• Duckweeds are typically found in still, nutrient rich waters. Aeration eliminates still, stagnant water.

General takeaways

• Duckweeds’ small size allows for easy transport by birds, water currents, and boats, contributing to its spread.
• Duckweeds represent five genera of small floating aquatic plants in the Araxeae subfamily Lemnoideae and include 35 species worldwide.
• Authors separate duckweed species based on:
  • Frond size, number and shape
  • Root structure or lack thereof
• Using Grass carp is not a reliable means of managing duckweed due to high stocking requirements and fish size restrictions. Larger fish are no longer effective at straining small plants.
• Duckweed in the Wolffia (Watermeal) genus are the size of a sugar crystal and are harder to control.
• Watermeal duckweed are tolerant to Diquat, so foliar applications alone are not recommended to control this plant.
• Using a combination of systemic and contact herbicides may improve effectiveness and provide longer-term control.